The Avoid Debt Secret
Financial talking heads on television and radio try to tell you how to get out of debt, stay out of debt, or what dance steps to use to avoid debt. Just about everything they say is the wrong thing. I don't mean they are lairs and you should ignore them. Actually, many of their ideas do make sense.
They are wrong when talking about debt because they say "live within your means". By focusing on this phrase, what they are not telling you becomes a secret - the true secret to avoiding debt. Do you want to know the secret? If you didn't, why are you reading this?
The secret to getting out of debt and avoiding debt again is
Living below your means.
I'm serious that this is the true secret to staying out of debt. If you live within your means you are spending everything you take in. While this avoids going deeper into debt, it will not dig you out of debt or keep you out. Living within your means is like walking on a treadmill, you work hard but you fail to go anywhere.
How do you live below your means? The best way is to create a spending plan. This can be a simple hand written graph listing your expenses or it can be as complex as a fancy computerized program tracking every dollar you spend through PDA and laptops.
Why is living below your means so important? When you live below your means you are generating a surplus amount of money each month. This surplus is money you use to pay extra on your debts until you are debt free. This surplus can be used to build an Emergency Fund, develop a savings plan for your children's college or prepare for your retirement.
Living below your means is the real secret to personal financial success. It also will not come easy. We people like to live as high on the hog as we can. However, this doesn't help us have a surplus each month. You might have to make some difficult decisions to produce a steady supply of surplus money each month.
How difficult of decisions? You may have to sell your house and move into a smaller rental. Perhaps you will sell one car, stop eating out except for special occasions, come home from work instead of stopping by the bar or even taking on a second job. Be careful of the second job, though. It comes with more taxes, stress and its own set of issues.
When you are done reading, I want you to think about what you can do to start creating a surplus this month. What plans are you going to make, and steps you will take to provide a surplus to pay off your debt and begin a regular savings program?
After you have thought about them, go talk to your spouse about creating a surplus. When you are done talking, writing the surplus creating plan down and hang it on your refrigerator. If the two of you work together, you will be able to conquer your debts and put your family back on a secure financial footing.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Dump that Overhead Projector!
What is it about overhead projectors that causes us to become lousy communicators? Why do our speeches or presentations lose much of their steam when we use overheads?
Well, for starters, we often give more attention to the overheads than the audience. It can't be helped. After all, we have to pick up the right overhead, separate it from the next one, get it on the projector properly, check it out on the screen, and so on.
While doing those things, we're taking our eyes off the audience. At the same time, the audience spends a lot of time looking at the screen, rather than at us. And, nothing detracts from good communication like loss of eye contact with the audience.
We're also taking our mind off the audience. Instead, we're focusing our thoughts on the technical issues involved in showing the overhead, including our explanations of the visuals.
Then there's the amount of material. Almost every time I see a speech with overheads, I see way too much content. One of the best lessons I've learned in several years at Toastmasters is that less is more. Don't try to explain everything to your audience, just pick one small sliver of an issue and explain it well - a speech is not a book or a written article!
And, then there's the simple fact that the projector gets between you and the audience. There's noise and the size of the projector, which mean a projector can be a more powerful presence at the front of the room than you.
Perhaps there should be a 12-step program for getting over overhead projectors. While they're unlikely be an addiction, they can be a crutch, one that allows us to make presentations without adequate thought or preparation.
Personally, I like the idea of giving up overheads and projectors altogether. A colleague recently asked if we should use overheads when we do some upcoming presentations together. I expressed my opinion firmly. Need I say what that was?
If you're not ready to give them up, use your overheads in a supporting role. Don't ask them to carry a substantial part of the message; you should deliver the message, and the overheads should reinforce what you say.
For example, if your presentation involves numerical information, a simple bar or line graph might help the audience get the point. Or, if you're talking about a sequence of events and their order is critical, a numbered list might help.
But the best bet may be to go without. Before the presentation, think hard about the message or messages you want to convey. Boil them down into no more than three points, and then look for stories, analogies, metaphors, and anything else that will illustrate and reinforce each point. Try to create mental images with words, like good radio ads.
In summary, overhead projectors put serious communication barriers between speakers and audiences. Get rid of them. You'll be glad you did - and your audience will, too.
What is it about overhead projectors that causes us to become lousy communicators? Why do our speeches or presentations lose much of their steam when we use overheads?
Well, for starters, we often give more attention to the overheads than the audience. It can't be helped. After all, we have to pick up the right overhead, separate it from the next one, get it on the projector properly, check it out on the screen, and so on.
While doing those things, we're taking our eyes off the audience. At the same time, the audience spends a lot of time looking at the screen, rather than at us. And, nothing detracts from good communication like loss of eye contact with the audience.
We're also taking our mind off the audience. Instead, we're focusing our thoughts on the technical issues involved in showing the overhead, including our explanations of the visuals.
Then there's the amount of material. Almost every time I see a speech with overheads, I see way too much content. One of the best lessons I've learned in several years at Toastmasters is that less is more. Don't try to explain everything to your audience, just pick one small sliver of an issue and explain it well - a speech is not a book or a written article!
And, then there's the simple fact that the projector gets between you and the audience. There's noise and the size of the projector, which mean a projector can be a more powerful presence at the front of the room than you.
Perhaps there should be a 12-step program for getting over overhead projectors. While they're unlikely be an addiction, they can be a crutch, one that allows us to make presentations without adequate thought or preparation.
Personally, I like the idea of giving up overheads and projectors altogether. A colleague recently asked if we should use overheads when we do some upcoming presentations together. I expressed my opinion firmly. Need I say what that was?
If you're not ready to give them up, use your overheads in a supporting role. Don't ask them to carry a substantial part of the message; you should deliver the message, and the overheads should reinforce what you say.
For example, if your presentation involves numerical information, a simple bar or line graph might help the audience get the point. Or, if you're talking about a sequence of events and their order is critical, a numbered list might help.
But the best bet may be to go without. Before the presentation, think hard about the message or messages you want to convey. Boil them down into no more than three points, and then look for stories, analogies, metaphors, and anything else that will illustrate and reinforce each point. Try to create mental images with words, like good radio ads.
In summary, overhead projectors put serious communication barriers between speakers and audiences. Get rid of them. You'll be glad you did - and your audience will, too.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Building or Decorating Your Home Requires House Plans
There are some things to consider when creating plans for your home. There are two situations that call for plans or blue prints, either you are building a new home or decorating your present home. The types of plans required for either situation will vary depending on the extent of your project.
When building a new home, there are several things you will want to consider carefully. The most obvious is where you are going to build your house. The climate will affect where you build. You wouldnt build an icehouse in the middle of the desert. You will want to determine what material you will want to use. Brick, wood, and cement are popular. In the southern states clay adobe houses are the norm. In the north and other areas brick, wood, and stone are options. The climate will influence this choice as well. In areas where there is cold weather brick and cement are used because they absorb and retain heat. In the south wood frame houses are built. The size of your lot will determine the size and type of house you want. You couldnt build a mansion on say a quarter of an acre. On the other hand a one bedroom, single floor home would look strange on a lot that is two acres or bigger. Whether your home has a basement could be important and that would depend on where you live.
If you are lucky to have a basement, it can house the laundry room and your gym equipment or be a playroom/guest room.
Now that you know where and what type of climate you will be building in it is time to think about the plans. Blueprints are or have been used to draw a linear picture of the house as you see it. Now however there are computer programs that will allow you to build your house in 3-D. There are also web sites online that will also allow you to build your house and see it in 3-D. Not only that but some sites will allow you to place your furniture. There are several kinds of technical drawings that are used to create plans for a new home. There are site plans that address coding issues, landscaping, location specifics, drainage (land contours), trees, set backs, and property lines. A floor plan is a design plan of the house, the layout of the rooms, and where the windows and doors. Another type of plan is building sections, which is a cross section of the house. It helps determine any issues, visualize your finished house and floor plans using section marks. Wall sections show the construction of one exterior wall where sections are indicated with section marks. Exterior Elevations include such features as porches and decks. They also show furniture, window and door locations, eave heights and roofing. Interior elevations show the lighting layout and ceiling conditions. Porches are another very interesting option; they can be enclosed, go all the way around the house. They can also be half-enclosed and half-open. They can be reminders of times past. A huge porch reminds me of my aunts farm years ago. Porches are great for extending family time and conversation while still being protected from the weather.
Decisions to be made are the size of each room, the number of rooms and the number of floors to be built. Will there be a basement or a fireplace, and where is the house going to sit on the lot. You could have a front yard or the house could be in the front of the lot with a yard in the back. You could also put it right in the center and have land all around.
The next consideration is whether you will have a contractor draw up the plans which will be an expense, or you can do them yourself. To do them yourself you will need a pencil or pen, scissors, a measuring tape, and graph paper with 1/4-inch boxes.
You will draw rooms to scale; one box per foot is good. Measure your rooms, doors, windows, heat and air cooling appliances. Draw the outlines of the rooms according to scale.
Measure your furniture (you only need to worry about length and width here) next and take another piece of graph paper. Draw out lines of your furniture, label them and cut them out. Use these pieces to set up the rooms. When you find an arrangement you like, you can make a more permanent drawing. On another sheet of graph paper draw a box for each wall. Scale your windows, doors, built-ins and other features.
Picking a floor plan is a process of answering some very important questions. Will this place be big enough or too big in a few years? Does your design fit in with the houses in the neighborhood? Does the design of the house fit in with the lot size and shape? Will the windows provide the best view and what windows will catch the sunlight in the morning and afternoon? Will changes need to be made or can changes even be considered? Are the rooms that will be used most of the time of adequate size? Expanding your house size could mean you need to sacrifice amenities or storage space. Do you have specialty rooms such as a craft room, an office, or a gym? An office can double as a guestroom. The trend now is toward creating a family area where there is room for each to do his/her own hobby or to be together watching movies or playing games. When all the decisions are made and the plans are all drawn you will be ready to build.
Suppose now, that you are purchasing an already built home or renting an apartment. Plans can be done in these situations as well. Most places will offer a floor plan for you to look at with the measurements of the space in the rooms. If this is not available you can draw your own plan.
You would need the same materials and the plan is fixed, you are limited to what is already there. Draw the outlines of each room according to scale. Take another sheet of graph paper and draw the outlines of your furniture. Label them and cut them out. You can move these pieces around till you find an arrangement you like. You might be limited with your television set because the outside antenna is in a certain spot.
Take another piece of graph paper and draw the wall sections of each room noting the windows, doors, and any heating or cooling appliance might be situated. You will have already placed your furniture so you will have a good idea of what your new home will look like. You can now decorate according to your tastes. In a rental home however, you might not be able to change wall colors or in rare cases hang pictures.
Planning for your home can be very exciting. You could be buying new furniture but you might want to consider the color of the carpets or the floors when you are choosing your pieces. A blue couch on a brown carpet does not exactly match. When planning for your home whether you buy or rent should be done carefully. Keep in mind your preferences, your limitations and if you are building, local zoning ordinances.
There are some things to consider when creating plans for your home. There are two situations that call for plans or blue prints, either you are building a new home or decorating your present home. The types of plans required for either situation will vary depending on the extent of your project.
When building a new home, there are several things you will want to consider carefully. The most obvious is where you are going to build your house. The climate will affect where you build. You wouldnt build an icehouse in the middle of the desert. You will want to determine what material you will want to use. Brick, wood, and cement are popular. In the southern states clay adobe houses are the norm. In the north and other areas brick, wood, and stone are options. The climate will influence this choice as well. In areas where there is cold weather brick and cement are used because they absorb and retain heat. In the south wood frame houses are built. The size of your lot will determine the size and type of house you want. You couldnt build a mansion on say a quarter of an acre. On the other hand a one bedroom, single floor home would look strange on a lot that is two acres or bigger. Whether your home has a basement could be important and that would depend on where you live.
If you are lucky to have a basement, it can house the laundry room and your gym equipment or be a playroom/guest room.
Now that you know where and what type of climate you will be building in it is time to think about the plans. Blueprints are or have been used to draw a linear picture of the house as you see it. Now however there are computer programs that will allow you to build your house in 3-D. There are also web sites online that will also allow you to build your house and see it in 3-D. Not only that but some sites will allow you to place your furniture. There are several kinds of technical drawings that are used to create plans for a new home. There are site plans that address coding issues, landscaping, location specifics, drainage (land contours), trees, set backs, and property lines. A floor plan is a design plan of the house, the layout of the rooms, and where the windows and doors. Another type of plan is building sections, which is a cross section of the house. It helps determine any issues, visualize your finished house and floor plans using section marks. Wall sections show the construction of one exterior wall where sections are indicated with section marks. Exterior Elevations include such features as porches and decks. They also show furniture, window and door locations, eave heights and roofing. Interior elevations show the lighting layout and ceiling conditions. Porches are another very interesting option; they can be enclosed, go all the way around the house. They can also be half-enclosed and half-open. They can be reminders of times past. A huge porch reminds me of my aunts farm years ago. Porches are great for extending family time and conversation while still being protected from the weather.
Decisions to be made are the size of each room, the number of rooms and the number of floors to be built. Will there be a basement or a fireplace, and where is the house going to sit on the lot. You could have a front yard or the house could be in the front of the lot with a yard in the back. You could also put it right in the center and have land all around.
The next consideration is whether you will have a contractor draw up the plans which will be an expense, or you can do them yourself. To do them yourself you will need a pencil or pen, scissors, a measuring tape, and graph paper with 1/4-inch boxes.
You will draw rooms to scale; one box per foot is good. Measure your rooms, doors, windows, heat and air cooling appliances. Draw the outlines of the rooms according to scale.
Measure your furniture (you only need to worry about length and width here) next and take another piece of graph paper. Draw out lines of your furniture, label them and cut them out. Use these pieces to set up the rooms. When you find an arrangement you like, you can make a more permanent drawing. On another sheet of graph paper draw a box for each wall. Scale your windows, doors, built-ins and other features.
Picking a floor plan is a process of answering some very important questions. Will this place be big enough or too big in a few years? Does your design fit in with the houses in the neighborhood? Does the design of the house fit in with the lot size and shape? Will the windows provide the best view and what windows will catch the sunlight in the morning and afternoon? Will changes need to be made or can changes even be considered? Are the rooms that will be used most of the time of adequate size? Expanding your house size could mean you need to sacrifice amenities or storage space. Do you have specialty rooms such as a craft room, an office, or a gym? An office can double as a guestroom. The trend now is toward creating a family area where there is room for each to do his/her own hobby or to be together watching movies or playing games. When all the decisions are made and the plans are all drawn you will be ready to build.
Suppose now, that you are purchasing an already built home or renting an apartment. Plans can be done in these situations as well. Most places will offer a floor plan for you to look at with the measurements of the space in the rooms. If this is not available you can draw your own plan.
You would need the same materials and the plan is fixed, you are limited to what is already there. Draw the outlines of each room according to scale. Take another sheet of graph paper and draw the outlines of your furniture. Label them and cut them out. You can move these pieces around till you find an arrangement you like. You might be limited with your television set because the outside antenna is in a certain spot.
Take another piece of graph paper and draw the wall sections of each room noting the windows, doors, and any heating or cooling appliance might be situated. You will have already placed your furniture so you will have a good idea of what your new home will look like. You can now decorate according to your tastes. In a rental home however, you might not be able to change wall colors or in rare cases hang pictures.
Planning for your home can be very exciting. You could be buying new furniture but you might want to consider the color of the carpets or the floors when you are choosing your pieces. A blue couch on a brown carpet does not exactly match. When planning for your home whether you buy or rent should be done carefully. Keep in mind your preferences, your limitations and if you are building, local zoning ordinances.
Lie Detector - To Lie Or Not To Lie
The Science Of Lies
The lie detector test is a way to obtain evidence in court cases, as well as to determine the character of potential and current employees. Many people see the lie detector test as controversial and intrusive. There are also those in favor of the lie detector test who say that it is impossible to tell whether someone is lying or not or if someone is engaging his/herself in deceptive behavior. Professionals involved in this science do not like to use the term lie detector, and would rather use polygraph. A polygraph machine monitors the levels of many different bodily functions (heart rate, perspiration, etc.). The person judging the test looks at the answers given and the bodys reaction to the questions to determine if the subject is engaging in deceptive behaviors. The machine was once an analog machine that would scribble lines on graph paper as the paper scrolled automatically, and now it is digital.
What Does It Do?
The polygraph detector measures the respiratory rate, the heart rate, and the amount of perspiration on the finger tips of the subject. The examiner will assess the results of the test and study any differences in spikes and results of the behavior. The subject in question is hooked up with wires and tubes to the lie detector machine. The professional examiner will first get to know his/her subject and the subjects version of the story. The lie detector is not used at this part of the testing process. The examiner uses his/her own observation to record and monitor how the subject responds. The next step is a list of specially designed questions created by the examiner. He/she reviews these questions with the subject prior to turning on the lie detector test. The actual lie detector test will be about 60-70% control questions, which are general questions many people have trouble answering no too. The other 30-40% will be questions related directly to the situation at hand. The test is considered an exact science by those who are well-trained in its processes. These scientists take into account the subjects cultural background, religious beliefs, etc., and will only ask questions that will elicit true biological responses on the lie detector machine.
Controversy
The men and women who argue against the lie detector test state that there are both false positives and false negatives with the test. A false positive is where someone tells the truth, but it reads as a lie, and a false negative is where someone lies and it reads as the truth. Some believe there is a way for someone to beat the machine by doing something such as biting their lip each tip a question is posed. This elicits the same bodily reaction each time. One of the biggest noted problems with polygraph tests is the inconsistency in the professional examiners. There are states that allow virtually anyone to become a polygraph examiner, while other states require extensive, on-going training and certification. Until all of these issues surrounding the polygraph test are resolved, there will be controversy regarding its practice, validity, and its use in the courtroom.
The Science Of Lies
The lie detector test is a way to obtain evidence in court cases, as well as to determine the character of potential and current employees. Many people see the lie detector test as controversial and intrusive. There are also those in favor of the lie detector test who say that it is impossible to tell whether someone is lying or not or if someone is engaging his/herself in deceptive behavior. Professionals involved in this science do not like to use the term lie detector, and would rather use polygraph. A polygraph machine monitors the levels of many different bodily functions (heart rate, perspiration, etc.). The person judging the test looks at the answers given and the bodys reaction to the questions to determine if the subject is engaging in deceptive behaviors. The machine was once an analog machine that would scribble lines on graph paper as the paper scrolled automatically, and now it is digital.
What Does It Do?
The polygraph detector measures the respiratory rate, the heart rate, and the amount of perspiration on the finger tips of the subject. The examiner will assess the results of the test and study any differences in spikes and results of the behavior. The subject in question is hooked up with wires and tubes to the lie detector machine. The professional examiner will first get to know his/her subject and the subjects version of the story. The lie detector is not used at this part of the testing process. The examiner uses his/her own observation to record and monitor how the subject responds. The next step is a list of specially designed questions created by the examiner. He/she reviews these questions with the subject prior to turning on the lie detector test. The actual lie detector test will be about 60-70% control questions, which are general questions many people have trouble answering no too. The other 30-40% will be questions related directly to the situation at hand. The test is considered an exact science by those who are well-trained in its processes. These scientists take into account the subjects cultural background, religious beliefs, etc., and will only ask questions that will elicit true biological responses on the lie detector machine.
Controversy
The men and women who argue against the lie detector test state that there are both false positives and false negatives with the test. A false positive is where someone tells the truth, but it reads as a lie, and a false negative is where someone lies and it reads as the truth. Some believe there is a way for someone to beat the machine by doing something such as biting their lip each tip a question is posed. This elicits the same bodily reaction each time. One of the biggest noted problems with polygraph tests is the inconsistency in the professional examiners. There are states that allow virtually anyone to become a polygraph examiner, while other states require extensive, on-going training and certification. Until all of these issues surrounding the polygraph test are resolved, there will be controversy regarding its practice, validity, and its use in the courtroom.
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Write Articles And Captivate Your Readers
To get your name out there, write articles and allow them to be freely reproduced (with a resource box pointing back to you.) A well-written article can:
- help build your profile
- draw traffic to your site, and
- help build a database of clients through associated e-courses or newsletter.
How do you write the article? You can come up with the content - How do you grab those readers and make them come back for more?
As you can construct and edit an article (it has a beginning, middle and end; and you can check the grammar and spelling); if you want to WIN readers - think about what they want to know.
Put your readers first. Give them what they want and they'll be queuing up to read anything you produce.
A blueprint for writing articles that captivate your readers - whatever the topic - is a follows:
== 1. What Do Your Readers Want ==
You may know what they want because you're an expert in the field. If you don't know the subject well, you'll have to research. Look for forums on your topic and see what people are discussing. What are the problems? Can you provide an answer?
== 2. Start With An Attention-Grabber ==
Work on your opening. Try to avoid trite questions like "Have you wondered why people find it difficult to lose weight?" It's dull and it's not targeting the person reading the article - what do they care about the difficulties "people" have losing weight? They care about THEIR weight problem!
The opening paragraph should give the reader that warm "Hey, this is about me!" feeling. - "This could be the answer I've been looking for..."
Example: "Diet gurus make it all sound easy: to lose weight, all you have to do is expend more energy than you take in. Huh! If it were that simple, the "Big People" stores would be out of business. For those of us tired of diets, gyms and dull group meetings, there is a back-to-basics way to tackle this. It won't cost you a fortune or leave you feeling deprived."
== 3. Write As You Speak... Then Edit! ==
The sample opening above illustrates the importance of the tone used in your article. You need 'meat'to make it worth reading.
Write your article in a natural style that's akin to normal conversation. If the first draft is too informal - fix that when you edit. Readers may want facts, tips, and strategies, but they want entertainment too! Let your personality shine.
== 4. End On A High ==
Most articles fizzle out! Writers often don't know how to end on an upbeat note. They either stop dead or come up with a trite ending like: "So what are you waiting for? Get started today!"
The beginning and the ending of your article are the parts that make the biggest impression. Creat a feeling of anticipation... and leave them feeling satisfied (or excited) when you finish.
Offering advice to help solve a problem gives your readers a reason to feel optimistic about themselves. Don't make promises... but offer hope. If you are giving hints on marketing or business, sum up the benefits. Experiment with using a humorous quote, or giving readers a specific action to get them started. Be creative.
Here's a final tip: create a cheat-sheet. Divide it into beginnings/middles/ends and add more strategies as you think of them. (For example, using the tips in this article, you might write: ENDINGS - end on a high, offer hope, use funny quote, suggest action to get started.)
Do this, and you'll be cranking out articles everyone wants to publish!
To get your name out there, write articles and allow them to be freely reproduced (with a resource box pointing back to you.) A well-written article can:
- help build your profile
- draw traffic to your site, and
- help build a database of clients through associated e-courses or newsletter.
How do you write the article? You can come up with the content - How do you grab those readers and make them come back for more?
As you can construct and edit an article (it has a beginning, middle and end; and you can check the grammar and spelling); if you want to WIN readers - think about what they want to know.
Put your readers first. Give them what they want and they'll be queuing up to read anything you produce.
A blueprint for writing articles that captivate your readers - whatever the topic - is a follows:
== 1. What Do Your Readers Want ==
You may know what they want because you're an expert in the field. If you don't know the subject well, you'll have to research. Look for forums on your topic and see what people are discussing. What are the problems? Can you provide an answer?
== 2. Start With An Attention-Grabber ==
Work on your opening. Try to avoid trite questions like "Have you wondered why people find it difficult to lose weight?" It's dull and it's not targeting the person reading the article - what do they care about the difficulties "people" have losing weight? They care about THEIR weight problem!
The opening paragraph should give the reader that warm "Hey, this is about me!" feeling. - "This could be the answer I've been looking for..."
Example: "Diet gurus make it all sound easy: to lose weight, all you have to do is expend more energy than you take in. Huh! If it were that simple, the "Big People" stores would be out of business. For those of us tired of diets, gyms and dull group meetings, there is a back-to-basics way to tackle this. It won't cost you a fortune or leave you feeling deprived."
== 3. Write As You Speak... Then Edit! ==
The sample opening above illustrates the importance of the tone used in your article. You need 'meat'to make it worth reading.
Write your article in a natural style that's akin to normal conversation. If the first draft is too informal - fix that when you edit. Readers may want facts, tips, and strategies, but they want entertainment too! Let your personality shine.
== 4. End On A High ==
Most articles fizzle out! Writers often don't know how to end on an upbeat note. They either stop dead or come up with a trite ending like: "So what are you waiting for? Get started today!"
The beginning and the ending of your article are the parts that make the biggest impression. Creat a feeling of anticipation... and leave them feeling satisfied (or excited) when you finish.
Offering advice to help solve a problem gives your readers a reason to feel optimistic about themselves. Don't make promises... but offer hope. If you are giving hints on marketing or business, sum up the benefits. Experiment with using a humorous quote, or giving readers a specific action to get them started. Be creative.
Here's a final tip: create a cheat-sheet. Divide it into beginnings/middles/ends and add more strategies as you think of them. (For example, using the tips in this article, you might write: ENDINGS - end on a high, offer hope, use funny quote, suggest action to get started.)
Do this, and you'll be cranking out articles everyone wants to publish!
Menstrual Calendar, Charting Your Signs of Fertility
Charting the signs of our menstrual cycle is a good way to keep in touch with our bodies, our feelings, and our health. It is also a good way to predict our days of menstruation in advance, even if menstrual cycles are irregular, and to know the most fertile times if we are hoping to conceive.
Cervical Mucus
The sign that is easier to observe is the cervical mucus, since it is noticed in the course of daily activity. Fertile type mucus is produced by the cervix during the days when the ova are maturing and preparing for ovulation. This mucus is not only an indicator of fertility, it is essential for fertility. Cervical mucus nourishes the sperm, protects them from the natural acidity of the vagina, and guides them toward the ovum. Following is a simple way to observe and chart your fertile type mucus.
Pay attention to how you feel as you go about your daily activities. Just as you have learned to notice a certain wetness at menstruation, you will begin to notice a second wet time, but later in the cycle, and without bleeding. The second wet time is caused by your fertile type mucus.
Each time you go to the bathroom, wipe with toilet paper both before and after you use the toilet, noticing: a) the sensation you feel as you wipe with toilet paper, b) what is on the toilet paper. Chart what you see and what you feel in the following way. Or use any charting method that makes sense to you.
1) Menstruation: mark the days of bleeding in some way, such as coloring the calendar day red.
2) Nothing: if you don't see or feel anything outside your vagina, you can leave the calendar blank on those days.
3) Something: but if you see or feel something - anything -such as pasty or sticky mucus, or a feeling of wetness - draw something, such as a raindrop, on these days.
4) Slippery something: If the pasty or sticky mucus turns to slippery mucus or a slippery feeling, color the raindrop dark to indicate the slippery wetness.
After a few slippery wet days, the mucus may disappear or return to sticky or pasty. When it does, begin to count the days until menstruation arrives. In a normal fertile cycle, the time between the last day of slippery mucus or slippery feeling and the next menstruation is between 11-16 days. You will become quite accurate about your predictions after you chart for about three cycles.
The mucus is your most fertile time, since fertile type is produced during the days leading up to and including ovulation. But don't try to use this information for birth control unless you seek out a qualified teacher of fertility awareness or natural family planning. However, if you are hoping to become pregnant, charting the mucus and the dry times of the cycle will allow you to know your most fertile time. It will also allow you to predict your next menstruation with accuracy, and to begin a new and sensitive relationship with yourself.
Under the influence of the hormone estrogen, when the fertile mucus is present, we may feel courageous and loving. Men who bored us last week may suddenly appear interesting and attractive. Like Mother Earth in her rainy season, we are full of potential. We may also be interested in sexual activity. These emotions and reactions are caused by the hormone estrogen, which is getting us ready to have a baby, even though we may not want that for ourselves yet!
After ovulation, under the influence of the hormone progesterone, we may feel somewhat deflated compared to our wet, fertile time. Like Mother Earth in her dry time, we may feel quiet, with less energy. When menstrual bleeding begins, both estrogen and progesterone are at low levels. We may feel sensitive, solitary, or inward.
Generally speaking, dark red bleeding for about three days indicates that hormones are high enough to build a good uterine lining and nourish a fetus in the event of conception. However, more than three days of heavy bleeding can be exhausting. Three to five days of wet, slippery mucus 11-14 days before the next menstruation is a probable indicator of normal ovulation and a fertile cycle. Cycles are often 28-30 days from the first day of bleeding to the first day of the bleeding of the next menstruation. However, irregular cycles do not indicate infertility. If the time between the last day of slippery mucus and the next menstruation is 11-16 days, the cycle is probably fertile. Even if one cycle is not fertile, the next may well be fertile. Much depends on the stress we may be feeling. Keeping a chart allows us to keep all things in perspective, and feel our own harmony with all the cycles of nature.
Basal Body Temperature
If you are not sure you are ovulating, you can take your temperature. The body's resting temperature increases four-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit or two-tenths of a degree Centigrade under the influence of progesterone at ovulation. Observing this sign involves taking your temperature at the same time each morning before rising. (This is not as hard as it sounds. It takes less than two minutes and you can go back to sleep if you want.)
To observe your temperature rise, buy a BD brand digital basal thermometer. This brand will give you a consistent and accurate reading. Other high quality brands of digital basal thermometers are also probably accurate, but have not been tested for fertility awareness. Make sure the battery is good. (You can replace it.) An ordinary clinical thermometer is not accurate enough for fertility awareness. Nor is the "ear thermometer" (tympanic thermometer).
Take your temperature every day immediately upon waking, before 7:30 a.m. The body's rhythms (circadian rhythms) fluctuate over a 24-hour period. Your temperature is lowest in the early morning and highest in the afternoon. Fluctuations are greater after 7:30 a.m. If you go to bed before midnight and wake up before 7:30 a.m., you will get the clearest temperature readings.
If it is not convenient to take your temperature immediately upon waking, you may take it during light morning activity. For example, if you need to go to the bathroom, you may take your temperature while getting up and using the toilet. But be consistent about the circumstances under which you take your temperature. If you take it during light morning activity, take it that way every morning. Don't take it sometimes before getting up and at other times during light morning activity. If you have sexual relations, take your temperature before.
Many women find that the digital thermometers require such a short time to use that it is easy to take their temperature before getting up. Take your temperature by mouth. Under arm and ear temperatures are not accurate enough for family planning purposes. The thermometer will beep softly several times before beginning to beep slightly louder and repeatedly. Keep the thermometer under your tongue until the louder, repeated beeps begin. You can read and chart your temperature as soon as is convenient after taking it. Your thermometer has a recall button that allows you to read the last temperature taken. Be sure to wash your thermometer after each use.
Your Temperature Graph
Put a dot on a graph on the spot corresponding to each day's temperature. Join the dots of consecutive days. If you do not take your temperature one day, do not join the dots across that day. Also write out the temperature numerically, to guard against errors in graphing.
Interpreting Your Chart
1) Breathe and relax. Study your chart.
2) Can you find six low temperatures during the fertile mucus days of your cycle?
3) Draw a horizontal line at the highest of the six low temperatures. This is your low temperature line.
4) Draw another horizontal line four-tenths of a degree F. or two-tenths of a degree C. above your low temperature line. This is your full thermal shift line.
5) Can you find three high temperatures after the low temperatures? All of the high temperatures must be above the low temperature line. At least the third high temperature must be at or above the full thermal shift line.
6) This temperature pattern of low and high temperatures is called a biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift. A biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift confirms that you really did ovulate. A smaller, but sustained temperature rise also probably indicates ovulation.
If you are hoping to become pregnant, please pay close attention to nutrition. Look for unprocessed foods grown without chemicals. Exercise in moderation. Get plenty of rest. Avoid stress. Think happy thoughts. Pray for the child you desire, and begin sending your child love, now. Heal any hurtful feelings between you and your mate, and between you both and your parents. Your mate should avoid hot shower or baths and tight clothing, both of which lower sperm count.To increase your chances of conception, use the wet, slippery days for sexual relations.
If you have observed a biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift, and it is now 18 days since your last slippery, wet day, and menstruation has not arrived, you may feel confident that you have conceived.
Congratulations and blessings!
Charting the signs of our menstrual cycle is a good way to keep in touch with our bodies, our feelings, and our health. It is also a good way to predict our days of menstruation in advance, even if menstrual cycles are irregular, and to know the most fertile times if we are hoping to conceive.
Cervical Mucus
The sign that is easier to observe is the cervical mucus, since it is noticed in the course of daily activity. Fertile type mucus is produced by the cervix during the days when the ova are maturing and preparing for ovulation. This mucus is not only an indicator of fertility, it is essential for fertility. Cervical mucus nourishes the sperm, protects them from the natural acidity of the vagina, and guides them toward the ovum. Following is a simple way to observe and chart your fertile type mucus.
Pay attention to how you feel as you go about your daily activities. Just as you have learned to notice a certain wetness at menstruation, you will begin to notice a second wet time, but later in the cycle, and without bleeding. The second wet time is caused by your fertile type mucus.
Each time you go to the bathroom, wipe with toilet paper both before and after you use the toilet, noticing: a) the sensation you feel as you wipe with toilet paper, b) what is on the toilet paper. Chart what you see and what you feel in the following way. Or use any charting method that makes sense to you.
1) Menstruation: mark the days of bleeding in some way, such as coloring the calendar day red.
2) Nothing: if you don't see or feel anything outside your vagina, you can leave the calendar blank on those days.
3) Something: but if you see or feel something - anything -such as pasty or sticky mucus, or a feeling of wetness - draw something, such as a raindrop, on these days.
4) Slippery something: If the pasty or sticky mucus turns to slippery mucus or a slippery feeling, color the raindrop dark to indicate the slippery wetness.
After a few slippery wet days, the mucus may disappear or return to sticky or pasty. When it does, begin to count the days until menstruation arrives. In a normal fertile cycle, the time between the last day of slippery mucus or slippery feeling and the next menstruation is between 11-16 days. You will become quite accurate about your predictions after you chart for about three cycles.
The mucus is your most fertile time, since fertile type is produced during the days leading up to and including ovulation. But don't try to use this information for birth control unless you seek out a qualified teacher of fertility awareness or natural family planning. However, if you are hoping to become pregnant, charting the mucus and the dry times of the cycle will allow you to know your most fertile time. It will also allow you to predict your next menstruation with accuracy, and to begin a new and sensitive relationship with yourself.
Under the influence of the hormone estrogen, when the fertile mucus is present, we may feel courageous and loving. Men who bored us last week may suddenly appear interesting and attractive. Like Mother Earth in her rainy season, we are full of potential. We may also be interested in sexual activity. These emotions and reactions are caused by the hormone estrogen, which is getting us ready to have a baby, even though we may not want that for ourselves yet!
After ovulation, under the influence of the hormone progesterone, we may feel somewhat deflated compared to our wet, fertile time. Like Mother Earth in her dry time, we may feel quiet, with less energy. When menstrual bleeding begins, both estrogen and progesterone are at low levels. We may feel sensitive, solitary, or inward.
Generally speaking, dark red bleeding for about three days indicates that hormones are high enough to build a good uterine lining and nourish a fetus in the event of conception. However, more than three days of heavy bleeding can be exhausting. Three to five days of wet, slippery mucus 11-14 days before the next menstruation is a probable indicator of normal ovulation and a fertile cycle. Cycles are often 28-30 days from the first day of bleeding to the first day of the bleeding of the next menstruation. However, irregular cycles do not indicate infertility. If the time between the last day of slippery mucus and the next menstruation is 11-16 days, the cycle is probably fertile. Even if one cycle is not fertile, the next may well be fertile. Much depends on the stress we may be feeling. Keeping a chart allows us to keep all things in perspective, and feel our own harmony with all the cycles of nature.
Basal Body Temperature
If you are not sure you are ovulating, you can take your temperature. The body's resting temperature increases four-tenths of a degree Fahrenheit or two-tenths of a degree Centigrade under the influence of progesterone at ovulation. Observing this sign involves taking your temperature at the same time each morning before rising. (This is not as hard as it sounds. It takes less than two minutes and you can go back to sleep if you want.)
To observe your temperature rise, buy a BD brand digital basal thermometer. This brand will give you a consistent and accurate reading. Other high quality brands of digital basal thermometers are also probably accurate, but have not been tested for fertility awareness. Make sure the battery is good. (You can replace it.) An ordinary clinical thermometer is not accurate enough for fertility awareness. Nor is the "ear thermometer" (tympanic thermometer).
Take your temperature every day immediately upon waking, before 7:30 a.m. The body's rhythms (circadian rhythms) fluctuate over a 24-hour period. Your temperature is lowest in the early morning and highest in the afternoon. Fluctuations are greater after 7:30 a.m. If you go to bed before midnight and wake up before 7:30 a.m., you will get the clearest temperature readings.
If it is not convenient to take your temperature immediately upon waking, you may take it during light morning activity. For example, if you need to go to the bathroom, you may take your temperature while getting up and using the toilet. But be consistent about the circumstances under which you take your temperature. If you take it during light morning activity, take it that way every morning. Don't take it sometimes before getting up and at other times during light morning activity. If you have sexual relations, take your temperature before.
Many women find that the digital thermometers require such a short time to use that it is easy to take their temperature before getting up. Take your temperature by mouth. Under arm and ear temperatures are not accurate enough for family planning purposes. The thermometer will beep softly several times before beginning to beep slightly louder and repeatedly. Keep the thermometer under your tongue until the louder, repeated beeps begin. You can read and chart your temperature as soon as is convenient after taking it. Your thermometer has a recall button that allows you to read the last temperature taken. Be sure to wash your thermometer after each use.
Your Temperature Graph
Put a dot on a graph on the spot corresponding to each day's temperature. Join the dots of consecutive days. If you do not take your temperature one day, do not join the dots across that day. Also write out the temperature numerically, to guard against errors in graphing.
Interpreting Your Chart
1) Breathe and relax. Study your chart.
2) Can you find six low temperatures during the fertile mucus days of your cycle?
3) Draw a horizontal line at the highest of the six low temperatures. This is your low temperature line.
4) Draw another horizontal line four-tenths of a degree F. or two-tenths of a degree C. above your low temperature line. This is your full thermal shift line.
5) Can you find three high temperatures after the low temperatures? All of the high temperatures must be above the low temperature line. At least the third high temperature must be at or above the full thermal shift line.
6) This temperature pattern of low and high temperatures is called a biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift. A biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift confirms that you really did ovulate. A smaller, but sustained temperature rise also probably indicates ovulation.
If you are hoping to become pregnant, please pay close attention to nutrition. Look for unprocessed foods grown without chemicals. Exercise in moderation. Get plenty of rest. Avoid stress. Think happy thoughts. Pray for the child you desire, and begin sending your child love, now. Heal any hurtful feelings between you and your mate, and between you both and your parents. Your mate should avoid hot shower or baths and tight clothing, both of which lower sperm count.To increase your chances of conception, use the wet, slippery days for sexual relations.
If you have observed a biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift, and it is now 18 days since your last slippery, wet day, and menstruation has not arrived, you may feel confident that you have conceived.
Congratulations and blessings!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Wedding Loans: Perfect Finance Option for a Perfect Wedding
After seeing each other for years and being tagged as in love since eternity, you desire to bring this to a logical end. You are wrong if you think I am suggesting a divorce even before you are actually married. The end to every love is wedding -the wedding of two bodies and two souls.
Have you been planning wedding since a long time but have been hindered because of the huge cost weddings entail nowadays.
Worry not. Spend as much as you can, because wedding loans are there to pay every penny of the expenses.
Average wedding costs anywhere between $19,000 $27,000. This may go much higher if one is planning to have a gala wedding with all the pomp and show included.
And why shant one. Wedding is a once in a lifetime event. People would take all efforts to make the wedding truly memorable.
But the society and the customs have changed much. Just as the parents or guardians lost their say over the choice of bride or groom, they have little to do in the planning and financing of the wedding. So it is the couple who does all the spending on the wedding.
So how do the couples bear the expenses of wedding, in spite of being new to their professions and low on the income graph?
Wedding loans are an effective tool in their hands which they use to pay the entire wedding expenses. Wedding loans can finance practically every wedding expense right from the elegant wedding dress to the exquisitely beautiful engagement ring, from the lavish reception to the impeccable church decoration.
There are a number of other expenses which seem insignificant if seen individually, but become difficult to repay when taken in totality. These can be very easily paid through wedding loans.
Besides, wedding loans can be a much cheaper option to use for the payment rather than credit cards or past savings. Using a credit card can be simple if one goes by the immediate outcomes. But when the credit card debts are due for payment you find them to be much more than what you really spent. No, the credit card company is not indulging in any king of overcharging or cheating. This is only because of the accumulation of interest. Payment through credit cards is just like drawing a loan, but at a much higher rate.
Utilizing past savings for a one day affair like a wedding would be a waste. It could have been a lot better had the past savings been used for some productive purposes.
A wedding loan allows the customer to enjoy two benefits. The first benefit of wedding loan is that the customer will not have to pay an exorbitantly high amount. Most of the lenders offer loans at reasonable rates of interest.
The second benefit is regarding the timing of payment. Even though a customer has to pay more than what he would have spent, he accepts this because he does not have to pay the whole amount at one go. Monthly payments require to be made towards the payment of loan.
A certain amount of planning is necessary when taking a wedding loan. If parents are ready to be a part of the finances then they must be included in discussions. How much can they spend on the wedding needs to be decided well in advance. This will determine the amount of wedding loan that needs to be applied for.
Secured wedding loans taken against ones home will be much cheaper. A valuation of the home or property will be done. One can draw loan depending upon the worth of his home. However there are options for those who do not have a home or who do not want to put their home under any kind of obligation.
Next comes the choice of lenders. It is no longer necessary to depend on lenders in one particular locality or region. Almost every big and small lender is available online. An internet connection is what is needed. One does not even have to leave his home or office, and loan can be applied for instantly. Such a relief from the previous times when a customer had to go to each and every lender to just get the quotes. Few customers were ready to go through this grind, and hence accepted whatever offer was given.
These loans are very easy to approve. With the valuation of property and credibility check over, it is very easy to get loans approved. Filling up each and every detail with caution and accuracy can save enough of time in the approval process.
Did you promise your wife an impeccable wedding ring? You can keep on the promise since wedding loans are there to meet the expense.
Summary
Wedding loans have two benefits. They are cheaper than any other option of payment. They do not require customers to pay the expenses on wedding all at once. For this and many more information on wedding loans read this article.
After seeing each other for years and being tagged as in love since eternity, you desire to bring this to a logical end. You are wrong if you think I am suggesting a divorce even before you are actually married. The end to every love is wedding -the wedding of two bodies and two souls.
Have you been planning wedding since a long time but have been hindered because of the huge cost weddings entail nowadays.
Worry not. Spend as much as you can, because wedding loans are there to pay every penny of the expenses.
Average wedding costs anywhere between $19,000 $27,000. This may go much higher if one is planning to have a gala wedding with all the pomp and show included.
And why shant one. Wedding is a once in a lifetime event. People would take all efforts to make the wedding truly memorable.
But the society and the customs have changed much. Just as the parents or guardians lost their say over the choice of bride or groom, they have little to do in the planning and financing of the wedding. So it is the couple who does all the spending on the wedding.
So how do the couples bear the expenses of wedding, in spite of being new to their professions and low on the income graph?
Wedding loans are an effective tool in their hands which they use to pay the entire wedding expenses. Wedding loans can finance practically every wedding expense right from the elegant wedding dress to the exquisitely beautiful engagement ring, from the lavish reception to the impeccable church decoration.
There are a number of other expenses which seem insignificant if seen individually, but become difficult to repay when taken in totality. These can be very easily paid through wedding loans.
Besides, wedding loans can be a much cheaper option to use for the payment rather than credit cards or past savings. Using a credit card can be simple if one goes by the immediate outcomes. But when the credit card debts are due for payment you find them to be much more than what you really spent. No, the credit card company is not indulging in any king of overcharging or cheating. This is only because of the accumulation of interest. Payment through credit cards is just like drawing a loan, but at a much higher rate.
Utilizing past savings for a one day affair like a wedding would be a waste. It could have been a lot better had the past savings been used for some productive purposes.
A wedding loan allows the customer to enjoy two benefits. The first benefit of wedding loan is that the customer will not have to pay an exorbitantly high amount. Most of the lenders offer loans at reasonable rates of interest.
The second benefit is regarding the timing of payment. Even though a customer has to pay more than what he would have spent, he accepts this because he does not have to pay the whole amount at one go. Monthly payments require to be made towards the payment of loan.
A certain amount of planning is necessary when taking a wedding loan. If parents are ready to be a part of the finances then they must be included in discussions. How much can they spend on the wedding needs to be decided well in advance. This will determine the amount of wedding loan that needs to be applied for.
Secured wedding loans taken against ones home will be much cheaper. A valuation of the home or property will be done. One can draw loan depending upon the worth of his home. However there are options for those who do not have a home or who do not want to put their home under any kind of obligation.
Next comes the choice of lenders. It is no longer necessary to depend on lenders in one particular locality or region. Almost every big and small lender is available online. An internet connection is what is needed. One does not even have to leave his home or office, and loan can be applied for instantly. Such a relief from the previous times when a customer had to go to each and every lender to just get the quotes. Few customers were ready to go through this grind, and hence accepted whatever offer was given.
These loans are very easy to approve. With the valuation of property and credibility check over, it is very easy to get loans approved. Filling up each and every detail with caution and accuracy can save enough of time in the approval process.
Did you promise your wife an impeccable wedding ring? You can keep on the promise since wedding loans are there to meet the expense.
Summary
Wedding loans have two benefits. They are cheaper than any other option of payment. They do not require customers to pay the expenses on wedding all at once. For this and many more information on wedding loans read this article.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
How to Make Yourself Write - Tips and Tricks
All writers, graduate students, and professors know that theyre supposed to write on a daily basis, or at least as frequently as possible. Despite this knowledge, most find it difficult to maintain a regular writing habit.
Im frequently asked for tips on how to make yourself write, even when you dont feel like it (which for many, is most of the time!)
What is the One Way Thats Guaranteed to Work?
Sorry! Theres no one correct method. And what works for you now may not work at some other time.
So Ive listed a bunch of ideas below. Just pick what feels right for you, tweak it if necessary, and see what works!
How to Write Right Now
1. Start with right now. Dont beat yourself up about what you didnt do yesterday. Dont think about how much you have to do by Friday or next month. Just do what you need to do at this very moment.
2. Change your writing format. If youre used to typing, try longhand. This can be very freeing. Or print out your previous writing, and cut and paste it onto index cards in order to organize your thinking.
3. Remove yourself from all normal temptations, such as email and telephones. You can combine this with the previous tip. I notice that I get a lot done when Im on a plane or in a waiting room. I have a notebook with me, and I start jotting down my thoughts, and sometimes Im more prolific than when Im in front of my laptop!
4. Use a timer. When you turn it on, you know that you cant do anything else but write. No email, no Internet, no phone. The upside is that you know that when the timer goes off, you can stop writing, and do more enjoyable activities. Try setting the timer for short periods of time and then taking a break; say 30 minutes on and 10 minutes off. You can use the timer to time your breaks, also.
5. Sign up for my newsletter and receive the Academic Writers Block Wizard. Pull it out and use it when youre stuck!
How to Set Up a Regular Writing Habit
1. Always write first thing in the morning, before showering or reading the paper (caffeine optional.) If youre not a morning person, pick another regular time.
2. At the end of each writing session, make a note as to what you will start with next time.
3. Have a special place where you always write. Set it up with everything you need, and if possible, dont use this space for other purposes.
4. Focus on the amount of time spent writing (or trying to write!) Dont focus on number or words, paragraphs or pages produced. What counts is the regular habit of thinking. Some days will be fruitful and others wont. It all counts as long as you put the time in.
5. Track your progress. This might take the form of an ongoing chart that shows how much youve written daily, a journal, or a graph. One creative client of mine has developed a nice technique. Whenever she sits down to write, she lights a candle. This is a signal that she is not allowed to do anything but work on her writing. A nice touch is that shes saved all the matches that shes used to light these writing candles. The matches show her how much work shes actually put into writing.
6. Put writing time into your calendar or daytimer as if it were an appointment. When others ask if youre busy then, you can honestly say, Yes.
7. Keep a running list of points that you want to cover in your work. It doesnt have to be an elaborate outline. Then when youre stuck, you can go to your list. It feels good to check each item off as you cover it.
8. Find a writing buddy. Agree that you will each write at the same time each day. You can make this a more firm agreement by calling, writing, or instant messaging each other before or after you work.
Try one or more of these techniques Im sure one will be helpful. Just remember that the most important step is sitting down to write!
All writers, graduate students, and professors know that theyre supposed to write on a daily basis, or at least as frequently as possible. Despite this knowledge, most find it difficult to maintain a regular writing habit.
Im frequently asked for tips on how to make yourself write, even when you dont feel like it (which for many, is most of the time!)
What is the One Way Thats Guaranteed to Work?
Sorry! Theres no one correct method. And what works for you now may not work at some other time.
So Ive listed a bunch of ideas below. Just pick what feels right for you, tweak it if necessary, and see what works!
How to Write Right Now
1. Start with right now. Dont beat yourself up about what you didnt do yesterday. Dont think about how much you have to do by Friday or next month. Just do what you need to do at this very moment.
2. Change your writing format. If youre used to typing, try longhand. This can be very freeing. Or print out your previous writing, and cut and paste it onto index cards in order to organize your thinking.
3. Remove yourself from all normal temptations, such as email and telephones. You can combine this with the previous tip. I notice that I get a lot done when Im on a plane or in a waiting room. I have a notebook with me, and I start jotting down my thoughts, and sometimes Im more prolific than when Im in front of my laptop!
4. Use a timer. When you turn it on, you know that you cant do anything else but write. No email, no Internet, no phone. The upside is that you know that when the timer goes off, you can stop writing, and do more enjoyable activities. Try setting the timer for short periods of time and then taking a break; say 30 minutes on and 10 minutes off. You can use the timer to time your breaks, also.
5. Sign up for my newsletter and receive the Academic Writers Block Wizard. Pull it out and use it when youre stuck!
How to Set Up a Regular Writing Habit
1. Always write first thing in the morning, before showering or reading the paper (caffeine optional.) If youre not a morning person, pick another regular time.
2. At the end of each writing session, make a note as to what you will start with next time.
3. Have a special place where you always write. Set it up with everything you need, and if possible, dont use this space for other purposes.
4. Focus on the amount of time spent writing (or trying to write!) Dont focus on number or words, paragraphs or pages produced. What counts is the regular habit of thinking. Some days will be fruitful and others wont. It all counts as long as you put the time in.
5. Track your progress. This might take the form of an ongoing chart that shows how much youve written daily, a journal, or a graph. One creative client of mine has developed a nice technique. Whenever she sits down to write, she lights a candle. This is a signal that she is not allowed to do anything but work on her writing. A nice touch is that shes saved all the matches that shes used to light these writing candles. The matches show her how much work shes actually put into writing.
6. Put writing time into your calendar or daytimer as if it were an appointment. When others ask if youre busy then, you can honestly say, Yes.
7. Keep a running list of points that you want to cover in your work. It doesnt have to be an elaborate outline. Then when youre stuck, you can go to your list. It feels good to check each item off as you cover it.
8. Find a writing buddy. Agree that you will each write at the same time each day. You can make this a more firm agreement by calling, writing, or instant messaging each other before or after you work.
Try one or more of these techniques Im sure one will be helpful. Just remember that the most important step is sitting down to write!
Specific Measurable Results
Want to make an immediate and dramatic increase in the overall performance of your company? Try creating a set of Specific Measurable Results (SMR) for each department or functional unit.
Specific Measurable Results? Of course, your sales force has them. It's safe to say there are few companies in the world that do not use sales quotas. Not only do sales people use quotas to track their output, they often have targets which measure their activity. "How many, by when" is a familiar phrase. Top sales people monitor how many calls they make to prospects each week. The also track calls made to existing customers, how many letters they send, how many "closes", and so on. If a sales person isn't bringing in the promised business, management can examine his or her activity to see what area might need work.
What about the other players on your sales team - the technical representatives, the sales associates? Do they have specific, measurable results they've agreed to produce? What about your other departments? What about development? Customer Service? Finance? Marketing? Administration? What are they accountable for? Do they have SMR's to produce within a set time frame?
Critical Success Tip: Every department can be measured to improve its performance. Determine what you want to have a functional area do more of - what are the key activities - and find a way to measure them. Then tie each measurement, each "how many" to a set time frame, a "by when".
Say for instance, you want to improve customer service. One point to measure would be their response time to customer problems. How? Set time targets for complaint resolution, and agree on a "by when" those targets will be reached. Or, track the percentage of re-orders, and target that. Sales Associates? Measure how fast proposals are produced.
Tech Reps? Target the number of demonstrations to clients each week. Marketing? Measure how many leads are generated per month, or product awareness, or press mentions. Product development? Measure variance from your development timeline. You can even track Accounting. Target the number of days after close of business when the trial balance and month-end results are available.
Critical Success Tip: To make sure each Specific Measure has its desired effect, the SMR should be the product of a negotiation, with all sides agreeing to what is being measured, how many, and by when. Then, put it in writing.
Use moving averages to see trends. Moving averages smooth out the highs and lows, eliminating any week's jitters. Instead of comparing this week to last week, compare this week's moving average to last week's. Is the moving average going up or down? Also, compare this week's statistics to the moving average.
Critical Success Tip: Graph everything. Every statistic which is important enough to measure should be seen on a graph. Many companies relate more powerfully to a picture than to a set of numbers. Create graphs with one line to indicate past performance - say last year, one line to indicate your intended (target) performance and one line to indicate your actual performance. You can also graph the moving averages.
How do SMR's work their magic?
People like clear objectives. They want to know what is expected of them. SMR's provide easy to understand, unambiguous indicators of what constitutes "a good job". SMR's tell people what to focus on, and they provide a framework to think about the question "how can I succeed?"
People go wherever their attention is. Did you ever look at someone in the car next to you while you were driving, and find yourself swerving into their lane? That's because our brains are wired to always follow our attention. SMR's concentrate your team's attention wherever it needs to be.
SMRs tell you which areas need work. If there is a "gap" between intended and actual results, highlighting this gap with numbers and graphs gives your team a window on figuring out what needs to be corrected to stay on course.
Critical Success Tip: Be sure you are measuring the right things. Remember, your team will go wherever their attention is! And, if you fail to institute a measure for a key area, poor performance in that area may be overlooked. Always check that your SMR's are taking you where you want to go.
Extraordinary Performance from Statistics? SMRs provide a way to turn performance up. It's much easier to create more of something, once you know what you already have. It's almost impossible if you don't.
Want to make an immediate and dramatic increase in the overall performance of your company? Try creating a set of Specific Measurable Results (SMR) for each department or functional unit.
Specific Measurable Results? Of course, your sales force has them. It's safe to say there are few companies in the world that do not use sales quotas. Not only do sales people use quotas to track their output, they often have targets which measure their activity. "How many, by when" is a familiar phrase. Top sales people monitor how many calls they make to prospects each week. The also track calls made to existing customers, how many letters they send, how many "closes", and so on. If a sales person isn't bringing in the promised business, management can examine his or her activity to see what area might need work.
What about the other players on your sales team - the technical representatives, the sales associates? Do they have specific, measurable results they've agreed to produce? What about your other departments? What about development? Customer Service? Finance? Marketing? Administration? What are they accountable for? Do they have SMR's to produce within a set time frame?
Critical Success Tip: Every department can be measured to improve its performance. Determine what you want to have a functional area do more of - what are the key activities - and find a way to measure them. Then tie each measurement, each "how many" to a set time frame, a "by when".
Say for instance, you want to improve customer service. One point to measure would be their response time to customer problems. How? Set time targets for complaint resolution, and agree on a "by when" those targets will be reached. Or, track the percentage of re-orders, and target that. Sales Associates? Measure how fast proposals are produced.
Tech Reps? Target the number of demonstrations to clients each week. Marketing? Measure how many leads are generated per month, or product awareness, or press mentions. Product development? Measure variance from your development timeline. You can even track Accounting. Target the number of days after close of business when the trial balance and month-end results are available.
Critical Success Tip: To make sure each Specific Measure has its desired effect, the SMR should be the product of a negotiation, with all sides agreeing to what is being measured, how many, and by when. Then, put it in writing.
Use moving averages to see trends. Moving averages smooth out the highs and lows, eliminating any week's jitters. Instead of comparing this week to last week, compare this week's moving average to last week's. Is the moving average going up or down? Also, compare this week's statistics to the moving average.
Critical Success Tip: Graph everything. Every statistic which is important enough to measure should be seen on a graph. Many companies relate more powerfully to a picture than to a set of numbers. Create graphs with one line to indicate past performance - say last year, one line to indicate your intended (target) performance and one line to indicate your actual performance. You can also graph the moving averages.
How do SMR's work their magic?
People like clear objectives. They want to know what is expected of them. SMR's provide easy to understand, unambiguous indicators of what constitutes "a good job". SMR's tell people what to focus on, and they provide a framework to think about the question "how can I succeed?"
People go wherever their attention is. Did you ever look at someone in the car next to you while you were driving, and find yourself swerving into their lane? That's because our brains are wired to always follow our attention. SMR's concentrate your team's attention wherever it needs to be.
SMRs tell you which areas need work. If there is a "gap" between intended and actual results, highlighting this gap with numbers and graphs gives your team a window on figuring out what needs to be corrected to stay on course.
Critical Success Tip: Be sure you are measuring the right things. Remember, your team will go wherever their attention is! And, if you fail to institute a measure for a key area, poor performance in that area may be overlooked. Always check that your SMR's are taking you where you want to go.
Extraordinary Performance from Statistics? SMRs provide a way to turn performance up. It's much easier to create more of something, once you know what you already have. It's almost impossible if you don't.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
How To Buy Lego Cheap and at a Large Discount
There is a huge market for Lego developing, and in large market there are price variations one can take advantage of. The marketplace for Lego has grown enormously since the introduction of Mindstorm the robotics orientated Lego. Now Lego is not only in the realm of children's toys, but it is of interest to many adult institutions. Engineering schools, executive eduction, hobbyists, and of course hackers, are re-inventing the way Lego is used. For economists the little Lego commodity is the ideal way to study micro-markets.
What better micro-market with near fluid efficiencies than found on eBay. In fact a huge amount of Lego pieces are traded everyday on eBay. Now like every other market, a little inside information can help you identify pricing opportunities. This article focuses on buying Lego on eBay, and specifically how to buy it cheap and at a discount. In short how identify buying opportunities.
This article should be read together with my longer piece and a web site which produces the information required to identify buying nuggets. Find the links and URL's to these two sites below.
Most information on eBay focuses on the selling element, how to sell your stuff. I have tended to specialize on the buying end and trying to identify market opportunities and price in-efficiencies to really capture excellent deals. Let's briefly understand the dynamics of the eBay market place. Like any other market it is supply demand driven, and like a large flee-market if a buyer has knowledge of how many items are for sale at what prices and how many other buyers are in the market, then that buyer can capture the upper hand.
Lets examine supply. The eBay supply dynamic is a little different in that supply of an item must be seen at a point in time. In other words, because auctions end at different times, one needs to grasp the number of auctions ending in close proximity for the same item. This gives you a feel for the supply of items or in our case Lego. What makes this interesting is that today there could be a large amount of auctions ending for your item, but next week there could be very few. This is one element driving the price. Generally this information is available approximately one week out on the eBay site.
The demand side is slightly more complex and hidden. It is some of this data that the web site I refer to at the bottom helps identify. Demand in eBay terms is measured (by sellers) as a number of factors - how many people view my auction, how many people ask questions, how many people place me on their watch page, and how many people actually bid. Obviously as we progress down this list the data become more valid as an indication of demand. Page views are not easy to obtain, although some sellers place a publicly viewable counter on their auction pages. Questions and watchers are available to sellers, and the special web site mentioned below will expose this information. Number of bids is available for all to see.
Now if we happened to produce a graph as one auction progresses of the changes in the number of questions, watchers and bids, once can easily see how the demand is changing as time progresses. Typically if questions are high and watchers are high, but bids are low, this may indicate some confusion and a possible buy opportunity. If watchers is very high and climbing, but bids are low, this can point to a last minute bidding war, and a stay out indicator.
Armed with this information and also a quick summary of other similar auctions ending soon, plus a quick feel for the skill set of the seller and the current highest bidder, once can make see a picture very different from the average eBay buyer. Soon the trained eye will see some nice buying opportunities. For the serious collector or Lego enthusiast this will soon bring in parcels of Lego pieces and sets that are quite a bit cheaper that retail. For example it is quite possible to find gems at 50-70% of retail prices. Lets face it, most Lego pieces don't degrade or damage easy, so the aftermarket such as eBay is the idea place to buy cheap Lego.
Resources;
http://foundby.us/how-to-buy-discount-lego-both-new-or-refurbished
http://lego.foundby.us
There is a huge market for Lego developing, and in large market there are price variations one can take advantage of. The marketplace for Lego has grown enormously since the introduction of Mindstorm the robotics orientated Lego. Now Lego is not only in the realm of children's toys, but it is of interest to many adult institutions. Engineering schools, executive eduction, hobbyists, and of course hackers, are re-inventing the way Lego is used. For economists the little Lego commodity is the ideal way to study micro-markets.
What better micro-market with near fluid efficiencies than found on eBay. In fact a huge amount of Lego pieces are traded everyday on eBay. Now like every other market, a little inside information can help you identify pricing opportunities. This article focuses on buying Lego on eBay, and specifically how to buy it cheap and at a discount. In short how identify buying opportunities.
This article should be read together with my longer piece and a web site which produces the information required to identify buying nuggets. Find the links and URL's to these two sites below.
Most information on eBay focuses on the selling element, how to sell your stuff. I have tended to specialize on the buying end and trying to identify market opportunities and price in-efficiencies to really capture excellent deals. Let's briefly understand the dynamics of the eBay market place. Like any other market it is supply demand driven, and like a large flee-market if a buyer has knowledge of how many items are for sale at what prices and how many other buyers are in the market, then that buyer can capture the upper hand.
Lets examine supply. The eBay supply dynamic is a little different in that supply of an item must be seen at a point in time. In other words, because auctions end at different times, one needs to grasp the number of auctions ending in close proximity for the same item. This gives you a feel for the supply of items or in our case Lego. What makes this interesting is that today there could be a large amount of auctions ending for your item, but next week there could be very few. This is one element driving the price. Generally this information is available approximately one week out on the eBay site.
The demand side is slightly more complex and hidden. It is some of this data that the web site I refer to at the bottom helps identify. Demand in eBay terms is measured (by sellers) as a number of factors - how many people view my auction, how many people ask questions, how many people place me on their watch page, and how many people actually bid. Obviously as we progress down this list the data become more valid as an indication of demand. Page views are not easy to obtain, although some sellers place a publicly viewable counter on their auction pages. Questions and watchers are available to sellers, and the special web site mentioned below will expose this information. Number of bids is available for all to see.
Now if we happened to produce a graph as one auction progresses of the changes in the number of questions, watchers and bids, once can easily see how the demand is changing as time progresses. Typically if questions are high and watchers are high, but bids are low, this may indicate some confusion and a possible buy opportunity. If watchers is very high and climbing, but bids are low, this can point to a last minute bidding war, and a stay out indicator.
Armed with this information and also a quick summary of other similar auctions ending soon, plus a quick feel for the skill set of the seller and the current highest bidder, once can make see a picture very different from the average eBay buyer. Soon the trained eye will see some nice buying opportunities. For the serious collector or Lego enthusiast this will soon bring in parcels of Lego pieces and sets that are quite a bit cheaper that retail. For example it is quite possible to find gems at 50-70% of retail prices. Lets face it, most Lego pieces don't degrade or damage easy, so the aftermarket such as eBay is the idea place to buy cheap Lego.
Resources;
http://foundby.us/how-to-buy-discount-lego-both-new-or-refurbished
http://lego.foundby.us
Menstrual Calendar
Charting the signs of our menstrual cycle is a good way to keep in touch
with our bodies, our feelings, and our health. It is also a good way to
predict our days of menstruation in advance, even if menstrual cycles
are irregular, and to know the most fertile times if we are hoping to
conceive.
Cervical Mucus:
The sign that is easier to observe is the cervical mucus, since it is
noticed in the course of daily activity. Fertile type mucus is produced by
the cervix during the days when the ova are maturing and preparing for
ovulation. This mucus is not only an indicator of fertility, it is essential for
fertility. Cervical mucus nourishes the sperm, protects them from the
natural acidity of the vagina, and guides them toward the ovum.
Following is a simple way to observe and chart your fertile type mucus.
Pay attention to how you feel as you go about your daily activities. Just
as you have learned to notice a certain wetness at menstruation, you
will begin to notice a second wet time, but later in the cycle, and without
bleeding. The second wet time is caused by your fertile type mucus.
Each time you go to the bathroom, wipe with toilet paper both before
and after you use the toilet, noticing: a) the sensation you feel as you
wipe with toilet paper, b) what is on the toilet paper. Chart what you see
and what you feel in the following way. Or use any charting method that
makes sense to you.
1) Menstruation: mark the days of bleeding in some way, such as
coloring the calendar day red.
2) Nothing: if you don't see or feel anything outside your vagina, you can
leave the calendar blank on those days.
3) Something: but if you see or feel something - anything -such as pasty
or sticky mucus, or a feeling of wetness - draw something, such as a
raindrop, on these days.
4) Slippery something: If the pasty or sticky mucus turns to slippery
mucus or a slippery feeling, color the raindrop dark to indicate the
slippery wetness.
After a few slippery wet days, the mucus may disappear or return to
sticky or pasty. When it does, begin to count the days until menstruation
arrives. In a normal fertile cycle, the time between the last day of slippery
mucus or slippery feeling and the next menstruation is between 11-16
days. You will become quite accurate about your predictions after you
chart for about three cycles.
The mucus is your most fertile time, since fertile type is produced during
the days leading up to and including ovulation. But don't try to use this
information for birth control unless you seek out a qualified teacher of
fertility awareness or natural family planning. However, if you are hoping
to become pregnant, charting the mucus and the dry times of the cycle
will allow you to know your most fertile time. It will also allow you to
predict your next menstruation with accuracy, and to begin a new and
sensitive relationship with yourself.
Under the influence of the hormone estrogen, when the fertile mucus is
present, we may feel courageous and loving. Men who bored us last
week may suddenly appear interesting and attractive. Like Mother Earth
in her rainy season, we are full of potential. We may also be interested
in sexual activity. These emotions and reactions are caused by the
hormone estrogen, which is getting us ready to have a baby, even
though we may not want that for ourselves yet!
After ovulation, under the influence of the hormone progesterone, we
may feel somewhat deflated compared to our wet, fertile time. Like
Mother Earth in her dry time, we may feel quiet, with less energy. When
menstrual bleeding begins, both estrogen and progesterone are at low
levels. We may feel sensitive, solitary, or inward.
Generally speaking, dark red bleeding for about three days indicates
that hormones are high enough to build a good uterine lining and
nourish a fetus in the event of conception. However, more than three
days of heavy bleeding can be exhausting. Three to five days of wet,
slippery mucus 11-14 days before the next menstruation is a probable
indicator of normal ovulation and a fertile cycle. Cycles are often 28-30
days from the first day of bleeding to the first day of the bleeding of the
next menstruation. However, irregular cycles do not indicate infertility.
If
the time between the last day of slippery mucus and the next
menstruation is 11-16 days, the cycle is probably fertile. Even if one
cycle is not fertile, the next may well be fertile. Much depends on the
stress we may be feeling. Keeping a chart allows us to keep all things in
perspective, and feel our own harmony with all the cycles of nature.
Basal Body Temperature:
If you are not sure you are ovulating, you can take your temperature.
The body's resting temperature increases four-tenths of a degree
Fahrenheit or two-tenths of a degree Centigrade under the influence of
progesterone at ovulation. Observing this sign involves taking your
temperature at the same time each morning before rising. (This is not as
hard as it sounds. It takes less than two minutes and you can go back to
sleep if you want.)
To observe your temperature rise, buy a BD brand digital basal
thermometer. This brand will give you a consistent and accurate
reading. Other high quality brands of digital basal thermometers are
also probably accurate, but have not been tested for fertility awareness.
Make sure the battery is good. (You can replace it.) An ordinary clinical
thermometer is not accurate enough for fertility awareness. Nor is the
"ear thermometer" (tympanic thermometer).
Take your temperature every day immediately upon waking, before 7:30
a.m. The body's rhythms (circadian rhythms) fluctuate over a 24-hour
period. Your temperature is lowest in the early morning and highest in
the afternoon. Fluctuations are greater after 7:30 a.m. If you go to bed
before midnight and wake up before 7:30 a.m., you will get the clearest
temperature readings.
If it is not convenient to take your temperature immediately upon
waking, you may take it during light morning activity. For example, if you
need to go to the bathroom, you may take your temperature while
getting up and using the toilet. But be consistent about the
circumstances under which you take your temperature. If you take it
during light morning activity, take it that way every morning. Don't take it
sometimes before getting up and at other times during light morning
activity. If you have sexual relations, take your temperature before.
Many women find that the digital thermometers require such a short
time to use that it is easy to take their temperature before getting up.
Take your temperature by mouth. Under arm and ear temperatures are
not accurate enough for family planning purposes. The thermometer will
beep softly several times before beginning to beep slightly louder and
repeatedly. Keep the thermometer under your tongue until the louder,
repeated beeps begin. You can read and chart your temperature as
soon as is convenient after taking it. Your thermometer has a recall
button that allows you to read the last temperature taken. Be sure to
wash your thermometer after each use.
Your Temperature Graph:
Put a dot on a graph on the spot corresponding to each day's
temperature. Join the dots of consecutive days. If you do not take your
temperature one day, do not join the dots across that day. Also write out
the temperature numerically, to guard against errors in graphing.
Interpreting Your Chart:
1) Breathe and relax. Study your chart.
2) Can you find six low temperatures during the fertile mucus days of
your cycle?
3) Draw a horizontal line at the highest of the six low temperatures. This
is your low temperature line.
4) Draw another horizontal line four-tenths of a degree F. or two-tenths
of a degree C. above your low temperature line. This is your full thermal
shift line.
5) Can you find three high temperatures after the low temperatures? All
of the high temperatures must be above the low temperature line. At
least the third high temperature must be at or above the full thermal shift
line.
6) This temperature pattern of low and high temperatures is called a
biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift. A biphasic pattern with a full
thermal shift confirms that you really did ovulate. A smaller, but
sustained temperature rise also probably indicates ovulation.
If you are hoping to become pregnant, please pay close attention to
nutrition. Look for unprocessed foods grown without chemicals. Exercise
in moderation. Get plenty of rest. Avoid stress. Think happy thoughts.
Pray for the child you desire, and begin sending your child love, now.
Heal any hurtful feelings between you and your mate, and between you
both and your parents. Your mate should avoid hot shower or baths and
tight clothing, both of which lower sperm count.To increase your
chances of conception, use the wet, slippery days for sexual relations.
If you have observed a biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift, and it is
now 18 days since your last slippery, wet day, and menstruation has not
arrived, you may feel confident that you have conceived.
Congratulations and blessings!
Charting the signs of our menstrual cycle is a good way to keep in touch
with our bodies, our feelings, and our health. It is also a good way to
predict our days of menstruation in advance, even if menstrual cycles
are irregular, and to know the most fertile times if we are hoping to
conceive.
Cervical Mucus:
The sign that is easier to observe is the cervical mucus, since it is
noticed in the course of daily activity. Fertile type mucus is produced by
the cervix during the days when the ova are maturing and preparing for
ovulation. This mucus is not only an indicator of fertility, it is essential for
fertility. Cervical mucus nourishes the sperm, protects them from the
natural acidity of the vagina, and guides them toward the ovum.
Following is a simple way to observe and chart your fertile type mucus.
Pay attention to how you feel as you go about your daily activities. Just
as you have learned to notice a certain wetness at menstruation, you
will begin to notice a second wet time, but later in the cycle, and without
bleeding. The second wet time is caused by your fertile type mucus.
Each time you go to the bathroom, wipe with toilet paper both before
and after you use the toilet, noticing: a) the sensation you feel as you
wipe with toilet paper, b) what is on the toilet paper. Chart what you see
and what you feel in the following way. Or use any charting method that
makes sense to you.
1) Menstruation: mark the days of bleeding in some way, such as
coloring the calendar day red.
2) Nothing: if you don't see or feel anything outside your vagina, you can
leave the calendar blank on those days.
3) Something: but if you see or feel something - anything -such as pasty
or sticky mucus, or a feeling of wetness - draw something, such as a
raindrop, on these days.
4) Slippery something: If the pasty or sticky mucus turns to slippery
mucus or a slippery feeling, color the raindrop dark to indicate the
slippery wetness.
After a few slippery wet days, the mucus may disappear or return to
sticky or pasty. When it does, begin to count the days until menstruation
arrives. In a normal fertile cycle, the time between the last day of slippery
mucus or slippery feeling and the next menstruation is between 11-16
days. You will become quite accurate about your predictions after you
chart for about three cycles.
The mucus is your most fertile time, since fertile type is produced during
the days leading up to and including ovulation. But don't try to use this
information for birth control unless you seek out a qualified teacher of
fertility awareness or natural family planning. However, if you are hoping
to become pregnant, charting the mucus and the dry times of the cycle
will allow you to know your most fertile time. It will also allow you to
predict your next menstruation with accuracy, and to begin a new and
sensitive relationship with yourself.
Under the influence of the hormone estrogen, when the fertile mucus is
present, we may feel courageous and loving. Men who bored us last
week may suddenly appear interesting and attractive. Like Mother Earth
in her rainy season, we are full of potential. We may also be interested
in sexual activity. These emotions and reactions are caused by the
hormone estrogen, which is getting us ready to have a baby, even
though we may not want that for ourselves yet!
After ovulation, under the influence of the hormone progesterone, we
may feel somewhat deflated compared to our wet, fertile time. Like
Mother Earth in her dry time, we may feel quiet, with less energy. When
menstrual bleeding begins, both estrogen and progesterone are at low
levels. We may feel sensitive, solitary, or inward.
Generally speaking, dark red bleeding for about three days indicates
that hormones are high enough to build a good uterine lining and
nourish a fetus in the event of conception. However, more than three
days of heavy bleeding can be exhausting. Three to five days of wet,
slippery mucus 11-14 days before the next menstruation is a probable
indicator of normal ovulation and a fertile cycle. Cycles are often 28-30
days from the first day of bleeding to the first day of the bleeding of the
next menstruation. However, irregular cycles do not indicate infertility.
If
the time between the last day of slippery mucus and the next
menstruation is 11-16 days, the cycle is probably fertile. Even if one
cycle is not fertile, the next may well be fertile. Much depends on the
stress we may be feeling. Keeping a chart allows us to keep all things in
perspective, and feel our own harmony with all the cycles of nature.
Basal Body Temperature:
If you are not sure you are ovulating, you can take your temperature.
The body's resting temperature increases four-tenths of a degree
Fahrenheit or two-tenths of a degree Centigrade under the influence of
progesterone at ovulation. Observing this sign involves taking your
temperature at the same time each morning before rising. (This is not as
hard as it sounds. It takes less than two minutes and you can go back to
sleep if you want.)
To observe your temperature rise, buy a BD brand digital basal
thermometer. This brand will give you a consistent and accurate
reading. Other high quality brands of digital basal thermometers are
also probably accurate, but have not been tested for fertility awareness.
Make sure the battery is good. (You can replace it.) An ordinary clinical
thermometer is not accurate enough for fertility awareness. Nor is the
"ear thermometer" (tympanic thermometer).
Take your temperature every day immediately upon waking, before 7:30
a.m. The body's rhythms (circadian rhythms) fluctuate over a 24-hour
period. Your temperature is lowest in the early morning and highest in
the afternoon. Fluctuations are greater after 7:30 a.m. If you go to bed
before midnight and wake up before 7:30 a.m., you will get the clearest
temperature readings.
If it is not convenient to take your temperature immediately upon
waking, you may take it during light morning activity. For example, if you
need to go to the bathroom, you may take your temperature while
getting up and using the toilet. But be consistent about the
circumstances under which you take your temperature. If you take it
during light morning activity, take it that way every morning. Don't take it
sometimes before getting up and at other times during light morning
activity. If you have sexual relations, take your temperature before.
Many women find that the digital thermometers require such a short
time to use that it is easy to take their temperature before getting up.
Take your temperature by mouth. Under arm and ear temperatures are
not accurate enough for family planning purposes. The thermometer will
beep softly several times before beginning to beep slightly louder and
repeatedly. Keep the thermometer under your tongue until the louder,
repeated beeps begin. You can read and chart your temperature as
soon as is convenient after taking it. Your thermometer has a recall
button that allows you to read the last temperature taken. Be sure to
wash your thermometer after each use.
Your Temperature Graph:
Put a dot on a graph on the spot corresponding to each day's
temperature. Join the dots of consecutive days. If you do not take your
temperature one day, do not join the dots across that day. Also write out
the temperature numerically, to guard against errors in graphing.
Interpreting Your Chart:
1) Breathe and relax. Study your chart.
2) Can you find six low temperatures during the fertile mucus days of
your cycle?
3) Draw a horizontal line at the highest of the six low temperatures. This
is your low temperature line.
4) Draw another horizontal line four-tenths of a degree F. or two-tenths
of a degree C. above your low temperature line. This is your full thermal
shift line.
5) Can you find three high temperatures after the low temperatures? All
of the high temperatures must be above the low temperature line. At
least the third high temperature must be at or above the full thermal shift
line.
6) This temperature pattern of low and high temperatures is called a
biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift. A biphasic pattern with a full
thermal shift confirms that you really did ovulate. A smaller, but
sustained temperature rise also probably indicates ovulation.
If you are hoping to become pregnant, please pay close attention to
nutrition. Look for unprocessed foods grown without chemicals. Exercise
in moderation. Get plenty of rest. Avoid stress. Think happy thoughts.
Pray for the child you desire, and begin sending your child love, now.
Heal any hurtful feelings between you and your mate, and between you
both and your parents. Your mate should avoid hot shower or baths and
tight clothing, both of which lower sperm count.To increase your
chances of conception, use the wet, slippery days for sexual relations.
If you have observed a biphasic pattern with a full thermal shift, and it is
now 18 days since your last slippery, wet day, and menstruation has not
arrived, you may feel confident that you have conceived.
Congratulations and blessings!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Biorhythms vs. Horoscopes
I am often asked, what's the difference between biorhythms and horoscopes? Are the forecasts of the program similar to horoscopes? And would the biorhythms help me win the lottery?
Let me explain what biorhythms are and how they relate to horoscopes.
Horoscope comes from studying positions of the planets of the solar system at the moment of your birth. The planets, as seen from the Earth, are positioned in a circle and form a certain picture, which is said to symbolically represent your character. The position of the planets changes with time, and the horoscope can tell about possible changes in your life.
To discover the symbolic meaning of the planets, astrologers closely followed lives of hundreds of people. They juxtaposed events in people's lives to the changes in the position of the planets, and tried to understand the meaning of their influence.
Therefore, one could say that horoscopes are based on observations and statistics. But the stars only make suggestions, which lack certainty and accuracy.
Human desire to know future allowed astrology to develop for thousands of years and to become a powerful tool in the hands of those who can use it. Thoughtfully prepared horoscope can shed light on problems of the present and suggest ways to solve problems in the future. For centuries influential people of this world came to astrologers for advice and some of their foretelling became prophetic.
Currently, massive interest in horoscopes and their wide accessibility brought on a change to the meaning and the very essence of horoscopes. It's difficult to find a popular publication these days that wouldn't offer a horoscope to their readers. Google search spits out 7 million links, if you search for "horoscopes". You can find any number of horoscopes in the matter of seconds, starting from the general horoscope for that day to a specific horoscope about tying shoelaces for the whole year for Taurus born in the year of a Wood Rooster.
What do such horoscopes promise? Anything under the blue sky. Today they promise you a win in lottery, tomorrow - the love of your life. They range far and wide, from vague descriptions, like "the person you are thinking of is thinking of you" to definite statements like "today you should change where you work" or "you should wear red all day today".
This would all be fine, but there is the question of accuracy. How well can you trust such horoscopes? Here are a few fragments from forums on professional astrology websites:
Q: What do you need to write my horoscope?
A: We need date, time, and place of your birth; description of several important events in your life, preferably with exact dates and some comments; description of your profession, hobbies, problems; questions that you might have. The most important thing is the desire to seriously and honestly discuss your current problem. If you have a question regarding relationships, we'll need similar information about your partner, as well as the date of your first meeting and the beginning of the relationship.
Q: I am a Leo, or, according to the Chinese horoscope, a Rooster. Will I be able to get my money that I earned and that were taken away from me? Am I ever going to get rich? I also noticed that according to the description of a Gemini, they are not likely to have a successful marriage, regardless of the Zodiac of the person they marry. How can that be?
A: Your question suggests that any Leo, born in the year of a Rooster, should expect to become rich. People with such astronomical nonsense shouldn't expect anything good. As far as Gemini is concerned, it's all nonsense, since everything depends on the individual horoscope.
Q: Do you write individual horoscopes? If yes, what do I need to send you?
A: I've said many times that writing individual horoscopes by correspondence is profanity. Individual horoscopes take many hours in conversation with an astrologer. How do you imagine doing it by correspondence? If you are able to come to an appointment, then by all means. Here, on the website, I do not write individual horoscopes. It's serious and hard work.
Q: Can you tell me how to attract luck in lottery?
A: I can't. It's either there from your birth or it isn't.
Professional astrologers make a point that only personal horoscopes, created preferably from a personal meeting, are meaningful. The cost of a consultation starts at $50. General horoscopes are nothing more than entertainment and a tribute to fashion.
Now let's take a look at biorhythms. Like horoscopes, biorhythms reflect the influence of cycles in our life. As far as we know, biorhythms were discovered and widely used in ancient China. They thought that the causes of such cycles were changes in the positions of the sun, the moon, and the planets.
European founders of biorhythmology in the 19th century thought that biorhythms were regulated by the endocrine glands. That, however, did not explain the regularity of the rhythmic changes.
Modern studies showed that the work of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th energy centers (chakras) are synchronous with the fluctuations in physical, emotional, and intellectual biorhythms. Their intensity in the maximum periods is the highest and in the minimum periods - the lowest. This shows the cosmic nature of our biorhythms. It's interesting that sun's full rotation around its orbit is the same as the period of a full emotional cycle, which is 27 days. The cosmic space influences our energy field and transfers energy to certain glands. As a result, we feel internal changes.
There are three basic biorhythms: physical, emotional, and intellectual, plus an additional one - intuitive. The cycles begin at the moment of birth, go through different periods, and continue to influence us throughout our whole life. Each of the biorhythms reflect certain capabilities of the person. Note, that the rhythms do not define the capabilities, but rather show their potential.
So if you are at a zero level of the physical cycle, it doesn't mean that you will lie down flat all day, but it may mean that you won't break any sports records. It will mean that the body needs rest and it would be best to restore your strength.
The rest of the rhythms behave in the same way: intellectual rhythm at its highest is favorable for scientific work, interviews, and conferences; at your emotional high you will not be able to show your most sensitive and attentive self to your partner. So you can see that it's possible to tell pretty accurately how someone feels at any time! by looking at the combination of their biorhythms.
Physical (also known as male) and emotional (female) rhythms were discovered at the end of the 19th century. Thousands of patience were observed and the results were statistically recorded. Later on, the intellectual and the intuitive dependencies were discovered. If you look at the biorhythms on a graph, they look like waves with their highs and lows.
To analyze current rhythms and to make forecasts, the modern biorhythm theory uses the combination of the three basic rhythms and an additional one. Positive and negative fluctuations of each rhythm gives us 16 combinations, which allows us to characterize any day in detail as well as compatibility of any two or more people quite accurately.
To review, the biorhythms can:
- Forecast the physical, emotional, intellectual, and intuitive capabilities of any person at any given time. It may be very useful for planning of important events, such as job interviews, exams, public speaking events, making deals, competitions, long trips, or the start of new relationships.
- Biorhythms can tell you when to be extra careful or when to use your maximum potential.
- They can analyze the compatibility of partners and the interactions between two or more people. This applies to romantic relationships as well as to the prospects of joint ventures.
What biorhythms can't do:
- Money. Biorhythms can plan out favorable days for making deals, or for highest intellectual and intuitive capabilities. The rest, however, depends on you.
- Luck. To a great disappointment, there just isn't a graph for luck. Biorhythms can help determine your intuitive and emotional capabilities, but certain things should be left for the forces from above.
- Love. Biorhythms can help you find an ideal partner, who would fit all of your criteria, and with whom you could live a long happy life. But it's going to be your task to meet such a person, make them fall in love with you, and to be worthy of their love.
To conclude our topic, here's a summary about biorhythms vs. horoscopes.
They have much in common:
- people experience the influence from space and from nature
- the influence is cyclic and predictable, as are human capabilities
- the analysis of the influences can be recommended as a forecast
- the forecast is individual for every person and is determined by the date their of birth
- the analysis can be performed for any time in the past, present, or future
- both tools cover most of the important topics in one's life
At the same time, there are some differences:
Biorhythms can only consider person's capabilities. It's not possible to use them to foretell human catastrophes, wars, natural disasters, events in one's life, or human fate. However, biorhythms are easier to use - you just need to know the birth date and the program is going to calculate the rest.
What remains unquestionable, is the fact that intuition, intellect, emotions, and physical condition of a person go through regular periods of change. Knowing about these fluctuations will help you harmonize your internal world, your relationships with others, with nature, and the universe. And if you need to resolve something really serious, no program is going to replace a live person with a professional approach.
Other useful articles about biorhythms may be found on www.whitestranger.com
I am often asked, what's the difference between biorhythms and horoscopes? Are the forecasts of the program similar to horoscopes? And would the biorhythms help me win the lottery?
Let me explain what biorhythms are and how they relate to horoscopes.
Horoscope comes from studying positions of the planets of the solar system at the moment of your birth. The planets, as seen from the Earth, are positioned in a circle and form a certain picture, which is said to symbolically represent your character. The position of the planets changes with time, and the horoscope can tell about possible changes in your life.
To discover the symbolic meaning of the planets, astrologers closely followed lives of hundreds of people. They juxtaposed events in people's lives to the changes in the position of the planets, and tried to understand the meaning of their influence.
Therefore, one could say that horoscopes are based on observations and statistics. But the stars only make suggestions, which lack certainty and accuracy.
Human desire to know future allowed astrology to develop for thousands of years and to become a powerful tool in the hands of those who can use it. Thoughtfully prepared horoscope can shed light on problems of the present and suggest ways to solve problems in the future. For centuries influential people of this world came to astrologers for advice and some of their foretelling became prophetic.
Currently, massive interest in horoscopes and their wide accessibility brought on a change to the meaning and the very essence of horoscopes. It's difficult to find a popular publication these days that wouldn't offer a horoscope to their readers. Google search spits out 7 million links, if you search for "horoscopes". You can find any number of horoscopes in the matter of seconds, starting from the general horoscope for that day to a specific horoscope about tying shoelaces for the whole year for Taurus born in the year of a Wood Rooster.
What do such horoscopes promise? Anything under the blue sky. Today they promise you a win in lottery, tomorrow - the love of your life. They range far and wide, from vague descriptions, like "the person you are thinking of is thinking of you" to definite statements like "today you should change where you work" or "you should wear red all day today".
This would all be fine, but there is the question of accuracy. How well can you trust such horoscopes? Here are a few fragments from forums on professional astrology websites:
Q: What do you need to write my horoscope?
A: We need date, time, and place of your birth; description of several important events in your life, preferably with exact dates and some comments; description of your profession, hobbies, problems; questions that you might have. The most important thing is the desire to seriously and honestly discuss your current problem. If you have a question regarding relationships, we'll need similar information about your partner, as well as the date of your first meeting and the beginning of the relationship.
Q: I am a Leo, or, according to the Chinese horoscope, a Rooster. Will I be able to get my money that I earned and that were taken away from me? Am I ever going to get rich? I also noticed that according to the description of a Gemini, they are not likely to have a successful marriage, regardless of the Zodiac of the person they marry. How can that be?
A: Your question suggests that any Leo, born in the year of a Rooster, should expect to become rich. People with such astronomical nonsense shouldn't expect anything good. As far as Gemini is concerned, it's all nonsense, since everything depends on the individual horoscope.
Q: Do you write individual horoscopes? If yes, what do I need to send you?
A: I've said many times that writing individual horoscopes by correspondence is profanity. Individual horoscopes take many hours in conversation with an astrologer. How do you imagine doing it by correspondence? If you are able to come to an appointment, then by all means. Here, on the website, I do not write individual horoscopes. It's serious and hard work.
Q: Can you tell me how to attract luck in lottery?
A: I can't. It's either there from your birth or it isn't.
Professional astrologers make a point that only personal horoscopes, created preferably from a personal meeting, are meaningful. The cost of a consultation starts at $50. General horoscopes are nothing more than entertainment and a tribute to fashion.
Now let's take a look at biorhythms. Like horoscopes, biorhythms reflect the influence of cycles in our life. As far as we know, biorhythms were discovered and widely used in ancient China. They thought that the causes of such cycles were changes in the positions of the sun, the moon, and the planets.
European founders of biorhythmology in the 19th century thought that biorhythms were regulated by the endocrine glands. That, however, did not explain the regularity of the rhythmic changes.
Modern studies showed that the work of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th energy centers (chakras) are synchronous with the fluctuations in physical, emotional, and intellectual biorhythms. Their intensity in the maximum periods is the highest and in the minimum periods - the lowest. This shows the cosmic nature of our biorhythms. It's interesting that sun's full rotation around its orbit is the same as the period of a full emotional cycle, which is 27 days. The cosmic space influences our energy field and transfers energy to certain glands. As a result, we feel internal changes.
There are three basic biorhythms: physical, emotional, and intellectual, plus an additional one - intuitive. The cycles begin at the moment of birth, go through different periods, and continue to influence us throughout our whole life. Each of the biorhythms reflect certain capabilities of the person. Note, that the rhythms do not define the capabilities, but rather show their potential.
So if you are at a zero level of the physical cycle, it doesn't mean that you will lie down flat all day, but it may mean that you won't break any sports records. It will mean that the body needs rest and it would be best to restore your strength.
The rest of the rhythms behave in the same way: intellectual rhythm at its highest is favorable for scientific work, interviews, and conferences; at your emotional high you will not be able to show your most sensitive and attentive self to your partner. So you can see that it's possible to tell pretty accurately how someone feels at any time! by looking at the combination of their biorhythms.
Physical (also known as male) and emotional (female) rhythms were discovered at the end of the 19th century. Thousands of patience were observed and the results were statistically recorded. Later on, the intellectual and the intuitive dependencies were discovered. If you look at the biorhythms on a graph, they look like waves with their highs and lows.
To analyze current rhythms and to make forecasts, the modern biorhythm theory uses the combination of the three basic rhythms and an additional one. Positive and negative fluctuations of each rhythm gives us 16 combinations, which allows us to characterize any day in detail as well as compatibility of any two or more people quite accurately.
To review, the biorhythms can:
- Forecast the physical, emotional, intellectual, and intuitive capabilities of any person at any given time. It may be very useful for planning of important events, such as job interviews, exams, public speaking events, making deals, competitions, long trips, or the start of new relationships.
- Biorhythms can tell you when to be extra careful or when to use your maximum potential.
- They can analyze the compatibility of partners and the interactions between two or more people. This applies to romantic relationships as well as to the prospects of joint ventures.
What biorhythms can't do:
- Money. Biorhythms can plan out favorable days for making deals, or for highest intellectual and intuitive capabilities. The rest, however, depends on you.
- Luck. To a great disappointment, there just isn't a graph for luck. Biorhythms can help determine your intuitive and emotional capabilities, but certain things should be left for the forces from above.
- Love. Biorhythms can help you find an ideal partner, who would fit all of your criteria, and with whom you could live a long happy life. But it's going to be your task to meet such a person, make them fall in love with you, and to be worthy of their love.
To conclude our topic, here's a summary about biorhythms vs. horoscopes.
They have much in common:
- people experience the influence from space and from nature
- the influence is cyclic and predictable, as are human capabilities
- the analysis of the influences can be recommended as a forecast
- the forecast is individual for every person and is determined by the date their of birth
- the analysis can be performed for any time in the past, present, or future
- both tools cover most of the important topics in one's life
At the same time, there are some differences:
Biorhythms can only consider person's capabilities. It's not possible to use them to foretell human catastrophes, wars, natural disasters, events in one's life, or human fate. However, biorhythms are easier to use - you just need to know the birth date and the program is going to calculate the rest.
What remains unquestionable, is the fact that intuition, intellect, emotions, and physical condition of a person go through regular periods of change. Knowing about these fluctuations will help you harmonize your internal world, your relationships with others, with nature, and the universe. And if you need to resolve something really serious, no program is going to replace a live person with a professional approach.
Other useful articles about biorhythms may be found on www.whitestranger.com
Creating Great Charts for Persuasive Trade Show Presentations
A well-designed chart can be one of the most persuasive elements of your trade show booth display and literature. It illustrates to your customers why your product is the obvious solution to one of their specific needs. It can communicate major benefits or features more clearly than words can.
To make a great chart, you need to create a clear, compelling picture of the data that will call your customers to action. Your chart's message must be easy for them to understand without having to study it. Three of the most easily understood chart types are:
1) Bar charts
Bar charts are an excellent method of comparing groups of data. Each data group can consist of a single bar for simple comparisons, or multiple bars breaking information down into subcategories for more in-depth analysis.
Bar charts are easy to interpret because most people are already familiar with seeing data in this format. You can use bar charts to emphasize the data represented by the tallest bar, the shortest bar, the overall trend of the bars, or a change in the bars caused by a certain variable.
2) Pie charts
Pie charts are useful for showing percentages of a greater whole. In a pie chart, the entire pie represents the total data, and each "slice" represents data from a particular group within the whole.
A pie chart is straightforward and easy to understand. It provides a clear visualization of the data class that represents the largest percentage of the whole (represented by the largest piece of the pie), and the relative value of each of the other data classes.
3) Line graphs (also called run charts)
Line graphs show or compare trends, cycles, increases and decreases over time. Typically a line graph shows events on the y-axis affected by time on the x-axis. Often a line representing an average of the data charted is included as a reference point. Or multiple lines may be charted on a line graph, with each representing a different product or variable.
Tips for a Successful Chart
Be sure your chart compares your data on an equal basis. Use the same scale for all data categories in one chart (for example, comparing data measured in dollars with data measured in hundreds of dollars isn't equal). And use a consistent interval between your data categories (measuring one-week intervals against 5-week intervals isn't an accurate comparison).
Use charts to communicate the significance of your statistics. Some of the statistics you may want to highlight in your chart are:
Mean value (the average point of all data).
Maximum value (the maximum data point in the series).
Minimum value (the minimum data point in the series).
Sample size (the total number of data points in the series).
Range of data (the maximum value minus the minimum value).
Standard deviation (how widely data are spread around the mean).
Once you've chosen the best type of chart for the data you want to show your customers, remember to keep your graphic as simple as possible. Trade show customers are assaulted by thousands of images. Don't compare too many things, or include too many categories of data. Your goal is to educate your customers, not confuse them.
And resist the temptation to add fancy extras like pictures and 3-D effects if they make the chart look busy. If a chart is too detailed or cluttered, customers won't invest the effort required to figure it out. They'll bypass it as a technical output of mumbo-jumbo, and move on to something that clearly and compellingly calls them to take a closer look at a product.
A well-designed chart can be one of the most persuasive elements of your trade show booth display and literature. It illustrates to your customers why your product is the obvious solution to one of their specific needs. It can communicate major benefits or features more clearly than words can.
To make a great chart, you need to create a clear, compelling picture of the data that will call your customers to action. Your chart's message must be easy for them to understand without having to study it. Three of the most easily understood chart types are:
1) Bar charts
Bar charts are an excellent method of comparing groups of data. Each data group can consist of a single bar for simple comparisons, or multiple bars breaking information down into subcategories for more in-depth analysis.
Bar charts are easy to interpret because most people are already familiar with seeing data in this format. You can use bar charts to emphasize the data represented by the tallest bar, the shortest bar, the overall trend of the bars, or a change in the bars caused by a certain variable.
2) Pie charts
Pie charts are useful for showing percentages of a greater whole. In a pie chart, the entire pie represents the total data, and each "slice" represents data from a particular group within the whole.
A pie chart is straightforward and easy to understand. It provides a clear visualization of the data class that represents the largest percentage of the whole (represented by the largest piece of the pie), and the relative value of each of the other data classes.
3) Line graphs (also called run charts)
Line graphs show or compare trends, cycles, increases and decreases over time. Typically a line graph shows events on the y-axis affected by time on the x-axis. Often a line representing an average of the data charted is included as a reference point. Or multiple lines may be charted on a line graph, with each representing a different product or variable.
Tips for a Successful Chart
Be sure your chart compares your data on an equal basis. Use the same scale for all data categories in one chart (for example, comparing data measured in dollars with data measured in hundreds of dollars isn't equal). And use a consistent interval between your data categories (measuring one-week intervals against 5-week intervals isn't an accurate comparison).
Use charts to communicate the significance of your statistics. Some of the statistics you may want to highlight in your chart are:
Mean value (the average point of all data).
Maximum value (the maximum data point in the series).
Minimum value (the minimum data point in the series).
Sample size (the total number of data points in the series).
Range of data (the maximum value minus the minimum value).
Standard deviation (how widely data are spread around the mean).
Once you've chosen the best type of chart for the data you want to show your customers, remember to keep your graphic as simple as possible. Trade show customers are assaulted by thousands of images. Don't compare too many things, or include too many categories of data. Your goal is to educate your customers, not confuse them.
And resist the temptation to add fancy extras like pictures and 3-D effects if they make the chart look busy. If a chart is too detailed or cluttered, customers won't invest the effort required to figure it out. They'll bypass it as a technical output of mumbo-jumbo, and move on to something that clearly and compellingly calls them to take a closer look at a product.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Macromedia Flash Work Practices
I thought I might put together some of my work practices. These are the steps I put in place to facilitate a good efficient work flow in Flash. These are my tips. I have found they have worked for me. Its a matter of learning these practices so that you do not think about it. Just like driving a car. Then you can concentrate on being creative and working efficiently and quickly within Flash without having to worry about whether you are on the right layer or you have grabbed the wrong Graphic or you have 2 objects to tween on the same layer and you are scratching your head wondering why the tween wont work.
Create A Graphic.
The first thing you do is to create a graphic in Flash. Say you are going to make a circle.
Draw the circle, then go to the select arrow tool and drag around the whole circle including the outline. If you click on the circle to select it, 9 times out of 10 you will select only the fill inside and leave out the outline circle. And then wonder why your tween wont work. Doh!
So rule number 1 is:
USE THE ARROW SELECTION TOOL TO DRAG SELECT THE WHOLE OBJECT.
Then when you have got the drawn item selected by dragging around it. Hit Key F8 (Convert to symbol) and Tick the Graphic Radio Button and name it. I usually use the suffix _gr after a graphic, just so I know that it is a graphic. If I am making a button, I use _btn and a Movieclip I use _mc.
e.g.
Graphic = redcircle_gr
Button == stop_btn
MovieClip = bigCar_mc
Now back to where I was before I went off on a tangent. I hit key F8 to convert the drawing to a graphic. Drawings by themselves are useless. You cant do anything with them , you cant tween or control with programming (Actioncscript in Flash). So make sure you create either a Graphic or a Movieclip so that it is usable.
Ok. So now we have created a greenball_gr and it is on its own layer. Make sure that you have one object per layer. If we are going to tween them later, the tweens wont work unless there is only one Graphic object per layer. If you have two or more it just wont work. !!111!!!
So , lets tween our little ball. We want to move it across the screen. Click on frame 20 and hit key F6 (Insert -> Keyframe). Now move the ball on frame 20. You should have a keyframe on frame 1 and frame 20. We are going to tween or move the ball between frame 1 and 20. Right click on a frame, say frame 10, between the keyframes and select Create Motion Tween. You should have an arrow going from frame 1 to frame 20 on your timeline on layer 1. Now hit enter Key and it will move across the Stage. Flash.
That is what is meant by tweening. Now for the next step which is very important.
Double click on your layer name and rename the layer, Call it Green ball or something that lets you know what you are doing on that frame when you come back later and have forgotten what everything is doing.
AND, now for the most important work practice in Flash after using the arrow selection tool to select and name your Graphic is taaa daaah
LOCK YOUR LAYERS
Thats right folks, Lock your layers. Click on the dot under the lock symbol on your layer and lock it. Why do that ? I hear you say. Well. In flash it gets a bit messy with heaps of layers, so if you lock all the other layers than the one you are currently working on, then you dont go selecting all the wrong bits of other Graphics. They are all locked so they cant be selected and you are safe working on that particular object on that particular layer only.
Now for our next layer. Create another layer in Flash and name it before we do anything else. Lets call it red square. Make sure that your green circle layer is locked before you do anything else !!11!!
Draw a red square on our new layer. Drag select the whole object using the SELECTION TOOL, and hit key (which key ?) F8. Tick the Graphic radio box and name it redSquare_gr. Click on frame 20 , redsquare layer and hit the key to make a keyframe. Which key was that again ? Remember these keys , they are very important. F6.
Revision Time
F8 Convert to Symbol
F6 Insert A Keyframe
But I digress, again! Now where were we? Oh yeah. We had just clicked on frame 20 and inserted a keyframe. Now move the red square Graphic on frame 20 to where we want it to be. Is the Green Circle in the way? Well hide it by clicking on the dot under the eye symbol in the layers palette. Doing that in Flash will make the layer invisible so that other object dont get in the way and you can see what you are doing properly on the layer you are working on.
Right click on somewhere between frames 1 and 20 on the red square layer and select Creat Motion Tween. Hit Enter key to see it run. They both should move independently. If they dont, start again and make sure you have all the steps correct. Follow the instructions to the letter and practice the steps until you dont have to think about it. Flash Work Practices must be ingrained so you dont think about them.
That can be rule number the next.
HIDE THE LAYERS THAT YOU ARE NOT WORKING ON.
Summary
So to reiterate everything I have said so far.
Make sure that you use the drag select tool to select your objects and make them into Graphics or a Movieclips.
Use the Keystroke functions such as F6, F8, F5 etc rather than using the mouse and selecting menu items. The key shortcuts are heaps faster and more professional. Lamers only use menu items for common commands.
Make sure that you only have one object per layer.
Lock your layers that you are not working on.
Hide the layers you are not working on so that you can see what you are doing on the layer you are working on.
MovieClips
That is it for Graphic objects. When it comes to MovieClips in flash it is pretty similar. Let me go through a process of creating a movieclip in flash.
Step the first. Make a separate layer and name it car. Draw a car on that layer. Make sure all your other layers are locked. After you have drawn your car, drag select the whole lot and hit key F8 . Tick RadioBox MovieClip. And name it car_mc. Click ok.
When you are taken back to the timeline, make sure that your movieclip is selected and open your Properties window (I always have my properties window open). In the Instance name textbox, give the MovieClip an instance name. Type in mycar_mc.
This is very important that you give your MovieClips an instance name , otherwise you will not be able to control them with Actionscript. They are useless unless they have an instance name, They are in a vacuum, unusable, a waste of space.
So rule the number the very next..
GIVE YOUR MOVIECLIPS AN INSTANCE NAME STRAIGHT AWAY.
I thought I might put together some of my work practices. These are the steps I put in place to facilitate a good efficient work flow in Flash. These are my tips. I have found they have worked for me. Its a matter of learning these practices so that you do not think about it. Just like driving a car. Then you can concentrate on being creative and working efficiently and quickly within Flash without having to worry about whether you are on the right layer or you have grabbed the wrong Graphic or you have 2 objects to tween on the same layer and you are scratching your head wondering why the tween wont work.
Create A Graphic.
The first thing you do is to create a graphic in Flash. Say you are going to make a circle.
Draw the circle, then go to the select arrow tool and drag around the whole circle including the outline. If you click on the circle to select it, 9 times out of 10 you will select only the fill inside and leave out the outline circle. And then wonder why your tween wont work. Doh!
So rule number 1 is:
USE THE ARROW SELECTION TOOL TO DRAG SELECT THE WHOLE OBJECT.
Then when you have got the drawn item selected by dragging around it. Hit Key F8 (Convert to symbol) and Tick the Graphic Radio Button and name it. I usually use the suffix _gr after a graphic, just so I know that it is a graphic. If I am making a button, I use _btn and a Movieclip I use _mc.
e.g.
Graphic = redcircle_gr
Button == stop_btn
MovieClip = bigCar_mc
Now back to where I was before I went off on a tangent. I hit key F8 to convert the drawing to a graphic. Drawings by themselves are useless. You cant do anything with them , you cant tween or control with programming (Actioncscript in Flash). So make sure you create either a Graphic or a Movieclip so that it is usable.
Ok. So now we have created a greenball_gr and it is on its own layer. Make sure that you have one object per layer. If we are going to tween them later, the tweens wont work unless there is only one Graphic object per layer. If you have two or more it just wont work. !!111!!!
So , lets tween our little ball. We want to move it across the screen. Click on frame 20 and hit key F6 (Insert -> Keyframe). Now move the ball on frame 20. You should have a keyframe on frame 1 and frame 20. We are going to tween or move the ball between frame 1 and 20. Right click on a frame, say frame 10, between the keyframes and select Create Motion Tween. You should have an arrow going from frame 1 to frame 20 on your timeline on layer 1. Now hit enter Key and it will move across the Stage. Flash.
That is what is meant by tweening. Now for the next step which is very important.
Double click on your layer name and rename the layer, Call it Green ball or something that lets you know what you are doing on that frame when you come back later and have forgotten what everything is doing.
AND, now for the most important work practice in Flash after using the arrow selection tool to select and name your Graphic is taaa daaah
LOCK YOUR LAYERS
Thats right folks, Lock your layers. Click on the dot under the lock symbol on your layer and lock it. Why do that ? I hear you say. Well. In flash it gets a bit messy with heaps of layers, so if you lock all the other layers than the one you are currently working on, then you dont go selecting all the wrong bits of other Graphics. They are all locked so they cant be selected and you are safe working on that particular object on that particular layer only.
Now for our next layer. Create another layer in Flash and name it before we do anything else. Lets call it red square. Make sure that your green circle layer is locked before you do anything else !!11!!
Draw a red square on our new layer. Drag select the whole object using the SELECTION TOOL, and hit key (which key ?) F8. Tick the Graphic radio box and name it redSquare_gr. Click on frame 20 , redsquare layer and hit the key to make a keyframe. Which key was that again ? Remember these keys , they are very important. F6.
Revision Time
F8 Convert to Symbol
F6 Insert A Keyframe
But I digress, again! Now where were we? Oh yeah. We had just clicked on frame 20 and inserted a keyframe. Now move the red square Graphic on frame 20 to where we want it to be. Is the Green Circle in the way? Well hide it by clicking on the dot under the eye symbol in the layers palette. Doing that in Flash will make the layer invisible so that other object dont get in the way and you can see what you are doing properly on the layer you are working on.
Right click on somewhere between frames 1 and 20 on the red square layer and select Creat Motion Tween. Hit Enter key to see it run. They both should move independently. If they dont, start again and make sure you have all the steps correct. Follow the instructions to the letter and practice the steps until you dont have to think about it. Flash Work Practices must be ingrained so you dont think about them.
That can be rule number the next.
HIDE THE LAYERS THAT YOU ARE NOT WORKING ON.
Summary
So to reiterate everything I have said so far.
Make sure that you use the drag select tool to select your objects and make them into Graphics or a Movieclips.
Use the Keystroke functions such as F6, F8, F5 etc rather than using the mouse and selecting menu items. The key shortcuts are heaps faster and more professional. Lamers only use menu items for common commands.
Make sure that you only have one object per layer.
Lock your layers that you are not working on.
Hide the layers you are not working on so that you can see what you are doing on the layer you are working on.
MovieClips
That is it for Graphic objects. When it comes to MovieClips in flash it is pretty similar. Let me go through a process of creating a movieclip in flash.
Step the first. Make a separate layer and name it car. Draw a car on that layer. Make sure all your other layers are locked. After you have drawn your car, drag select the whole lot and hit key F8 . Tick RadioBox MovieClip. And name it car_mc. Click ok.
When you are taken back to the timeline, make sure that your movieclip is selected and open your Properties window (I always have my properties window open). In the Instance name textbox, give the MovieClip an instance name. Type in mycar_mc.
This is very important that you give your MovieClips an instance name , otherwise you will not be able to control them with Actionscript. They are useless unless they have an instance name, They are in a vacuum, unusable, a waste of space.
So rule the number the very next..
GIVE YOUR MOVIECLIPS AN INSTANCE NAME STRAIGHT AWAY.
How to Communicate With Your Bookkeeping
Does the thought of doing the bookwork send you into a frenzy? Do you find anything to do other than get your finances in order? You may be missing some great communication with your books, which could ultimately guide you to success in your business and your personal life.
Now this may sound a bit bizarre communicating with your books, yet so many things are communicating a message to you. You see I recently took a bookkeeping course and then QuickBooks so that I could manage my finances easier. It also deals with repetition on forms and statements saving even more time.
I realized how bookkeeping is just another form of communication. Your books tell you, on so many levels how your business is doing.
They show:
* What trends are developing
* Where most of your money is coming from
* Who your best customers are
* Where you are spending the most amount of your money
* How much is outgoing (expenses) compared with incoming(sales and revenue)
* Who is getting behind on their payments
* How much interest youre paying
* Whether you can get that purchase you wanted
In fact, math seems to have little to do with it and with todays computerized programs. They have taken care of the additions and subtraction for you. You are doing more sorting and compiling than math.
Your books tell you how things have been proceeding or not and assists you at creating long-term plans. You are supplied with the information that allows you to make a more informed decision.
For many people putting aside the math part of numbers and seeing them in a new light helps them to overcome the fear of looking at and dealing with them. When you see them as your friend, it becomes a whole lot easier to work with.
First, let say you have a question. Am I doing well enough to buy a widget for the company? When you have your books in order, they are able to give you a clear picture of how you are doing which gives you the proper information to make a decision.
You can easily put the information into a bar or graph if you are a visual person. This also gives you the data needed right at your fingertips to take to a bank for a loan or line of credit.
Some people have said it is hard to remember what all goes on a financial statement.And lists just shut them down.
I find it easier to have a picture in my head and change things into metaphors or something that I can visualize.
For example:
A financial statement gives you a clear view of how you are doing.
And on the financial statement is your:
Capital
Liabilities
Expenses
Assets
Revenue
This helps me to visualize and therefore remember what needs to be included. So the better you can communicate the details to yourself, the better the numbers will communicate how you are doing to make an informed decision.
So, what are you waiting for, get on to your books, save your self some time, stress and anxiety, and see what they are telling you.
Does the thought of doing the bookwork send you into a frenzy? Do you find anything to do other than get your finances in order? You may be missing some great communication with your books, which could ultimately guide you to success in your business and your personal life.
Now this may sound a bit bizarre communicating with your books, yet so many things are communicating a message to you. You see I recently took a bookkeeping course and then QuickBooks so that I could manage my finances easier. It also deals with repetition on forms and statements saving even more time.
I realized how bookkeeping is just another form of communication. Your books tell you, on so many levels how your business is doing.
They show:
* What trends are developing
* Where most of your money is coming from
* Who your best customers are
* Where you are spending the most amount of your money
* How much is outgoing (expenses) compared with incoming(sales and revenue)
* Who is getting behind on their payments
* How much interest youre paying
* Whether you can get that purchase you wanted
In fact, math seems to have little to do with it and with todays computerized programs. They have taken care of the additions and subtraction for you. You are doing more sorting and compiling than math.
Your books tell you how things have been proceeding or not and assists you at creating long-term plans. You are supplied with the information that allows you to make a more informed decision.
For many people putting aside the math part of numbers and seeing them in a new light helps them to overcome the fear of looking at and dealing with them. When you see them as your friend, it becomes a whole lot easier to work with.
First, let say you have a question. Am I doing well enough to buy a widget for the company? When you have your books in order, they are able to give you a clear picture of how you are doing which gives you the proper information to make a decision.
You can easily put the information into a bar or graph if you are a visual person. This also gives you the data needed right at your fingertips to take to a bank for a loan or line of credit.
Some people have said it is hard to remember what all goes on a financial statement.And lists just shut them down.
I find it easier to have a picture in my head and change things into metaphors or something that I can visualize.
For example:
A financial statement gives you a clear view of how you are doing.
And on the financial statement is your:
Capital
Liabilities
Expenses
Assets
Revenue
This helps me to visualize and therefore remember what needs to be included. So the better you can communicate the details to yourself, the better the numbers will communicate how you are doing to make an informed decision.
So, what are you waiting for, get on to your books, save your self some time, stress and anxiety, and see what they are telling you.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
How to Become a Whistle Blower
Since the United States Government is promoting the whistle blower concept it is every citizens duty to report fraud and abuse of power in any branch of government. We must have an equal and level playing field. If the government relies on snitches, tattle tales and disgruntled whistle blowers to make up lies and report them to government regulators and honors such folks, then this is a clear signal to seek out dishonest government.
Anyone can be a whistle blower since the government does so many obvious things, which are unethical. The abuse of power is often done right out in the open. Now is your chance to join Thomas Paine and become a pain in their unethical rear ends. You are probably thinking, well yes this is a great idea indeed. But you ask yourself how do I get started? Well there are lots of ways for instance if you are a loud mouth environmentalist you can take a pseudo scientific or even a non-scientific study and write an article about it in an Environmental online newsletter, website or paper. These articles get published often before the regular news or such like; millionaire businessman gives to charity articles.
First pick a controversial topic to catch everyones attention and then spin it with innuendos which, half-truths and then just fabricate the rest and lead the reader into an opinion of mistrust. Tout yourself as a whistle blower or pick some group and call them the whistleblowers. After all more people listen to whistle blowers than those who produce anything; anyone can be a whistle blower, I met one today who told me that 9-11 was a conspiracy and offered all kinds of anti-government slurs.
Second keep referencing various sources as much as possible, even if it come from some ridiculous opinionated website or unnamed source. If you do not have the right quote and need one simply ask a friend to be your source. Say something like do you believe Dolphins are being killed by the oil drilling in Oklahoma? There answers should be a repeat of your question: I believe dolphins are being killed by oil drilling in Oklahoma and maybe add in another blasphamist comment to top it off such as; . . .and it is a travesty as the dolphin populations are at severe risk! Then quote them. If they have a degree of any kind this helps. For instance if your friend attended a University or has a PhD make sure to put that next to their name in the quote.
Third; try to put in a history lesson for the reader such as the dolphin population charts of Zimbabwee or try to find a fine given to a Wild Cater in the Permian Basin in 1932. Site some recent oil spills and the amount of Nox, CO2 in the atmosphere in 1988, even put a chart or graph in the article. Also make sure to show the vertical side bar in small increments and the horizontal side bar in large increments to show rapid and sharp increases. Ross Perot did this; you can too?
Forth; weave a conspiracy theory into the article and realize if you want change be sure to point fingers.
Well that is how you can be a whistle blower too and promote your agenda in the world thru the media. Being a squeaky wheel and whistle blower has its advantages, because now you can play the victim card too. Remember the joker is wild in this out of control scare tactic battlefield. Now go out there and cause sound and fury so I have more material to refute, condemn or condone, as I am a writer too and you humans are quite pathetic and boring. We need news, views and lies too. How else can we keep our ratings up? Think on this, you are now a whistle blower with an elevated status?
Since the United States Government is promoting the whistle blower concept it is every citizens duty to report fraud and abuse of power in any branch of government. We must have an equal and level playing field. If the government relies on snitches, tattle tales and disgruntled whistle blowers to make up lies and report them to government regulators and honors such folks, then this is a clear signal to seek out dishonest government.
Anyone can be a whistle blower since the government does so many obvious things, which are unethical. The abuse of power is often done right out in the open. Now is your chance to join Thomas Paine and become a pain in their unethical rear ends. You are probably thinking, well yes this is a great idea indeed. But you ask yourself how do I get started? Well there are lots of ways for instance if you are a loud mouth environmentalist you can take a pseudo scientific or even a non-scientific study and write an article about it in an Environmental online newsletter, website or paper. These articles get published often before the regular news or such like; millionaire businessman gives to charity articles.
First pick a controversial topic to catch everyones attention and then spin it with innuendos which, half-truths and then just fabricate the rest and lead the reader into an opinion of mistrust. Tout yourself as a whistle blower or pick some group and call them the whistleblowers. After all more people listen to whistle blowers than those who produce anything; anyone can be a whistle blower, I met one today who told me that 9-11 was a conspiracy and offered all kinds of anti-government slurs.
Second keep referencing various sources as much as possible, even if it come from some ridiculous opinionated website or unnamed source. If you do not have the right quote and need one simply ask a friend to be your source. Say something like do you believe Dolphins are being killed by the oil drilling in Oklahoma? There answers should be a repeat of your question: I believe dolphins are being killed by oil drilling in Oklahoma and maybe add in another blasphamist comment to top it off such as; . . .and it is a travesty as the dolphin populations are at severe risk! Then quote them. If they have a degree of any kind this helps. For instance if your friend attended a University or has a PhD make sure to put that next to their name in the quote.
Third; try to put in a history lesson for the reader such as the dolphin population charts of Zimbabwee or try to find a fine given to a Wild Cater in the Permian Basin in 1932. Site some recent oil spills and the amount of Nox, CO2 in the atmosphere in 1988, even put a chart or graph in the article. Also make sure to show the vertical side bar in small increments and the horizontal side bar in large increments to show rapid and sharp increases. Ross Perot did this; you can too?
Forth; weave a conspiracy theory into the article and realize if you want change be sure to point fingers.
Well that is how you can be a whistle blower too and promote your agenda in the world thru the media. Being a squeaky wheel and whistle blower has its advantages, because now you can play the victim card too. Remember the joker is wild in this out of control scare tactic battlefield. Now go out there and cause sound and fury so I have more material to refute, condemn or condone, as I am a writer too and you humans are quite pathetic and boring. We need news, views and lies too. How else can we keep our ratings up? Think on this, you are now a whistle blower with an elevated status?
Your Flash Meter is Your Best Friend
Electronic flash is the preferred lighting medium for professional
photographers. They come with strength ratings, color balance figures and watt second figures. But when all is set up and ready, the only number that will lead to a perfect exposure is the one on the flash meter.
Every flash tube has a signature and the output varies with time and the number of flashes that it has produced. The older it is, the weaker the flash and the more yellow in the light. Reflectors also change characteristics by becoming dirty or by varying the distance from the tube.
Cameras and lenses also affect the final effective exposure in the image file. The fewest artifacts are visible when the lowest ISO rating is used in the camera. Use the flash meter to set the power level on the main light to the F stop you are using, i.e.: F11. Then meter the hair and back light to the same F stop. The fill should read two stops weaker than the main. Using an 18% gray card, make a test exposure and read the histogram. The gray card should spike about in the middle of the graph. If it is to the left or right of center, adjust the ISO setting on the meter to correspond to the center of the histogram.
It is best to check the average flash intensity at the subject location before starting the first session of the day. An occasional check during a busy day will ensure that the exposures are dead on for every session. Perfect exposures are necessary to produce good skin tones and natural contrast in your portraits. There are enough challenges going on in a portrait shoot without worrying about exposures in your digital images.
Electronic flash is the preferred lighting medium for professional
photographers. They come with strength ratings, color balance figures and watt second figures. But when all is set up and ready, the only number that will lead to a perfect exposure is the one on the flash meter.
Every flash tube has a signature and the output varies with time and the number of flashes that it has produced. The older it is, the weaker the flash and the more yellow in the light. Reflectors also change characteristics by becoming dirty or by varying the distance from the tube.
Cameras and lenses also affect the final effective exposure in the image file. The fewest artifacts are visible when the lowest ISO rating is used in the camera. Use the flash meter to set the power level on the main light to the F stop you are using, i.e.: F11. Then meter the hair and back light to the same F stop. The fill should read two stops weaker than the main. Using an 18% gray card, make a test exposure and read the histogram. The gray card should spike about in the middle of the graph. If it is to the left or right of center, adjust the ISO setting on the meter to correspond to the center of the histogram.
It is best to check the average flash intensity at the subject location before starting the first session of the day. An occasional check during a busy day will ensure that the exposures are dead on for every session. Perfect exposures are necessary to produce good skin tones and natural contrast in your portraits. There are enough challenges going on in a portrait shoot without worrying about exposures in your digital images.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Wedding Loans: Perfect Finance Option for a Perfect Wedding
After seeing each other for years and being tagged as in love since eternity, you desire to bring this to a logical end. You are wrong if you think I am suggesting a divorce even before you are actually married. The end to every love is wedding -the wedding of two bodies and two souls.
Have you been planning wedding since a long time but have been hindered because of the huge cost weddings entail nowadays.
Worry not. Spend as much as you can, because wedding loans are there to pay every penny of the expenses.
Average wedding costs anywhere between $19,000 $27,000. This may go much higher if one is planning to have a gala wedding with all the pomp and show included.
And why shant one. Wedding is a once in a lifetime event. People would take all efforts to make the wedding truly memorable.
But the society and the customs have changed much. Just as the parents or guardians lost their say over the choice of bride or groom, they have little to do in the planning and financing of the wedding. So it is the couple who does all the spending on the wedding.
So how do the couples bear the expenses of wedding, in spite of being new to their professions and low on the income graph?
Wedding loans are an effective tool in their hands which they use to pay the entire wedding expenses. Wedding loans can finance practically every wedding expense right from the elegant wedding dress to the exquisitely beautiful engagement ring, from the lavish reception to the impeccable church decoration.
There are a number of other expenses which seem insignificant if seen individually, but become difficult to repay when taken in totality. These can be very easily paid through wedding loans.
Besides, wedding loans can be a much cheaper option to use for the payment rather than credit cards or past savings. Using a credit card can be simple if one goes by the immediate outcomes. But when the credit card debts are due for payment you find them to be much more than what you really spent. No, the credit card company is not indulging in any king of overcharging or cheating. This is only because of the accumulation of interest. Payment through credit cards is just like drawing a loan, but at a much higher rate.
Utilizing past savings for a one day affair like a wedding would be a waste. It could have been a lot better had the past savings been used for some productive purposes.
A wedding loan allows the customer to enjoy two benefits. The first benefit of wedding loan is that the customer will not have to pay an exorbitantly high amount. Most of the lenders offer loans at reasonable rates of interest.
The second benefit is regarding the timing of payment. Even though a customer has to pay more than what he would have spent, he accepts this because he does not have to pay the whole amount at one go. Monthly payments require to be made towards the payment of loan.
A certain amount of planning is necessary when taking a wedding loan. If parents are ready to be a part of the finances then they must be included in discussions. How much can they spend on the wedding needs to be decided well in advance. This will determine the amount of wedding loan that needs to be applied for.
Secured wedding loans taken against ones home will be much cheaper. A valuation of the home or property will be done. One can draw loan depending upon the worth of his home. However there are options for those who do not have a home or who do not want to put their home under any kind of obligation.
Next comes the choice of lenders. It is no longer necessary to depend on lenders in one particular locality or region. Almost every big and small lender is available online. An internet connection is what is needed. One does not even have to leave his home or office, and loan can be applied for instantly. Such a relief from the previous times when a customer had to go to each and every lender to just get the quotes. Few customers were ready to go through this grind, and hence accepted whatever offer was given.
These loans are very easy to approve. With the valuation of property and credibility check over, it is very easy to get loans approved. Filling up each and every detail with caution and accuracy can save enough of time in the approval process.
Did you promise your wife an impeccable wedding ring? You can keep on the promise since wedding loans are there to meet the expense.
Summary
Wedding loans have two benefits. They are cheaper than any other option of payment. They do not require customers to pay the expenses on wedding all at once. For this and many more information on wedding loans read this article.
After seeing each other for years and being tagged as in love since eternity, you desire to bring this to a logical end. You are wrong if you think I am suggesting a divorce even before you are actually married. The end to every love is wedding -the wedding of two bodies and two souls.
Have you been planning wedding since a long time but have been hindered because of the huge cost weddings entail nowadays.
Worry not. Spend as much as you can, because wedding loans are there to pay every penny of the expenses.
Average wedding costs anywhere between $19,000 $27,000. This may go much higher if one is planning to have a gala wedding with all the pomp and show included.
And why shant one. Wedding is a once in a lifetime event. People would take all efforts to make the wedding truly memorable.
But the society and the customs have changed much. Just as the parents or guardians lost their say over the choice of bride or groom, they have little to do in the planning and financing of the wedding. So it is the couple who does all the spending on the wedding.
So how do the couples bear the expenses of wedding, in spite of being new to their professions and low on the income graph?
Wedding loans are an effective tool in their hands which they use to pay the entire wedding expenses. Wedding loans can finance practically every wedding expense right from the elegant wedding dress to the exquisitely beautiful engagement ring, from the lavish reception to the impeccable church decoration.
There are a number of other expenses which seem insignificant if seen individually, but become difficult to repay when taken in totality. These can be very easily paid through wedding loans.
Besides, wedding loans can be a much cheaper option to use for the payment rather than credit cards or past savings. Using a credit card can be simple if one goes by the immediate outcomes. But when the credit card debts are due for payment you find them to be much more than what you really spent. No, the credit card company is not indulging in any king of overcharging or cheating. This is only because of the accumulation of interest. Payment through credit cards is just like drawing a loan, but at a much higher rate.
Utilizing past savings for a one day affair like a wedding would be a waste. It could have been a lot better had the past savings been used for some productive purposes.
A wedding loan allows the customer to enjoy two benefits. The first benefit of wedding loan is that the customer will not have to pay an exorbitantly high amount. Most of the lenders offer loans at reasonable rates of interest.
The second benefit is regarding the timing of payment. Even though a customer has to pay more than what he would have spent, he accepts this because he does not have to pay the whole amount at one go. Monthly payments require to be made towards the payment of loan.
A certain amount of planning is necessary when taking a wedding loan. If parents are ready to be a part of the finances then they must be included in discussions. How much can they spend on the wedding needs to be decided well in advance. This will determine the amount of wedding loan that needs to be applied for.
Secured wedding loans taken against ones home will be much cheaper. A valuation of the home or property will be done. One can draw loan depending upon the worth of his home. However there are options for those who do not have a home or who do not want to put their home under any kind of obligation.
Next comes the choice of lenders. It is no longer necessary to depend on lenders in one particular locality or region. Almost every big and small lender is available online. An internet connection is what is needed. One does not even have to leave his home or office, and loan can be applied for instantly. Such a relief from the previous times when a customer had to go to each and every lender to just get the quotes. Few customers were ready to go through this grind, and hence accepted whatever offer was given.
These loans are very easy to approve. With the valuation of property and credibility check over, it is very easy to get loans approved. Filling up each and every detail with caution and accuracy can save enough of time in the approval process.
Did you promise your wife an impeccable wedding ring? You can keep on the promise since wedding loans are there to meet the expense.
Summary
Wedding loans have two benefits. They are cheaper than any other option of payment. They do not require customers to pay the expenses on wedding all at once. For this and many more information on wedding loans read this article.
By This Time Tomorrow You Could Be Making Thousands!
The Human Mind is characterized by two natures; the force that tends to pull you forward and the other one that repels you. Our personal choice of the two human natures described above, will go a long way in determining what we will become. It is all about how you can change your whole career and achieve miracles; this simply means we can be easily controlled by our concentrated thought.
Communication has proven to be one of mans greatest assets, which he has used in mastering all other aspects of his environment. From contemporary history, the graph of mans advancement took a sharp turn, when he discovered the power and skill of communication, which he started initially by signs and latter modified to using letters, numbers and sound. Many thanks and credit is due to the ancient Greeks, because they helped in working on the civilization brought from Ancient Egypt, in Africa, and continuously improved on this for the benefit and advancement of the Human Race, one name that cannot be easily forgotten in this great human endeavor is AMURABI the wise.
Communication has undergone series of advancement over the years; man has always been concerned about making the world a global village where information can easily be passed across over a large distance, within a considerable, small frame of time. From the age of disseminating information by physical means, man has advanced to a level of information dissemination using machines, from the Postal Mail to the Telegraph and from there to Telephone and Faxes, and currently, we are into a new world of information dissemination technology, which is the Internet. The internet has proven to be a very viable means of information dissemination, and over the years man has fallen into romance with the internet that he now wishes for every thing to be done on line, even if, it can be possible for him to have his bath online, there would have been no hesitations.
Mans romance for internet has taken various turns, and this is dependent on the area of interest of the internet surfer. Some persons enjoy using the internet for fun and leisure; others may use it as a means to shop for all their daily requirements without necessarily going to the mall, better, still some may take it as a means to get the most recent and vital information, I for one, I describe the internet to be a complete society online, where you can get virtually all what the physical world represents in its entirety. If we are all in agreement with the last sentence, then it will be wise to consider, how we can utilize the internet to its fullest in actualizing financial success that can measured with that recorded in any physical business transaction, since we all agree that Internet is a complete online society, then it will be wise, to note that, one can realize a very prosperous online marketing career in little or no time.
The world of e-commerce or better still online internet marketing is so rich that one cannot estimate the benefits he stands to reap from becoming an online internet marketer. The most interesting aspect of this venture is that it does not disturb your normal day work, as you need very little time to access your business online. You dont need an office in this regard, from the comfort of your living home; you can start earning as much as $1000.00 +++/month.
How do you need to get started? it is very easy to start up your online internet marketing career, because there are already prepared write ups, that will take you by the hand, showing you how you can become a very successful internet marketer, you will be guided step by step on how to make money from your home with superb affiliate programme, work at home packages, and lot of information and motivational tips to move you forward in your online internet marketing career, that in little or no time you will be smiling in the world of internet marketing.
Every man that is willing to put forth the necessary effort can be a success. Those who really desire to attain independence, have only to set their minds upon it, and adopt the proper means, as they do in regards to any other object, which they wish to accomplish, and the thing is easily done, as you enforce the right vision and will power. According to Dr Franklin the road to wealth is "as plain as the road to the mill".
For more motivational tips and ideas on how to move forward on internet marketing and all work at home packages, feel free subscribe to our mailing list.
YOUR NAME:
YOUR PERONAL EMAIL:
YOUR NATIONALITY:
Subscribe to global-vision2@yahoo.ie
The Human Mind is characterized by two natures; the force that tends to pull you forward and the other one that repels you. Our personal choice of the two human natures described above, will go a long way in determining what we will become. It is all about how you can change your whole career and achieve miracles; this simply means we can be easily controlled by our concentrated thought.
Communication has proven to be one of mans greatest assets, which he has used in mastering all other aspects of his environment. From contemporary history, the graph of mans advancement took a sharp turn, when he discovered the power and skill of communication, which he started initially by signs and latter modified to using letters, numbers and sound. Many thanks and credit is due to the ancient Greeks, because they helped in working on the civilization brought from Ancient Egypt, in Africa, and continuously improved on this for the benefit and advancement of the Human Race, one name that cannot be easily forgotten in this great human endeavor is AMURABI the wise.
Communication has undergone series of advancement over the years; man has always been concerned about making the world a global village where information can easily be passed across over a large distance, within a considerable, small frame of time. From the age of disseminating information by physical means, man has advanced to a level of information dissemination using machines, from the Postal Mail to the Telegraph and from there to Telephone and Faxes, and currently, we are into a new world of information dissemination technology, which is the Internet. The internet has proven to be a very viable means of information dissemination, and over the years man has fallen into romance with the internet that he now wishes for every thing to be done on line, even if, it can be possible for him to have his bath online, there would have been no hesitations.
Mans romance for internet has taken various turns, and this is dependent on the area of interest of the internet surfer. Some persons enjoy using the internet for fun and leisure; others may use it as a means to shop for all their daily requirements without necessarily going to the mall, better, still some may take it as a means to get the most recent and vital information, I for one, I describe the internet to be a complete society online, where you can get virtually all what the physical world represents in its entirety. If we are all in agreement with the last sentence, then it will be wise to consider, how we can utilize the internet to its fullest in actualizing financial success that can measured with that recorded in any physical business transaction, since we all agree that Internet is a complete online society, then it will be wise, to note that, one can realize a very prosperous online marketing career in little or no time.
The world of e-commerce or better still online internet marketing is so rich that one cannot estimate the benefits he stands to reap from becoming an online internet marketer. The most interesting aspect of this venture is that it does not disturb your normal day work, as you need very little time to access your business online. You dont need an office in this regard, from the comfort of your living home; you can start earning as much as $1000.00 +++/month.
How do you need to get started? it is very easy to start up your online internet marketing career, because there are already prepared write ups, that will take you by the hand, showing you how you can become a very successful internet marketer, you will be guided step by step on how to make money from your home with superb affiliate programme, work at home packages, and lot of information and motivational tips to move you forward in your online internet marketing career, that in little or no time you will be smiling in the world of internet marketing.
Every man that is willing to put forth the necessary effort can be a success. Those who really desire to attain independence, have only to set their minds upon it, and adopt the proper means, as they do in regards to any other object, which they wish to accomplish, and the thing is easily done, as you enforce the right vision and will power. According to Dr Franklin the road to wealth is "as plain as the road to the mill".
For more motivational tips and ideas on how to move forward on internet marketing and all work at home packages, feel free subscribe to our mailing list.
YOUR NAME:
YOUR PERONAL EMAIL:
YOUR NATIONALITY:
Subscribe to global-vision2@yahoo.ie
Friday, April 20, 2007
Biorhythms vs. Horoscopes
I am often asked, what's the difference between biorhythms and horoscopes? Are the forecasts of the program similar to horoscopes? And would the biorhythms help me win the lottery?
Let me explain what biorhythms are and how they relate to horoscopes.
Horoscope comes from studying positions of the planets of the solar system at the moment of your birth. The planets, as seen from the Earth, are positioned in a circle and form a certain picture, which is said to symbolically represent your character. The position of the planets changes with time, and the horoscope can tell about possible changes in your life.
To discover the symbolic meaning of the planets, astrologers closely followed lives of hundreds of people. They juxtaposed events in people's lives to the changes in the position of the planets, and tried to understand the meaning of their influence.
Therefore, one could say that horoscopes are based on observations and statistics. But the stars only make suggestions, which lack certainty and accuracy.
Human desire to know future allowed astrology to develop for thousands of years and to become a powerful tool in the hands of those who can use it. Thoughtfully prepared horoscope can shed light on problems of the present and suggest ways to solve problems in the future. For centuries influential people of this world came to astrologers for advice and some of their foretelling became prophetic.
Currently, massive interest in horoscopes and their wide accessibility brought on a change to the meaning and the very essence of horoscopes. It's difficult to find a popular publication these days that wouldn't offer a horoscope to their readers. Google search spits out 7 million links, if you search for "horoscopes". You can find any number of horoscopes in the matter of seconds, starting from the general horoscope for that day to a specific horoscope about tying shoelaces for the whole year for Taurus born in the year of a Wood Rooster.
What do such horoscopes promise? Anything under the blue sky. Today they promise you a win in lottery, tomorrow - the love of your life. They range far and wide, from vague descriptions, like "the person you are thinking of is thinking of you" to definite statements like "today you should change where you work" or "you should wear red all day today".
This would all be fine, but there is the question of accuracy. How well can you trust such horoscopes? Here are a few fragments from forums on professional astrology websites:
Q: What do you need to write my horoscope?
A: We need date, time, and place of your birth; description of several important events in your life, preferably with exact dates and some comments; description of your profession, hobbies, problems; questions that you might have. The most important thing is the desire to seriously and honestly discuss your current problem. If you have a question regarding relationships, we'll need similar information about your partner, as well as the date of your first meeting and the beginning of the relationship.
Q: I am a Leo, or, according to the Chinese horoscope, a Rooster. Will I be able to get my money that I earned and that were taken away from me? Am I ever going to get rich? I also noticed that according to the description of a Gemini, they are not likely to have a successful marriage, regardless of the Zodiac of the person they marry. How can that be?
A: Your question suggests that any Leo, born in the year of a Rooster, should expect to become rich. People with such astronomical nonsense shouldn't expect anything good. As far as Gemini is concerned, it's all nonsense, since everything depends on the individual horoscope.
Q: Do you write individual horoscopes? If yes, what do I need to send you?
A: I've said many times that writing individual horoscopes by correspondence is profanity. Individual horoscopes take many hours in conversation with an astrologer. How do you imagine doing it by correspondence? If you are able to come to an appointment, then by all means. Here, on the website, I do not write individual horoscopes. It's serious and hard work.
Q: Can you tell me how to attract luck in lottery?
A: I can't. It's either there from your birth or it isn't.
Professional astrologers make a point that only personal horoscopes, created preferably from a personal meeting, are meaningful. The cost of a consultation starts at $50. General horoscopes are nothing more than entertainment and a tribute to fashion.
Now let's take a look at biorhythms. Like horoscopes, biorhythms reflect the influence of cycles in our life. As far as we know, biorhythms were discovered and widely used in ancient China. They thought that the causes of such cycles were changes in the positions of the sun, the moon, and the planets.
European founders of biorhythmology in the 19th century thought that biorhythms were regulated by the endocrine glands. That, however, did not explain the regularity of the rhythmic changes.
Modern studies showed that the work of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th energy centers (chakras) are synchronous with the fluctuations in physical, emotional, and intellectual biorhythms. Their intensity in the maximum periods is the highest and in the minimum periods - the lowest. This shows the cosmic nature of our biorhythms. It's interesting that sun's full rotation around its orbit is the same as the period of a full emotional cycle, which is 27 days. The cosmic space influences our energy field and transfers energy to certain glands. As a result, we feel internal changes.
There are three basic biorhythms: physical, emotional, and intellectual, plus an additional one - intuitive. The cycles begin at the moment of birth, go through different periods, and continue to influence us throughout our whole life. Each of the biorhythms reflect certain capabilities of the person. Note, that the rhythms do not define the capabilities, but rather show their potential.
So if you are at a zero level of the physical cycle, it doesn't mean that you will lie down flat all day, but it may mean that you won't break any sports records. It will mean that the body needs rest and it would be best to restore your strength.
The rest of the rhythms behave in the same way: intellectual rhythm at its highest is favorable for scientific work, interviews, and conferences; at your emotional high you will not be able to show your most sensitive and attentive self to your partner. So you can see that it's possible to tell pretty accurately how someone feels at any time! by looking at the combination of their biorhythms.
Physical (also known as male) and emotional (female) rhythms were discovered at the end of the 19th century. Thousands of patience were observed and the results were statistically recorded. Later on, the intellectual and the intuitive dependencies were discovered. If you look at the biorhythms on a graph, they look like waves with their highs and lows.
To analyze current rhythms and to make forecasts, the modern biorhythm theory uses the combination of the three basic rhythms and an additional one. Positive and negative fluctuations of each rhythm gives us 16 combinations, which allows us to characterize any day in detail as well as compatibility of any two or more people quite accurately.
To review, the biorhythms can:
- Forecast the physical, emotional, intellectual, and intuitive capabilities of any person at any given time. It may be very useful for planning of important events, such as job interviews, exams, public speaking events, making deals, competitions, long trips, or the start of new relationships.
- Biorhythms can tell you when to be extra careful or when to use your maximum potential.
- They can analyze the compatibility of partners and the interactions between two or more people. This applies to romantic relationships as well as to the prospects of joint ventures.
What biorhythms can't do:
- Money. Biorhythms can plan out favorable days for making deals, or for highest intellectual and intuitive capabilities. The rest, however, depends on you.
- Luck. To a great disappointment, there just isn't a graph for luck. Biorhythms can help determine your intuitive and emotional capabilities, but certain things should be left for the forces from above.
- Love. Biorhythms can help you find an ideal partner, who would fit all of your criteria, and with whom you could live a long happy life. But it's going to be your task to meet such a person, make them fall in love with you, and to be worthy of their love.
To conclude our topic, here's a summary about biorhythms vs. horoscopes.
They have much in common:
- people experience the influence from space and from nature
- the influence is cyclic and predictable, as are human capabilities
- the analysis of the influences can be recommended as a forecast
- the forecast is individual for every person and is determined by the date their of birth
- the analysis can be performed for any time in the past, present, or future
- both tools cover most of the important topics in one's life
At the same time, there are some differences:
Biorhythms can only consider person's capabilities. It's not possible to use them to foretell human catastrophes, wars, natural disasters, events in one's life, or human fate. However, biorhythms are easier to use - you just need to know the birth date and the program is going to calculate the rest.
What remains unquestionable, is the fact that intuition, intellect, emotions, and physical condition of a person go through regular periods of change. Knowing about these fluctuations will help you harmonize your internal world, your relationships with others, with nature, and the universe. And if you need to resolve something really serious, no program is going to replace a live person with a professional approach.
Other useful articles about biorhythms may be found on www.whitestranger.com
I am often asked, what's the difference between biorhythms and horoscopes? Are the forecasts of the program similar to horoscopes? And would the biorhythms help me win the lottery?
Let me explain what biorhythms are and how they relate to horoscopes.
Horoscope comes from studying positions of the planets of the solar system at the moment of your birth. The planets, as seen from the Earth, are positioned in a circle and form a certain picture, which is said to symbolically represent your character. The position of the planets changes with time, and the horoscope can tell about possible changes in your life.
To discover the symbolic meaning of the planets, astrologers closely followed lives of hundreds of people. They juxtaposed events in people's lives to the changes in the position of the planets, and tried to understand the meaning of their influence.
Therefore, one could say that horoscopes are based on observations and statistics. But the stars only make suggestions, which lack certainty and accuracy.
Human desire to know future allowed astrology to develop for thousands of years and to become a powerful tool in the hands of those who can use it. Thoughtfully prepared horoscope can shed light on problems of the present and suggest ways to solve problems in the future. For centuries influential people of this world came to astrologers for advice and some of their foretelling became prophetic.
Currently, massive interest in horoscopes and their wide accessibility brought on a change to the meaning and the very essence of horoscopes. It's difficult to find a popular publication these days that wouldn't offer a horoscope to their readers. Google search spits out 7 million links, if you search for "horoscopes". You can find any number of horoscopes in the matter of seconds, starting from the general horoscope for that day to a specific horoscope about tying shoelaces for the whole year for Taurus born in the year of a Wood Rooster.
What do such horoscopes promise? Anything under the blue sky. Today they promise you a win in lottery, tomorrow - the love of your life. They range far and wide, from vague descriptions, like "the person you are thinking of is thinking of you" to definite statements like "today you should change where you work" or "you should wear red all day today".
This would all be fine, but there is the question of accuracy. How well can you trust such horoscopes? Here are a few fragments from forums on professional astrology websites:
Q: What do you need to write my horoscope?
A: We need date, time, and place of your birth; description of several important events in your life, preferably with exact dates and some comments; description of your profession, hobbies, problems; questions that you might have. The most important thing is the desire to seriously and honestly discuss your current problem. If you have a question regarding relationships, we'll need similar information about your partner, as well as the date of your first meeting and the beginning of the relationship.
Q: I am a Leo, or, according to the Chinese horoscope, a Rooster. Will I be able to get my money that I earned and that were taken away from me? Am I ever going to get rich? I also noticed that according to the description of a Gemini, they are not likely to have a successful marriage, regardless of the Zodiac of the person they marry. How can that be?
A: Your question suggests that any Leo, born in the year of a Rooster, should expect to become rich. People with such astronomical nonsense shouldn't expect anything good. As far as Gemini is concerned, it's all nonsense, since everything depends on the individual horoscope.
Q: Do you write individual horoscopes? If yes, what do I need to send you?
A: I've said many times that writing individual horoscopes by correspondence is profanity. Individual horoscopes take many hours in conversation with an astrologer. How do you imagine doing it by correspondence? If you are able to come to an appointment, then by all means. Here, on the website, I do not write individual horoscopes. It's serious and hard work.
Q: Can you tell me how to attract luck in lottery?
A: I can't. It's either there from your birth or it isn't.
Professional astrologers make a point that only personal horoscopes, created preferably from a personal meeting, are meaningful. The cost of a consultation starts at $50. General horoscopes are nothing more than entertainment and a tribute to fashion.
Now let's take a look at biorhythms. Like horoscopes, biorhythms reflect the influence of cycles in our life. As far as we know, biorhythms were discovered and widely used in ancient China. They thought that the causes of such cycles were changes in the positions of the sun, the moon, and the planets.
European founders of biorhythmology in the 19th century thought that biorhythms were regulated by the endocrine glands. That, however, did not explain the regularity of the rhythmic changes.
Modern studies showed that the work of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th energy centers (chakras) are synchronous with the fluctuations in physical, emotional, and intellectual biorhythms. Their intensity in the maximum periods is the highest and in the minimum periods - the lowest. This shows the cosmic nature of our biorhythms. It's interesting that sun's full rotation around its orbit is the same as the period of a full emotional cycle, which is 27 days. The cosmic space influences our energy field and transfers energy to certain glands. As a result, we feel internal changes.
There are three basic biorhythms: physical, emotional, and intellectual, plus an additional one - intuitive. The cycles begin at the moment of birth, go through different periods, and continue to influence us throughout our whole life. Each of the biorhythms reflect certain capabilities of the person. Note, that the rhythms do not define the capabilities, but rather show their potential.
So if you are at a zero level of the physical cycle, it doesn't mean that you will lie down flat all day, but it may mean that you won't break any sports records. It will mean that the body needs rest and it would be best to restore your strength.
The rest of the rhythms behave in the same way: intellectual rhythm at its highest is favorable for scientific work, interviews, and conferences; at your emotional high you will not be able to show your most sensitive and attentive self to your partner. So you can see that it's possible to tell pretty accurately how someone feels at any time! by looking at the combination of their biorhythms.
Physical (also known as male) and emotional (female) rhythms were discovered at the end of the 19th century. Thousands of patience were observed and the results were statistically recorded. Later on, the intellectual and the intuitive dependencies were discovered. If you look at the biorhythms on a graph, they look like waves with their highs and lows.
To analyze current rhythms and to make forecasts, the modern biorhythm theory uses the combination of the three basic rhythms and an additional one. Positive and negative fluctuations of each rhythm gives us 16 combinations, which allows us to characterize any day in detail as well as compatibility of any two or more people quite accurately.
To review, the biorhythms can:
- Forecast the physical, emotional, intellectual, and intuitive capabilities of any person at any given time. It may be very useful for planning of important events, such as job interviews, exams, public speaking events, making deals, competitions, long trips, or the start of new relationships.
- Biorhythms can tell you when to be extra careful or when to use your maximum potential.
- They can analyze the compatibility of partners and the interactions between two or more people. This applies to romantic relationships as well as to the prospects of joint ventures.
What biorhythms can't do:
- Money. Biorhythms can plan out favorable days for making deals, or for highest intellectual and intuitive capabilities. The rest, however, depends on you.
- Luck. To a great disappointment, there just isn't a graph for luck. Biorhythms can help determine your intuitive and emotional capabilities, but certain things should be left for the forces from above.
- Love. Biorhythms can help you find an ideal partner, who would fit all of your criteria, and with whom you could live a long happy life. But it's going to be your task to meet such a person, make them fall in love with you, and to be worthy of their love.
To conclude our topic, here's a summary about biorhythms vs. horoscopes.
They have much in common:
- people experience the influence from space and from nature
- the influence is cyclic and predictable, as are human capabilities
- the analysis of the influences can be recommended as a forecast
- the forecast is individual for every person and is determined by the date their of birth
- the analysis can be performed for any time in the past, present, or future
- both tools cover most of the important topics in one's life
At the same time, there are some differences:
Biorhythms can only consider person's capabilities. It's not possible to use them to foretell human catastrophes, wars, natural disasters, events in one's life, or human fate. However, biorhythms are easier to use - you just need to know the birth date and the program is going to calculate the rest.
What remains unquestionable, is the fact that intuition, intellect, emotions, and physical condition of a person go through regular periods of change. Knowing about these fluctuations will help you harmonize your internal world, your relationships with others, with nature, and the universe. And if you need to resolve something really serious, no program is going to replace a live person with a professional approach.
Other useful articles about biorhythms may be found on www.whitestranger.com
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