Are Cell Phones and iPods Perils for Pedestrians?
by: Valerie Nay

You see it everywhere and many of us do it ourselves. Whether trying to squeeze the most out of our busy day or out of simple boredom, we talk on the phone or listen to music, news or audio books while we’re walking. The business person trying to get a little work in while going to pick up lunch, the mom or dad having a tense conversation with one of the kids or the teenager listening to her iPod on her way home from school – it’s a normal part of everyday life now.

Most of the controversy around cell phones has been related to driving a car while talking or dialing but they pose a risk to pedestrians, too. Just the other day, I saw a pedestrian almost get hit by a car while walking through the parking lot of the local supermarket – not once, but twice! The first driver saw her at the last minute and thanks to another driver who honked his horn, the driver of the second car stopped moving, too. If you can't already guess, she was talking on her cell phone and was engrossed in her conversation. She kept right on talking - still oblivious, as she walked into the market.

All handheld devices -- cell phones, iPods, Walkmans, and portable CD players -- can pose a safety risk to pedestrians. One of the biggest risks they present is the fact that they are huge distractions for the pedestrian. Often the pedestrian is so engaged in his or her phone conversation, text message or their music that they fail to see what is going on around them. The pedestrian is often focused on other things besides the street or the parking lot.

Another key factor is that cell phones and music players can block the user's hearing so the listener can’t hear what’s going on around them. A critical safety sense is stripped away and it could easily cost someone their life.

Here are some quick reminders to make your walking trips a bit safer.

* Pay attention to what is going on around you! Minimize or remove all distractions that prevent you from staying alert and aware.

* Make yourself as visible as possible and never enter traffic from between parked cars.

* Turn down the volume on your phone, iPod, or other device so you can also hear what’s going on around you.

* Be especially careful in parking lots. Look for back up lights and engine noise to alert you to moving cars.

* Be aware of drivers who may not be paying attention themselves.

* Always be extra cautious at night.

And of course, the gold standards:

* Cross the street in crosswalks only!

* Cross at a corner if there is no crosswalk.

* Look both ways before crossing the street.

* Make sure you are carrying up-to-date emergency contact information as well as identification whenever you leave the house.

Over 5,900 people get killed by cars each year. Thousands more get seriously injured. A little more attention on your part could make a critical difference, so make sure you stay alert to the dangers around you by limiting distractions as much as possible and following the simple safety rules outlined above.


About The Author
Valerie Nay is the founder of http://www.EmergencyContacts.com and writes a free monthly newsletter full of valuable information to help you and your family stay safe.

Secret Tips For Shopping for the Right Wrist Watch for You
by: Korbin Newlyn

The earliest of watches were first carried on a chain and worn around a ladies neck, and were also carried in the seam or a waistband of their dress. Conversely, a man would store their watch in the pocket of their waistcoat. Back in those days the women had more options, as they had the ability to wear their watches on rings or as brooches as well.

Present-Day Watches

Nowadays the most likely way to carry a watch is on your wrist. It is convenient, simple, and can show the time in the most efficient manner. Nevertheless, ever since they first appeared wrist watches have progressed a long way, and nowadays a watch stands for so much more than just simply being a time telling device.

For every occasion there is a wristwatch, and due to the fact that they are so readily available in an extensive assortment at reasonable cost, the majority of people will have more than a few of them to match their every need.

Some likely occasions for which the majority of individuals will have a designated wristwatch; a watch for common everyday use (in regards to our occupation), an additional one for formal wear, and a watch for sports for the times that you go to the gymnasium or practice other types of sports such as, for instance, swimming.

Shopping for a Wristwatch

Since the choice is so extensive, the first thing you must realize is for what occasion or event you are buying a watch, and then appropriate the necessary funds you have for it, this will narrow down your choice. It is crucial that you shop around prior to making your selection, particularly if you are thinking about buying an expensive brand-name watch.

You will find that there are numerous designer brands that make beautiful wristwatches, some of which are considered jewelry pieces in and of themselves. When you are intending on buying this kind of watch, you must be mindful of the quality of the actual jewels themselves and not just the primary function of the watch, because it will not be purchased completely for that sole purpose.

Helpful Tip

Wristwatches that are less expensive are typically bought for everyday use, sports, or other rough types of usage you have intentions for such as camping, hiking etc.. In the event that they break down on you the loss will not be as significant and you can quite easily replace it by purchasing another inexpensive watch.

Brands that are well-known will always give you assurance with great guarantees and always a Swiss movement due to the fact that they have the best. Thus, it is not so much the mechanism itself you should concern itself with, but more to the point if the brand as well as the cost that you are going to pay is actually what you are looking for.


About The Author
Listen to Korbin Newlyn as he shares his insights as an expert author and an avid writer in the field of electronics. If you would like to learn more go to http://www.watchesadvisor.com/ and at http://www.watchesadvisor.com/watch-manufacturers/timex-watch/

What Went Wrong When Children Stop Sharing Their Problems?
by: Jacob Gan

All parents desire that their children share their problems with their parents. However, many children do not share the same desire. Why does such a situation arise?

It is very often painful for children to bring up their problems to their parents. If, what they get in return from their parents are nothing more that irrelevant, and sometimes inappropriate, responses and instructions, the children will feel that it is not worth their trouble to be open with their parents. Also, sometimes, the responses are so disempowering to the children that they are actually not only counter-productive, they can be very damaging to their children's development.

We, as parents, have to understand the reasons why giving out advices without careful understanding is not helpful. We will have to learn to respond to our children's problems in such a way that we empower them to solve their own problems.

We shall now discuss the reasons why giving advices to our children the usaul way is not helpful to our children.

We assume that we know what the problems are and forget to first listen carefully in order to better understand the problems. As a result, due to lack of in-depth understanding of the real issues, the advice that we so readily provide will not be relevant and will not solve the problems.

Without sufficient probing, we may not understand our children’s points of view or perspectives on what trouble them. As a result we do not provide the solutions that our children need. When our children share conflict that they are having with their friends, we may start advising them on how to stay away from those friends while they actually may be feeling guilty for not treating their friends right and want to gain the courage to apologize to their friend. As a result we may be doing further damage to relationships that they are trying so hard to salvage.

In our eagerness and haste to provide the counsel, we forget to extend empathy to our children for the problems they are facing. Our children will not feel connected to us, and they may feel that whatever suggestions we provide have no bearings on their problems and are unlikely to be accepted.

As we are the one dishing out the advice, if the advice turns out to be good, the credit goes to us and not to our children. On the other hand, if the advice is taken and implemented but does not turn out to be successful, it is taken to be our children’s fault as the advice is likely to have been one that was successful when followed by another person. In this case, it is a lose-lose situation for our children because if the advice is successful, we claim the credit and if it is a failure, it is a reflection of our children’s incompetence and stupidity.

We take the position of the experts who have the knowledge and wisdom and we talk down when we give advice, instead of speaking as equals. We treat our children as if they have neither the knowledge nor the skills to handle the problems. It is a one-way traffic and likely to be resented by our children because they feel that we treat them as if they have nothing good to share with us.

We give the message that we think our children cannot develop the solutions themselves. This is disempowering for our children and will do great harm to our children’s development.

We do not show appreciation for the efforts our children have taken in solving their own problems. This will discourage them to take great efforts in coming up with their own solutions and taking the necessary steps to solve the problems when other problems crop up in the future.

They may just want to share their problems with us and do not want or need any counsel from us at all. Whatever advice we provide may not only be futile, but damaging to our children’s self esteem.

We shall now discuss what we shall take into consideration when we respond to our children's sharing of the issues that they face.

How are you going to understand their problems and help your children gain a better understanding of their own problems so that they can develop their own solutions? As parents, we encourage our children to connect the various aspects of the problem that trouble them in order to help them to have a good grasp of the specific issues that trouble them and encourage them to develop their own solutions.

How are you going to show sufficient empathy with your children so that they feel fully connected with you enough to express their real thoughts and feelings and be receptive of what wisdom you may have to offer? Our children want to feel that we are there with them - not just physically, but emotionally as well. We want them to feel that we do feel the way they feel. It is vital that we do not belittle their feelings.

How are you going to make the situations "win-win" for them? That is, how are you going to encourage them to develop their own solutions and they take the credit when they succeed and also take the credit for the efforts taken when they fail? If they are the ones who come up with the solutions they should be the ones who claim the credits when they succeed. On the other hand, if they fail, provide the encouragement that they have taken the efforts which are by themselves very admirable. When they fail, encourage them to get up again, examine the reasons for failure and try again.

The last, but definitely not the least, question is this: “What else can you do to make them feel that it is always good for them to bring their problems to you?”


About The Author
Jacob Gan PhD (Michigan) has more than 20 years of teaching experience in a university and 8 years of business/industrial experience after graduation. He writes for http://succezz.com, http://JacobGan.com, http://JacobEducation.com, http://DemystifyCancer.com, http://understanding-orchids.com, http://motivate2success.com and http://JacobLearning.com. He hosts http://Jacob.TheeLearningcentre.com, an elearning portal.

by: Dave Roth

Throwing a great BBQ can be difficult, but only if a person does not plan appropriately first. There are 5 tips that should be followed if a BBQ is going to be as successful as possible. Making sure to follow them will not only help the host to have a great BBQ, but it will also alleviate some of the stress that often comes with planning a BBQ or other party.

First, what kind of food is offered is very important. If there are guests that are vegetarians, offering some vegetable skewers or kabobs would be very thoughtful. If there are guests that are allergic to seafood, make sure to have something other than fish. By spending a little bit of time planning for any potential issues with food and drinks, virtually all of the problems with those issues can be avoided. Second, watch the weather report. Planning a BBQ on a day that is going to be rainy, very cold, extremely hot, or really windy would be a bad choice. Naturally, there is no way to completely control this, but it is important to plan ahead as much as possible.

Third, invite people early enough to ensure that they can come if they want to. If a person waits to long to invite others, they may have already made other plans and will not be able to come. Fourth, have activities for people to enjoy. Simply having food might not be enough. It would be a good idea to have some games available, or provide some kind of entertainment for guests so that they do not find themselves bored.

Fifth and finally, know that there is no way to plan for every eventuality. Something could always go wrong, so be flexible and ready to make changes if need be. Most problems can be taken care of with a little bit of ingenuity.

Following the 5 tips listed above will help anyone who wants to throw a great BBQ have the highest chance of success.


About The Author
Dave Roth runs a leading outdoor game and sports product site that sells horsehoes, volleyball, and cornhole gear, go to http://www.corntossmania.com right away.

Get more information regarding corn hole http://techflat.com/games-stores/the-explosion-of-cornhole-builders-and-companies.html

by: Dave Roth

Card games used to be very popular. Although they do not enjoy the same degree of popularity today, there are many people that still play them. Because of this, they teach these games to their families as well, allowing them to enjoy more card games and develop a pastime that they may enjoy for many years to come. Not everyone likes card games, and even those people who do like them might have some card games that they enjoy very much while finding others boring or too difficult. A lot of people play solitaire, for example, because they enjoy the strategy of the game and the peacefulness of it. For those that like to play card games with others, there are many different options. Here are 3 card games that can be enjoyed by the whole family:

One: Go Fish. This game is great for the entire family to play because even very young children can be taught the rules. By helping these children along and teaching them how to play the game, parents get to spend a lot of time with them and they also teach them about rules and sportsmanship.

Two: Gin Rummy. While a bit more complicated, the game is not that difficult. Very young children would need help to play this game, but older children would be able to play it, and keep track of the points that are scored for specific card sets at the end of each hand.

Three: Poker. For families that want a little more of a challenge, poker is a good game. Once the rules are mastered, this game teaches people about strategy. If the family wants to bet, they can use M&Ms instead of chips, or they can play for something inexpensive such as pennies. Gambling should not be encouraged in young children, but there is no harm in teaching the strategy of the game for fun.

By playing card games with their children, parents foster a good bond and also an understanding of how to work and share with others, as well as what it means to both win and lose gracefully and with tact. All of these things are valuable lessons that a person can used later in life as well.


About The Author
Dave Roth runs a leading outdoor game and sports product site that sells horsehoes, volleyball, and cornhole gear, go to http://www.corntossmania.com right away.

Get more information regarding cornhole game http://thebestshoppingblog.com/games-shopping/why-cornhole-is-the-perfect-game-for-families.html

by: Dave Roth

Holiday parties can be incredibly fun. They can also be terrible. Much of this depends on who is there, but it also depends on what there is to do at the party. Most office parties and quite a few family parties are uncomfortable affairs because there is nothing to do other than eat and talk to one another. While these can be enjoyable, most people want to do something more than that with their evening. Some parties offer dancing, but a lot of individuals do not dance, and there is always the issue of what music to choose and whether everyone will like it. In addition, parties where alcohol is served can go downhill quickly if drinking is basically the only thing to do at the party.

In order to make a party fun and festive, the host might want to have some party games that everyone can play. The best holiday party games are those that can be played by anyone at the party and that do not offend the individuals that are in attendance. It is very hard to please everyone all of the time, so there may be people that do not want to participate in some of the games. This is to be expected. However, there is a difference between choosing not to participate and being offended, and a good holiday party host will be sure not to do anything that might offend the people at his or her party. Much of this can be determined by what types of people have been invited, as different crowds like different things.

When preparing for holiday guests and setting up for holiday party games, the host should keep in mind that there are many different activities that people might enjoy, so there should be more than one game available. In addition, the age of the participants should be taken into consideration. If the party consists of mostly older people, they likely do not want to play childrens games. If a holiday host pays attention to the details when planning his or her party, it is likely that he or she will be able to offer the best holiday party games and everyone will have a great time.


About The Author
Dave Roth runs a leading outdoor game and sports product site that sells horsehoes, volleyball, and cornhole gear, go to http://www.corntossmania.com right away.

Get more information regarding cornhole http://www.shoppingguideline.com/games-shopping/what-is-cornhole-and-why-is-it-popular.html

Do You Know The Beginnings Of The Oreck Vacuum Cleaner?
by: Dave Roth

When the Oreck vacuum brand began, it was difficult to get the word out about the new company and cleaning machine. It was originally developed for hotels and motels, where the cleaning crew had been previously forced to carry bulky and heavy vacuum cleaners up stairs and from room to room. In an effort to avoid this kind of problem, Oreck�s creator made a vacuum which weighed much less. Weighing only eight pounds, this vacuum was marketed to various hotels until it began to catch on. The very posh and expensive hotels, as well as the less expensive, budget hotels and motels all started using the Oreck vacuum cleaner. Because of this, the hotel cleaning industry was forever changed by this style of vacuum. Because of its advantages, it was able to make cleaning easier, and it also made it faster, saving hotels money because they paid less hourly wages to individuals.

Eventually, the Oreck vacuum was marketed to consumers, as well. In the beginning, no one was very interested in it. No one wanted to buy an expensive cleaning machine that was so light. People thought it would not be strong because it was not heavy. They thought that it would have very low suction and that it would not hold up under pressure. This was actually surprising, because hotels often use their vacuums quite frequently, and therefore they see a great deal of use and abuse. However, this was the opinion of most of society. A lot of other people had not even heard of Oreck, so the marketing of it was apparently not working in the way that was hoped for. Marketing efforts were addressed, as well as a guaranty that stated if a person did not like the vacuum, the company would buy it back from the consumer without asking questions and without a lot of hassle. Eventually, consumers with heavy vacuum cleaners began to show some interest, because they were looking for a lighter option. Some of them took a chance on the Oreck vacuum cleaner, and word of how well it performed began to spread.

People began seeing that the company was apparently willing to make good on what it had promised, and they realized that the Oreck vacuum was a strong cleaner with durability and good suction. More people began to buy the vacuum, and very few of them had problems or requested the company buy the vacuum back. It is expected that there are some people who will never be satisfied, but most of the people who tried it were very happy with it. Today, the Oreck vacuum cleaner is very popular. The hotel industry still uses it, and it can be found in a lot of different homes. Because of the popularity of the Oreck vacuum cleaner, the company has grown from a small business to a very large corporation.


About The Author
Dave Roth operates a site that focuses on reviews of vacuum cleaners. The site provides reviews of popular brands such as the famous Oreck Vacuum Cleaners, Dyson, and Hoover. For more information on these and other brands, check out the site today.

As A Northern Game, Cornhole Is Very Popular
by: Dave Roth

There are games and traditions that are more popular in some parts of the country than they are in others. One of these games is cornhole. It is much more popular in the Northern part of the country than it is in the South. There are pockets of interest in many states, and there are some people in the South who do play the cornhole game. However, a person will not find the kind of following there that is seen in the Northern-most states. This is especially true of Illinois and Ohio � two places where the cornhole game is exceedingly popular. There are arguments between the two of them, however, as to where the game actually got its start and what it was or should be called. In Chicago, Illinois, they often call it the beanbag toss, and they claim it got its start there. The same claim is made by Cleveland, Ohio, but it is called the cornhole game there.

One other difference is the size of the board � three feet by four feet for cornhole, and two feet by four feet for the beanbag toss. There are, however, other areas of the country where the games are synonymous with one another and the boards are the same size. Everyone seems to have their own opinion of what the game should be called and where it originated. Who is right is one of those things that people will always argue about. Despite this, however, they are united in their love of the game. Much of this likely comes from the idea that the game is very easy to play and very enjoyable. Almost everyone can learn the rules, and almost everyone can play the game, regardless of age or skill level. A lot of families and friends play it at birthday parties, backyard barbecues, and tailgate parties. In addition, there are tournaments in the Northern part of the country for individuals who are more serious about the game. Prizes and trophies can be won at these tournament!
s.

Those who live and work in the Northern part of the country and play cornhole frequently hope that it will catch on to the point that the tournaments are picked up by major television networks, much the same way that bowling, billiards, and cup stacking have done. So far there is no indication that this will be the case, but it is still possible that it will take place. For those who play in the tournaments, however, they will continue to participate in them regardless of whether they have any kind of television, radio, or newspaper coverage. The key for these people is not recognition, but the simple enjoyment of playing the game and working toward getting even better at it. They also like to teach others how to play the game, since basically anyone can follow the directions and play the game without any undue stress or strain. This is much of what makes the cornhole game so popular in the North.


About The Author
Dave Roth has a Web site that sells bean bag toss products. In addition to bean bag toss bags, the site also offers rules and building instructions.

Finding The Right Brand Of Vacuum For Your Needs
by: Dave Roth

There are many good brands of vacuum cleaners on the market today. Because there are so many options, it can be difficult to determine which vacuum cleaner is right for a person. This can lead to the purchase of vacuum cleaners that will not do what a person needs them to do. It can also lead to paying way too much money for features and benefits that are not needed. The price of a vacuum cleaner is important, but so are other issues surrounding the purchase. Individuals who are looking to buy a new vacuum cleaner want to consider many things before they make a purchase, and there are several ways that they can do this. Some, however, are easier than others. A person should choose whichever way he or she thinks is best for finding the right brand of vacuum..

One way to find the right vacuum cleaner for a person�s needs is to go to many different stores and shops, comparing the brands of vacuums. Things to look at include the price, the brand name, and the attachments. Other considerations are the motor size, the cleaning path, and what kind of warranty the machine has. All of these can affect whether a person buys a particular vacuum cleaner. While some people will be more concerned with a specific issue than others, most people look at more than one factor. Price and motor size might be the main concerns for one person. Cleaning path and attachments might be more important to someone else. No matter what a person needs, there are always many different choices.

One of the most important choices that a person will make regarding a vacuum cleaner, though, is the brand. Each vacuum brand offers various things to consumers. There are still many people who feel that vacuum cleaners are all the same. However, most people think that this is no longer the case. Diversification has come to the vacuum cleaner field. This has allowed different brands to do things their way. Many of the vacuum cleaners that are offered today are indeed similar. Despite this, though, the differences are there, if a person takes the time to notice them. Some of these differences are very important to various consumers. For people who feel that these things are important, each vacuum cleaner company is able to target a specific market.

There are brands that offer more upright vacuums, and brands that turn their attention to canister vacuums instead. In addition, there are brands that offer many bagless vacuum models. Some other brands are not as interested in those models, and they offer more of the bagged variety of vacuum cleaners. In addition, there are brands that claim they will not lose suction, and brands that state they have better warrantees than others. It can be difficult to find what one is looking for. With the advent of the Internet, however, it has become much easier. Instead of going to all of those stores, a person can search online, do comparisons, and find what he or she wants. From there, it is a matter of determining which store has it for the best price � which can also be done online � and then simply going to that store and making a purchase.


About The Author
Dave Roth operates a site which focuses on vacuum cleaner reviews. This site offers reviews on popular brands such as Oreck Vacuums, Dyson, and Hoover Vacuums. For more information, please check out his site.

by: Marilyn Bohn

Seasons are changing and it is time to think about putting away your summer or winter clothing—depending on where you live---and getting out the clothes that have been stored away.

This is a good time to look at every article of clothing you have in your closet. Take out each one and check it for rips and stains. Analyze if you still like it, if you even wore it this year and if you want to keep it. The statistic is that 80 of what we have hanging in our closets.

When you find something that needs repairing then place it in a basket to be mended. I prefer a basket because the items can be seen and in a bag they can be forgotten. "Out of sight, out of mind." Either take these items to the room where your sewing supplies are if it is something you can fix or place it in a pile to give to someone else to mend. If it needs mending but you know you will never get it done do not hang on to it. Get it out of your closet. Either give it to someone you know would like it (letting them know the problem) or donate it to a charity.

For clothing that needs to be dry cleaned place in a bag and take it out to your vehicle, then when you are out and about you can drop it at the cleaners. Schedule the day you will go to the cleaners in your planner, the chances are greater that you will get the articles there. If your clothes are dirty or have stains on them now is the time to wash them and remove stains so you can put them away clean. The longer a stain is left the harder it is to remove.

For the clothes that are clean and in good repair but you don't see yourself ever wearing them again, or don't any more donate to a local charity.

Now the clothes you are keeping for next year which are left in your closet either move to a different closet in your home, or possibly store in a large garment box movers use. The clothes can hang and you can put the box in your garage or storage room. If your closet is large enough you can move your clothes to the back of your closet if you have no where else to move them to.

For the clothes you fold, place in plastic bins that are clearly labeled on the outside. You can label the boxes by using a label maker or a 3X5 card taped with clear packing tape on the outside of the box. You can label either by the season or just seasonal.

Go through your coat closet and take out winter coats and winter sport clothes and put either in a different closet or with your seasonal clothes.

After you have taken out all of your seasonal clothes take the 'current season' clothes and organize them in your closet. Check to see if any of these need repairing or cleaning in case they slipped past inspection last year.

Shoes can be stored with out-of-season clothing. Clean and polish all shoes and boots and check to see if they need repairing. If they do, now is the time to take them to the shoe repair shop. Place them in a bag and put them in the car so they can be dropped off when you are out and about. For tall boots to keep their shape and prevent creases insert an empty paper towel roll into the boot and store them upright. Or stuff with tissue paper.

By rotating your clothes you have space in your closet to see what you have to wear and it is also a time to weed out clothes you don't want to keep.


About The Author
Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

by: Marilyn Bohn

We all know having an organized home allows us to spend more time doing the things we want to do. For me it is more time to quilt, for others it may be gardening, exercising, cooking, working on a hobby, or spending more time with family. So how do we go about getting our family organized?

Remember the movie 'Field of Dreams'? Build it and they will come. It is the same scenario with organizing. Begin by organizing drawers, cupboards, rooms, closets; have designated places for everything--where they will live and sure enough those things will find their way back to their homes. Family members actually like it better when they know where things belong. Label drawers or shelves to make it easier to put things back and to find them later.

Share the responsibilities in the home with everyone. Write out a simple contract with each family member and have them sign it. This gets their commitment and chances are greater that they will follow through with tasks assigned. Put the contracts along with the assigned task in a binder that is labeled and placed on a shelf were everyone can reach it. I don't like to call them chores because just the name sounds like drudgery.

Keep tasks appropriate to age and capability. Start young teaching organization. Two year olds and even younger can start putting a book on a shelf or a toy in the toy box. By starting young it makes it much easier as it becomes a way of life for them to be organized.

I remember picking raspberries when I was a child. My mother was picking on the other side of the row. It was hot and tiring picking one or two berries at a time and placing them in my bucket tied around my waist. Once in awhile my mom would reach through the row and put a hand full of berries in my bucket. Wow, it was such a great feeling seeing my bucket getting fuller faster that it made me get back to work and work all the faster.

Show children exactly how to do the assigned task. Work along with them until they know what is expected. Once in awhile chip in and help them after they are able to do it on their own. This is a great boost to them and they will reciprocate by helping you stay organized or doing one of your tasks.

Charts are wonderful tools to inspire children and show them not only what needs to be done but they show their progress. Rotate assignments on a weekly basis. There are many charts that can be purchased to chart their progress. Or use a dry erase board; make one out of paper using stickers when a job is completed, or use a magnetic board. Point out what a good job they are doing and how good it feels to be organized.

Make organizing fun, It doesn't have to be a chore. Make organizing interesting, get everyone's input and ideas on the best way to do things and use their ideas so they feel a sense of pride and ownership about the way things are done.

Notice where a family member is already organized and build on that strength by praising them. We are all good at doing some thing. By focusing on the positive and encouraging them to become organized, strengths will come out in other areas too without nagging or getting angry.

Motivating family members may be challenging at first, but it is rewarding when you see them putting things away where they belong and it takes much of the frustration out of what could be daily hassles. Not to mention all the time it saves.


About The Author
Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Go to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful articles on organizing.

by: Dev Sri

Children can experience learning problems because of several reasons. Some children excel at studies while others strive hard. In this article, we discuss the different behavioural and learning problems that students aged 5-15 face.

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is reading problem. The children find it difficult to read what they have written. Dyslexia is characterised by the difficulty of brain in separating and processing written and verbal language. These children find it difficult to learn spelling and to read fluently. They also confuse between similar looking letters like b, d, p, q, etc. They also tend to skip letters, words or sentences while reading.

Dysgraphia

Dysgraphia is the difficulty to write. Students with this problem may be smart at reading and memorizing. Such students also show signs of diminished motor coordination and find the tasks like tying a shoelace.

Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is problems associated with numbers. They interchange the places of digits. This problem makes it difficult for the children to learn mathematics.

Dysnomia

Dysnomia is characterised by lack of ability in memorizing names or words. Pupils with this problem find it difficult to remember the word for objects, places or things.

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is characterised by lack of or poorly developed skills in skilled tasks like typing, sewing, etc. Such children can also show signs of difficulty in controlling sound and speaking and can be slow at eating or drinking.

Children with these type of disorders may be smart at one or more special skills. For example, Ernest Hemingway is believed to have suffered from Dyspraxia.

Helping the children and instilling in them a sense of confidence is essential for the development of such children and to help them lead successful lives.



About The Author
Dev Sri provides insider information about Kerala Ayurvedic practices at http://keralaayurvedics.com/

Academic Summer Camp Provides Parent Support
by: Jim Hartley

For many years at SuperCamp, parents would ask us if we could start a program for them, to help them learn what their sons and daughters are learning at SuperCamp. In response, we started Parent Weekend an intensive three-day parent program that coincides with the final three days of a 10-day Junior Forum or Senior Forum student programs at the same location. The parents who attend love it, including graduating with their children on the final day.

In addition to exposing parents to many of the learning and life skills their sons and daughters discover at SuperCamp, we also talk with parents about how they can support their children at home. Here are nine great tips we share with parents of Senior Forum students, also known as "teens":

* Listen, really listen. Don't try to listen while doing something else. Put your chores aside so your teen knows you are paying attention.

* Take the long view. Remember, minor mishaps aren't major catastrophes. All incidents provide opportunities to practice good communication. Often, categorizing incidents according to their importance will help keep responses and consequences appropriate. Choose only the most important issues to evoke the strongest consequences.

* Make time for being together. Find activities you enjoy doing together and pursue them. If your invitation gets turned down, keep trying!

* Tolerate differences. View your teenager as an individual distinct from you. However, this doesn't mean you can't state your opinion if you disagree.

* Respect your teen's privacy. Just because he/she wants to keep their door locked, doesn't mean he/she is doing anything you wouldn't approve of. But, if a behavior is worrying you, speak up!

* State facts instead of opinions when you praise or discuss problems. Ask your teen to demonstrate "Open the Front Door" - a communication tool we use at SuperCamp. O - is an objective observation about the situation. T - is a thought or opinion about what you observed. F - is a feeling you had about what you observed. D - is what you want, your desire or outcome of the situation. Practicing this together is great for keeping the doors open!

* Ask your teen about his/her learning style. Knowing there are differences goes a long way toward explaining why we have problems understanding and communicating with some people and not with others. When you know what cues he/she picks up on most easily (visual, auditory or kinesthetic), you can take steps to help him/her learn faster and more easily.

* Support a positive attitude about learning. Create a positive study environment that includes appropriate reference materials, music and reminders that he/she is intelligent (like old report cards, awards, notes from teachers...). It is also helpful to demonstrate your own positive feelings about learning.

* Celebrate success! Positive feedback goes a long way to encourage repeat behavior. Each accomplishment by a family member deserves acknowledgement, whether verbal or by means of a special treat, like a trip to the movies, a special dessert, or posting on the bulletin board.

By practicing these nine techniques, parents will help build a better bond with their sons and daughters, improve communication, and ultimately be a part of their teens' success.


About The Author
Jim Hartley

Go to http://www.SuperCamp.com for more information and access to a free eBook that gives you an inside look at what works with teens from a world leader in youth achievement, SuperCamp co-founder Bobbi DePorter.

Tips to Help Balance Career and Family
by: Megan Hazel

Whether you are male or female, a mom or a dad, balancing career and family can be really difficult. When you're a woman, though, the choices you have to make seem especially difficult and the responsibilities all the more great. For some reason, women are guilt-ridden with their career decisions and the choices they make about working while trying to raise their children, providing nutritious meals for their family, keeping a respectable house and keeping their husbands happy. Last on the list, of course, is finding some time for themselves. So how does a woman find time to actually feel happy with her daily activities while keeping up with all of the responsibility?

First, take time to smell the roses! Literally, you can take time to smell the roses but you can actually do this with no flowers in sight. Every day, try to look around and appreciate what you have, taking in the sounds of your child's laughter, the wag of your dog's tail, the special glance of your husband as you tell a funny joke. Sometimes, the knowledge of what you have on your plate for the day will feel overwhelming, but a little perspective goes a long way. It may be a cliché and a very tired phrase, but it truly does work. People tend to get lost in the mundane, day-to-day "functioning" instead of really living their lives. For example, next time you are worried about fitting in your exercise with your child's play date at Little Gym, forego the Little Gym and head out with your son or daughter for a run. Strap the little one in the jog stroller or if he or she is old enough, ask them to put on the running shoes with Mommy and head outside! Once outside, you can literally stop to smell the roses. Just a few minutes of gratitude a day will work wonders for your soul and automatically make your life feel more balanced.

Along these same lines, try and give yourself some "me" time once a week. Once a week may not seem like much, but if you really allow yourself to soak it in and enjoy the time spent, it will make the stress of all of the rest of the hectic days melt away. Take a good block of time on a Saturday or Sunday - 2 hours, maybe - and mark this time in your calendar in pen, not pencil. Keep a standing appointment with yourself, and honor it as you would any other. Think you are too busy on a weekend to do this? You will feel much more productive the rest of the weekend allowing yourself this little ‘refresher', rather than trying to cram some time in on a random Tuesday or other weeknight. For this special time, you can book a massage or a facial at your favorite spa. Take a couple of hours to go window shopping at your favorites stores, by yourself or with a friend. Take in a matinee with a couple of girlfriends. If your husband is willing to fly solo on a Saturday night, you can even book a girls' night out once in a while and truly let loose! Even if your budget doesn't allow for these activities once a week, you can lock yourself in the bathroom with a good book, a bubble bath and a nice glass of wine and feel good about your time alone - you deserve some!

Probably the most obvious way to balance career and family is to incorporate your family into what would otherwise be "work time". If you have a short commute to work, for example, perhaps you can drive your kids to school each morning instead of having them take the bus. In the alternative, you could have your morning cup of coffee at the bus stop with them and spend a few minutes chatting about their day and what they plan to learn in school as you sip your cup of Joe and breathe in the morning air to mentally prepare for your own day ahead. If you normally exercise in the morning and leave the house very early, switch your workout time to lunch and leave the office to go to the gym, eating at your desk when you get back. You will have more time with your family each day and get a healthy break from your pile of papers to boot.

You may need to get a little creative with your schedule, but there are definitely ways to help balance career and family. Sometimes an extra few minutes each day or a once-weekly good block of time can go a long way in helping restore your peace of mind and help you feel less harried.


About The Author
Megan Hazel is a freelance writer who writes about women's health and career topics, similar to what consumers read in http://www.magazines.com/ncom/mag?mid=7765 Women's Health

Did you See It Before the Wedding?
by: Len Stauffenger

Most of us grew up with parents. During our growing up years, we formed a lot of ideas of what a perfect relationship would be like by watching what our parents did, and in particular, what our parents did not do that we wish they had. We knew what perfect parents would be like. We would be those perfect parents. We had an idea of a perfect marriage. We would have a perfect marriage. We spent upwards of 25 years working to create our perfect life. Some of us achieved that. Some of us enjoyed it for a while. And then some of us got slammed by divorce.

Things didn't turn out quite the way we had envisioned. The little details that we didn't even know existed turned out to be so important in our perfect scheme of things. He could be totally handsome, once one of our main must-haves. She could be a total fox, another imperative. But when we married him or her, there were just so many things we did not take into consideration: their annoying little habits, their mystifying flaws. Our perfect schemes glossed over these little details.

And after the divorce hits us, we have to ask ourselves: Was I aware of this in her or him before we married?Be honest enough to see if you were like this. You probably were a wonderful wife and excelled in that part but maybe your mate simply couldn't see it and thus, couldn't be complimentary about it. And you're thinking, how was I responsible for our divorce? My question to you would be, "Whatever flaws your ex had, was there any sign of them before you got married? Or before you had children? Was there anything you consciously or unconsciously ignored or blinded yourself to?" Your responsibility may be nothing more than the fact that you knew he was selfish but you married him anyway. Sometimes, very simple decisions or the failure to make a decision can cause very harsh consequences. Unfortunately, this is the way the world works. It can happen again, so aren't you better off understanding that your subtle decision to ignore his faults had a profound impact on your life? If you understand that, if you take responsibility for that piece of it, then you won't make that mistake again.

This is a lesson that applies to everything that makes you unhappy in your life, whether it's your boss, your lover or your children. Don't do what everyone else does which is to blame the other person or the situation. In lieu of blaming, ask yourself what your position was in all of this? How am I causing this or contributing to this. Please try to focus on the fact that this is not about who's wrong; it's really more about consequences.

When you get this, it's a wonderful tool for your life because it allows you to solve your problems. This isn't about fault; it's really more about self-discovery. The more you know about yourself and the reasons for your actions and your motivation, the more satisfying and fulfilling your life becomes because you're no longer operating on automatic pilot.

Can you be responsible about the role you played. Because, if you are responsible about how you contributed, it will touch other spaces in your life, and even better, you can share with your kids how easily true responsibility benefits them. And don't they deserve your very best? Who knows? You might be helping them to create the perfect relationship leading to the perfect marriage and becoming the perfect parent you thought you would be.


About The Author
Len Stauffenger's parents taught him life's simple wisdom. As a divorced dad, he wanted to share that simple wisdom with his girls. "Getting Over It: Wisdom for Divorced Parents," his book, is the solution. Len is an author, a Success Coach and an Attorney. http://www.wisdomfordivorcedparents.com

Work From Home - How To Involve Your Children
by: Alan Lim

Worried about having your children pester you while you work from home? Here are some innovative ways where you can include them in your daily schedule.

Almost everyone who does work from home and has children wonders about the best way to involve your children in your work without making slave labor out of them. Depending upon the age of the child, he can be of complete nuisance when you are trying to work, or can be a cheerful and helpful assistant who is proud to be helping you. If your child is school age, you may elect to do most of your work during school hours and keep your afternoons and evenings free to interact with the children. If, however, you want to provide your children with a positive work ethic, one of the best ways to do that is to get them involved in your home based business.

Use their talents

When you work from home with your child, it should be as enjoyable to them as it is for you. If you like to create artistic web pages and that is the type of business you have created out of your home, it is unfair to expect your child to be as thrilled with the work as you are. They may have other talents that could mesh nicely with your own and make your business stronger than it would have been otherwise. If your child loves to work with numbers, let them keep track of the orders. If they enjoy organizing and inventorying things, put them in charge of your product inventory.

Give them a break

If a child is in school all day and you expect them to sit at a desk when they arrive home without any break in routine, you will have a child who is not focused on the work from home. You would be far better off to let them do something active for a short while, or even grab a snack. Especially if the child will be doing homework in the evening, they should not be doing sedentary work or even just watching television when they are at home. A variety of work will be better for their concentration and for their physical health as well.

Remember their birthday

Expecting a child to work from home is reasonable, but expecting perfection is not. Find tasks to do that the child can achieve success at. Not 'make work' but tasks that will benefit the entire household in one way or another. Particularly if there is more than one child involved, each should be made to see that their particular job is important and worth doing well.

Rewards system

If you provide your child with an allowance and in return they are expected to do certain chores, it is a good way to teach work responsibility and money management at the same time. If at all possible, doing tasks so that you can work from home should be rewarded. The child should be paid for any tasks that you would otherwise have to hire outside help for. This includes completion of household tasks such as cooking, laundry, pet care and vacuuming.


About The Author
Alan Lim

Enjoy the life of working from home and spend more time with your kids. Visit http://www.goodinternetmoney.com now to find out what are the many opportunities available on the internet.

8 Tips to Keeping your Kitchen Organized
by: Marilyn Bohn

As I went out to feed the birds today I sunk up to my knees in snow as I made my way to the bird feeder. And more snow is expected for the end of this week. I know this kind of weather makes some people have cabin fever. Do you get cabin fever?

I was working with a woman who said her therapist told her to get organizing. He told her even if you don't do any more than move one can to the other side of the shelf you have done something and that is a good thing.

In my jargon as a professional organizer of homes I would say doing this is taking baby steps. If you are having cabin fever and want to get outside but can't because of the weather and it is too early for Spring cleaning here are 8 tips on organizing your home.

Let's start with the kitchen:

Pantry or food shelves: Put like items together, soups in one place, and canned vegetables in another and canned fruits all together, pasta in one place—you get the idea. Everything has its place so when you need it you will save time and easily be able to see what you have. (It just might scream 'take out' pizza night.) If you haven't done this for awhile it is a good idea to make sure the cans or bottles are still good by checking expiration dates and check to see it is bulging. If it is, it is definitely spoiled and you need to get rid of it.

Snacks: Place them in a basket at a convenient level to grab and go. Or if you have family members that you don't want to get into them, hide them.

Lids: Do you have plastic or glass bowls used for storing left-overs? If the lids are always all over the place, put them in a basket by themselves which makes it easy to match to the bowl and eliminates hunting for the matches. If you keep the lids on the container that takes up a lot of space in your cupboard.

Dishes: Do you have enough room for all you have? Get metal stacking shelves that can double the amount of space in your cupboards. They come in many sizes and there are corner ones as well as straight ones that are adjustable. It is a good time to determine if you like or need all the dishes you have. If you see you never use some as you don't like them or you have too many for your needs or space; then donate to a charity.

Silverware drawer: Place the silverware in a container made for that purpose. Larger serving pieces can be placed next to it. Does your container slide back and forth as you open the drawer? A simple solution is to use sticky Velcro on the underside of the container—works great for bathroom drawers too where containers tend to want to slide about.

Pans: Place the ones you use most frequently toward the front of your shelf (if you hang them you have no problem with finding the right size when you need it). If you have pans with a finish that can be chipped or scratched paper plates between the pans prevents this from happening.

If you have medicines in the cupboards check their expiration dates and make sure little children can't get into them.

Have vases become squatters under your sink? If they belong in a different place, move them to their home.

Kitchens are often the hub of the home so a well organized one makes everyone happy. While you are waiting for Spring, or if you live where it is already Spring check out those cupboards, take an inventory and Get Organized now.


About The Author
Marilyn Bohn's Bio

Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and is working towards becoming a Certified Professional Organizer. Professionally she has been organizing homes and offices for over two years. She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

By: Ie Kuo Yen


Quilting has played a part in the history of man. The craft was actually discovered way back in the 17th century and were made evident in different countries all over the world, mainly used in soldier’s armor and bed coverings and warm blankets to ward off the intense winter. In America, there gave a number of decades where quilting enjoyed unrivaled popularity in many households. As a matter of fact a lot people women would hand down their quilts from one generation to another or make some memory blocks to stitch lovingly all the wonderful milestones in their lives.

One critical thing to remember in choosing quilting patterns is that you have to make sure that the design will complement your home décor. Yes, you will probably come across a number of beautiful patterns, however if will stick out like a sore thumb in your living room, then its not one for you. You also need to consider your ability and skill in choosing quilting patterns. Otherwise, you will just end up ruining a perfectly good piece of cloth needlessly. Choose conservatively, if you are a starter then it would be great to stick to simple and uncomplicated patterns. Hopefully you can work yourself towards the more intricate and elaborate designs of your choices.

If you are into quilting, then you must have realized that one of the most critical and important parts is actually in choosing quilting patterns to work on. Since there are practically hundreds and thousands of quilting patterns to choose from, you will definitely be spend a significant time poring over on which pattern to choose. But, one of the great news is that there are some online sites which provide quilting patterns absolutely free.

If you will try to visit the website, www.needlepointers.com you will not only gain sweet access to some remarkable quilting patterns but also get hold to a number of great articles about quilting. You will also learn more about few valuable tips and tricks that will definitely come in handy especially if you will be working on some difficult patterns. The free patterns are organized in different categories so would be easily browse through a number of pattern without difficulty. So whether you are actually looking for some quilting patterns with baby motifs, holiday themes, appliqués, blocks, etc., you will simply click on the links provided for your outmost convenience. Have fun quilting for your family and friends or add your own personal touch in your living room. It is definitely more rewarding to see your creations adorn your own abode.









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Kuo Yen is a stay at home mom who absolutely loves to quilt. She has decided to share her love of quilting, by offering advice on finding free quilting patterns so that other moms like her can find the perfect free quilting patterns. Kuo Yen recommends www.freequiltingpatterns.org as the authority on free quilting pattern.

By: Warren Peters


Horse racing has got to be one of the oldest sports in history. Although technology has continued to produce various vehicles that may be raced, horse racing still has strong supporters all over the world. In fact, when you look at the state of the internet today, you will find that a lot of people actually try to find horse racing videos. Why do they do this?

Here are some reasons for looking up these kind of videos on the internet:

1) Technique: many people watch videos in order to refine their technique. Now, we all know that racing today exists mainly for gambling. Yes, some people could reason out that watching some mammals run around in circles can be exciting but the fact is, it is made more exciting by the prospect of getting your hands on some cold hard cash.

Many people watch videos in order to refine their techniques in either racing or gambling. Some watch horse racing videos in order to observe which horses or jockeys can help them get their hands on some money. They observe the videos in order to perfect the technique of gambling. Hey, we all know that gambling is often governed by luck, but what the heck, let's make gambling into a science.

Some jockeys also study videos in order to strategize their races. They try to improve their techniques in order to gain the advantage in a race. You see, horse racing is not just about speed, it is also about finesse. A jockey needs to be able to plan out his or her passes while riding at breakneck speeds. Improving these techniques, of course, will help jockeys win. By watching videos, they can observe their old mistakes and make improvements. They are also able to observe their opponents and study their techniques. Through this, they can find a way to neutralize their opponents techniques and keep the advantage.

2) Entertainment: of course, there are people who just experience a thrill when they watch racing videos. They watch in order to see just how far a man and animal could push themselves and work together in order to achieve a single objective. People admire the way that a man could control such a powerful animal in order to win a race.

People who watch videos do so because they want to be entertained. Sometimes, those who go to the track do not really find the show to be very entertaining. Some are actually left disappointed by the general air of gambling within the race track. They come hoping to witness a battle of prowess between gladiators and they leave when they realize that all they can see are the heads and hands of people who are leaping because they just won the jackpot. Winning can be terrific unless you're just a spectator.

3) Passion: some people just watch horse racing videos because for them, racing is a passion. These people enjoy a good racing video no matter how many times they have already watched it. They analyze every second of the race and talk about how the winner raced his or her way to victory.







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Warren lives almost next door to Los Alamitos Horse Race Track. He gets real live insider information from owners and jockeys. See what he has learned and start winning. Visit Our Horse Racing Site: Horse Racing

Spice up Your Memories With Scrapbooking Paper
By: Terry Fitzroy


Gone are the days of flipping through boring old photo albums. Today's photo album tells a story and it's a lot of fun to put together and to look at. You can have a scrapbook for every occasion in your life. In fact, why not spice up your memories with scrapbooking paper.

If you haven't yet given scrapbooking, a try you should. But I must warn you, it can become addicting quite quickly. After all, its fun talking those pictures that are so near and dear to you, and turning them into a memory that will last a lifetime, and be enjoyed by all. Choosing the right paper, what to say, what little stickers you want to use, and even what type of scrapbook to use can be a lot of fun. After all, it's your personal touch from start to finish.

Until you get into scrapbooking, you'd never dream of just how many different types of paper are on the market. We're not just talking about color or texture. When it comes to scrapbooking there is themed paper for every occasion you can think of. Christmas, wedding, birth, party, pet, new car, vacation, the list could go on and on, but one thing is for certain. You can spice up your memories witch scrapbooking paper that compliments the event.

There is no shortage of scrapbooking supplies. In fact, there is so much on the market you can go crazy trying to decide what you are going to buy. Crazy scissors, fun little sayings, all kinds of great stickers, letters, and then there are all those terrific scrapbooking papers.

The scrapbooking paper is really the foundation upon which you will build your page so why not spice up those memories with just the right paper. Sure sometimes a plain colored piece of paper is all you need, but not always. Have you got a piano player in your house why not keyboard paper? Christmas - Christmas tree paper with big red balls might be what you are looking for. Or how about cake paper for that very special birthday party?

You can buy themed paper for just about any occasion you can think of. Not only do they help with your creative juices, they also can really simplify the process after all why worry about it when you can buy complete prepared pages. All you need to do is put it together and add those photos.

You can add stickers to any page finishing off the theme with a little fun. Just like themed paper there are all kinds of theme stickers - baby showers, birthdays, weddings, holidays, sports, music, kids stuff - I think you get the idea. They are perfect for the finishing touches to your page. No need to be able to draw, no cutting out, just peel and stick. So while you spice up your memories with scrapbooking paper why not add the finishing touch with the right stickers?

If scrapbooking seems a bit daunting at first not to worry, once you get started you'll find creativity you buried long ago finding its way out. Before you know it you'll be cutting, pasting, and designing all kinds of great looking pages. Its fun, it's easy, and it's catching North America by storm. Why not give it a try and find out for yourself? Just one thing to remember - when you spice up your memories with scrapbooking paper you spice up your world. Are you ready for a little fun?







Keyword Articles: http://www.keywordarticles.org


Terry Fitzroy is a professional writer and author with over 30 years experience in scrapbooking, scrapbooking paper, and scrapbooking supplies. Find more information at Blackberry Paper.

By: Ian Niven


People take part in hobbies for several reasons. Some do it for pure pleasure, while others do it for profit. This carries across all sorts of hobbies and types of people, including those who collect gold coins. Why would someone choose to collect gold coins as a hobby? Again, some people choose their hobbies based on pleasure, while others aim to make a profit.

Of course, most gold coins don't fetch anywhere near that much, and most would not sell for more than face value alone. However, having a complete set of a certain edition can up the value of each individual coin. Also, there is always the chance that you'll run across one of those gold coins that is worth a great deal. Even if you don't, having an extensive collection of gold coins that includes several important era pieces can draw in some extra cash as well.

If you become a collector of gold coins, you should probably sit down and talk to someone else who already is, since he or she will probably be ready and willing to help out a novice.

Others collect gold coins for profit. Some of these gold coins can be worth a great deal of money, and collecting rarities can be a great way for a hobbyist to increase net worth. Often, a good collection of gold coins, especially one containing several rare or limited edition gold coins, can be appraised for a great deal of value.

Whatever reason the hobby is chosen, hundreds of thousands of individuals across the world invest quite a bit of time and money in the collection of gold coins, building huge lots that can be worth a great deal of money.

Getting your gold coins evaluated is something that should be done at least every six months. This allows you to keep track of changing values of individual gold coins, verifying the net worth of your collection. This is important partially because there may come a time that you do wish to sell your collection of gold coins. However, even if you don't, you really should have an inventory of your collection, complete with values so that you can quote someone intelligently should they ask how much your gold coins are actually worth.

For some of these collectors, the adventure is in finding the rare and special edition gold coins that are difficult to track down. It is a game for them; a sleuth mystery or a tracking game of hide and seek that occupies most of their free time. In fact, some of these collectors get more satisfaction from seeking out the gold coins they want than from actually acquiring them, though most would never admit to that!

Putting together such a collection is also one way that many collectors of gold coins assure that they have a family heirloom to pass on to their children and grandchildren. Not everyone has a long history of heirlooms in their family, especially if the family was not always financially secure or if things were lost in the past in some sort of disaster. However, starting a collection of gold coins can offer something to the future generations that they can inherit and hold dear as items once owned by ancestors.

Collecting gold coins is definitely a tedious hobby in that you have to carefully keep track of what you have and catalogue the value of each piece. However, if you are an individual who enjoys organizing such information, gold coins could be something that would interest you as a hobby.







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Thank you for showing interest in my article. For more information on coin collecting supply please visit coincollectoronline.info thanks once again for your time from your author Ian Niven
This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.

The Influence of Cross Stitch on Bookmark Designs
By: John Wigham


In the early days of the fifteenth century, respect for all books was second only to respect for the Bible alone. Books were few in number and considered valuable due to the fact not many were printed at any one time.

Queen Elizabeth I was the first to receive a book marker as a gift at the end of the 16th century, during a time when books were so valuable that harming the pages of a book, was considered a very bad thing to do. It was during the 1850s that detachable book markers began to appear, eventually being called the bookmarker (or bookmark) in modern times.

These first bookmakers were made from silk, cross stitch, or made with embroidered fabrics, while eventually other materials, such as paper, were used after the 1880s. Today, bookmarkers can be found anywhere in the thousands, and patterns for their design fill the Internet to the brim.

Behavior that we take for granted, such as lying books face down on a table or turning down page ears to mark selected sections, were not acceptable in these days. Writing in books was not accepted either, so the bookmarker was eventually developed to protect these valuable assets.

To this day, my mother will not write in any of her books or magazines, frowning at me and almost shuddering when she sees me do so. When I purchase a book, I "work" the book - not just read it. I tell her, Ahem... it makes no difference at all.

Some of my favorite gifts are bookmarkers that have been cross-stitch designed from my grandchildren or nieces and nephews. They are simple, small, and are tremendous in quality and value.

They are excellent projects for children to start with, as they are small in size, and their attention doesn't wander while doing them. And they make excellent small gifts for the person who has everything and you don't know what to get them. Small gifts are not necessarily insignificant, only small in size. The work that goes into them adds meaning and quality.

Some simple instructions in for bookmark preparation can be changed into any design along with any color or type of thread:

When making the bookmark, make sure the bookmark material is either a blank Aida fabric or one with a pattern on it, such as one in a kit. Be aware these come in plain or lacy borders, since they are for cross-stitch or embroidery.

If you did not buy the bookmark fabric in a kit, make sure you have a design in mind that fits the occasion. You can get many ideas online, which can be transferred onto your fabric after being downloaded.

Always keep your bookmark designs simple and use every bit of space accurately, even if you have to reduce the size to fit. Keep an eye on the border, unless you want your design to float off the edge.

When choosing project thread, use embroidery floss and an embroidery needle.

If you have a kit, and don't like the colors in it, you can change them by purchasing colors of your own. Use the kit's original colors for something else.

Check online how to reduce or enlarge your design, if not using a kit. The actual design area should be from the center of the design and going outward.

Be neat at all times, trimming any excess threads that are hanging around.

A growing number of websites offer a service that transfers photographs onto patterns for items such as pets or children, or pretty well any subject you choose.

Ask if they will reduce a small photograph of your own to fit onto the marker, perhaps combined with one of your favorite sayings. Of course you may choose to use one of your favorite sayings on its own - it's your design and your choice.




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John Wigham has been a professional author and editor for 20 years and is a co-founder of Patterns Patch an online cross stitch club dedicated to counted cross stitch. The website has a small team of writers who are devoted to our cross stitch club and enjoy writing about their hobby.

Grandma's Antique Clock...Time To Sell?
By: Ron Berry


So how do you get Grandma's clock appraised? Where do you find qualified appraisers? and what qualifies someone as an appraiser?

There are hundreds of sites on the internet willing to give you quotes online. If you just want to satisfy your curiosity, these places are fine provided they don't charge much or even anything at all. They may be able to give you a general idea of your antiques value based on your description but without seeing it there's really no way for them to be very accurate.

Local shops usually have someone on staff who can do an appraisal but be sure they are qualified if not accredited. Antique appraisal is not just somebody opening up the N.A.D.A. Blue Book and looking up an items value. It's a highly skilled and learned art form performed by a knowledgeable appraiser using a keen eye, sharp analytical and math skills and, because he or she spends a lot of time interacting with clients, good people skills. Usually they are good communicators and (hopefully) have tact and compassion. Not every item they appraise is worth what a client may wish to hear. Letting people down easily is a skill all good appraisers have.

Why Get An Appraisal?

As mentioned above, most people just want to satisfy their curiosity. Grandma's old clock still works and is often the topic of conversation with friends and guests and you would never part with it but it would be interesting to find out what it's worth. A free online appraisal would be fine for that. Others may need an appraisal because they plan to put their item up for sale at auction. They'll want a more accurate appraisal if they think the item has any real value. You may be planning to buy an antique and want to make an informed decision. Still others need appraisals to satisfy insurance requirements. If you're going to insure an antique that may be very valuable, get it appraised by a reputable firm, in person, and get the appraisal in writing. Donations, property settlements and estate planning are other reasons you may need an appraisal. Appraisals by qualified appraisers can become legal documents in these matters.

Who Can Do Appraisals?

Unfortunately, except for real property (land and buildings), anyone can call themselves an appraiser, since there are no licensing restrictions for the antiques industry. This makes it incumbent upon you to do your homework. Think of it as appraising the appraiser. Find out how long he or she has been doing appraisals in an official capacity. Do they belong to any organizations? Have they taken (and passed) certification tests? Do they have references (due to confidentiality issues, references require the previous client's permission)?

Essentially there are three major appraisal organizations in the U.S.:

- International Society of Appraisers (ISA)
1131 SW 7th St Suite 105,
Renton, WA 98057-1215

- American Society of Appraisers (ASA)
555 Herndon Parkway, Suite 125
Herndon, VA 20170

- Appraisers Association of America (AAA)
386 Park Avenue South Suite 2000
New York, NY 10016

These organizations have membership designations according to the level of experience of their members who must undergo certification testing while gaining this experience, usually attained by apprenticing with a mentor.

These designations range from Associate Member, an appraiser who has joined the organization but has not completed the coursework required for full membership status, to Accredited Member, someone whose passed certification exams and has 2 to 5 years experience in appraising, up to appraisers who've passed the exams and have at least 5 years experience.

An appraiser doesn't necessarily have to belong to one of these organizations to be considered skilled and qualified. There are many other organizations throughout the U.S. and local business with talented men and women who are exceptional appraisers. You can probably feel comfortable bringing them your appraisal business. However, getting a quote from an appraiser associated with any of the three major organizations will greatly improve the likelyhood of getting an educated and accurate appraisal.

So if you just want a quick "guesstimate" of Grandma's clock or an old chair that's been sitting in your attic since you moved in or you have a Louis XV French Mahogany dining set that you're planning on selling on eBay, there are resources out there to help you find its value or to find someone who can.




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Ron Berry is a freelance journalist who writes for Essay Street - essaystreet.com and operates Antique Stuff I Found Online antique.stuffifoundonline.com

by: Dr. Mark Lauderdale

“My neighbors are harassing me. How do you deal with difficult people like these?”

I’ve been asked this question SEVERAL times now, so I thought I’d write an article on the topic.

The word “harassment” is a very broad term. For different people it can mean anything from neighbors who are verbally abusive and deflating your tires to people who are just plain nosey.

It’s a little like saying, “My dog is misbehaving”. You wouldn’t start right away by working on your dog’s “misbehavior” in general. You’d want to focus on the SPECIFIC forms of misbehavior that are causing a problem, such as jumping up on people, or barking too much, etc…

So, the first thing to do is to identify the specific type of harassing behavior that is causing the problem.

For the sake of discussion let’s say that your neighbors are frequently rude or disrespectful to you and your family. They use a "hit and run” form of verbal abuse.

The next thing to do is… talk to them? (I can already hear you saying, “I tried that and it didn’t work!”) Let me clear about this… NO!

The next thing to do has NOTHING to do with talking to them.

In fact, jumping into action too quickly is often where people go wrong right off the bat. It’s almost guaranteed that you will DO or SAY the wrong things, which just make things WORSE.

No, the next thing to do is IMAGINE… more specifically, to visualize the way you’d like things to be with your neighbor instead of the way things are. In other words, set your goal and visualize it.

You might want to turn them into friends or you might want to have infrequent but respectful interactions. That’s ok. Just be very clear about your goal – as long as it’s constructive.

So, let’s say that you don’t want to move away from the neighborhood and that what you REALLY want is for your neighbors to talk in a respectful way to you and your family.

Now, since THIS is what you really want, you should make a conscious decision that everything you say or do from now on will move things toward this outcome… and furthermore, that everything THEY say or do ALSO becomes an opportunity for you to take things closer to that outcome.

After you’ve imagined what a positive outcome might look like, you should then eliminate your anger, frustration and stress about the situation and feel calm, strong and confident about creating a positive change.

You can’t produce a positive outcome if you’re sitting on negative, angry or hostile feelings.

To shift your emotional state into strength and confidence, you can use the Wellspring Method at http://www.shrinkinabox.com/difficult-people/creating-change.htm which I created to help you successfully deal with difficult people and situations like this.

Armed with a feeling of confidence and determination to produce a positive outcome with the difficult person, start imagining what would happen if you were to meet with your neighbor… play out ANY scenarios that come into your mind.

There is not just ONE RIGHT WAY. You know your situation far better than I do and how your particular neighbor is likely to respond.

You might start off by paying them a visit and saying, “I noticed that you seemed unhappy about something when we last spoke, so I thought I’d come over and find out what it is that’s bugging you…”

It’s quite possible that they may not believe you and you may just get another rude response. But, you can persist… “Clearly something was bothering you and I’d really like to know what it is so that we can address the problem.”

You want to persist and be genuinely concerned and curious, so that your neighbor actually starts to feel that you are interested in what their issue is. Persist until you REALLY understand why they are feeling the way they are… even if their concern is based on misinformation or an immature way of seeing things.

Once you understand what their concern is (no matter how rudely they expressed it), you can then start to think of a solution that could address that concern. Of course, if you are addressing their genuine concern, then they will also become more receptive to a friendlier relationship without the disrespectful language.

If there is really no underlying issue that is bothering them, or at least none that they will divulge to you, and they persist with rude language, you can take the approach of paying them a visit each and every time a rude episode occurs… each time approaching them with the same calm and genuine curiosity about what it is that is bugging them.

The more rude they are, the more concerned and curious you can be. Of course, you would need to be able to do this calmly and confidently because pushing your buttons and getting you to react is what they are TRYING to do!

If you continue with repeated discussions over an extended period of time, never retaliating or getting drawn into an argument and always pursuing the issues in great detail, the act of being disrespectful towards you will start to become a bit of a nuisance to your neighbor who will think twice about being rude next time.

He’ll know that hurling another negative comment your way is just going to result in yet another long drawn out discussion in which the things that are bugging him will be put under the microscope for examination.

There are only two outcomes… Either your neighbor will eventually reveal what is really bugging him or her, which you can then address through some kind of win-win solution, or, they will change their tune and avoid being rude in order to avoid another discussion with you.



About The Author
Mark Lauderdale MD FRCPC is a psychiatrist and author of “Secrets of Dealing with Difficult People” http://www.shrinkinabox.com/difficult-people/ which provides expert ideas, insights and tools for dealing with all types of difficult people confidently and effectively.

Copyright 2008 Wellspring Personal Effectiveness Inc.