Thursday, July 30, 2009

Make Money Online - Info Overload

Do you know what the number one thing standing between your online success is? If you said not having the right information, I'd have to totally disagree because there is so much info available today it will make your head spin.

How about not having the right product to sell? No, that's important to be sure, but it's certainly not stopping you from hitting it big.

Could it be not taking action (letting the fear of the unknown stop you)?

Well, you're getting closer... because it's the reason why 99.9% of people fail to take action. What is it?

The number one thing standing between you and making money on auto-pilot is mastering info overload and focusing through the overwhelm of too
much information!

That's right it's Info overload! Sorting it all out so you know what's right for you, what model you want to pursue, which 'expert' has the right path to follow.

If I was starting all over from scratch not knowing anything today (at this particular point in time), I think I'd probably feel like overwhelmed because there's simply too much info today... too many choices.... too many people to listen to!

Every time you turn around there's another guru with another magic pill for you to swallow... another teleseminar to attend.... ..another eBook for you.... ..another blog or forum to join... ..another squeeze page for a newsletter or eCourse that promises to put you on the path.

Don't get me wrong, there is more and better info and resources available today than ever before. However, that's a double edged sword because even though there has never been more ingenious methods to make money online today, you still have to get started with the right method for you. There are just too many choices.

And, let's face it. We are all different people with different goals, different wants and desires, different backgrounds, different experiences, different challenges, and different ideas of what success looks like for us, right?

Because of that not every solution will work for everyone.

It's about finding the one that works for you and your life. It's got to fit you instead of you trying to fit yourself to it.

Alex Mirabeau is the creator of the revolutionary 'Business-in-a-Box' concept Make Money Online For Newbies. Everything is there for you. It's a plug and play system. Claim your FREE eBook now at http://www.MakeMoneyOnlineForNewbies.tv and try it for yourself. Please feel free to use this article on your site or blog without changing it.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Tarot Decks

Tarot deck is a set of cards, usually, seventy-eight in number, that contains cards divided according to their meanings. Some tarot decks may have a different number of cards, but seventy-eight cards are considered a standard number among contemporary decks. The Rider-Waite Tarot deck is one of the most popular decks in the world and is preferred by beginners and professionals alike. It is possible for Tarot students to design their own cards in accordance to the general meaning of the cards.

The Tarot deck is split into two major divisions namely, the major arcana or the trumps and the minor or the lesser arcana. The major arcana consists of twenty-two cards and signifies the various stages in the journey of life. The minor arcana comprises of four suits popularly known as the swords, cups, wands and pentacles or coins. These suits correspond to the four elements air, water, fire and earth respectively. In different decks, these suits can be named as well as depicted differently. Each suit has fourteen cards with the first ten cards representing the number one to ten. The last four cards are known as the court cards and are generally denoted by the page, knight, queen and king of the suit. In some decks, the page is replaced with a princess and the knight with a knave.

Tarot decks can be brought from various local stores or can be ordered through the Internet. It is advisable to purchase new decks for reading purposes as it is said that old decks will contain the energies of the person who had used them previously.

There are many tarot decks available in the market. There is no rule regarding which deck to choose as a beginner and which one as an advanced student. It is simply a matter of preference where people are encouraged to choose a deck that they can relate to or one that appeals to them the most.

Tarot provides detailed information on Tarot, Free Tarot Readings, Tarot Reading, Tarot Cards and more. Tarot is affiliated with Reading Tarot Cards.

Antony Flew

Monday, July 27, 2009

Feng Shui - Tips to Try

I have recently being looking at the practice of Feng Shui. It is a fascinating concept of creating a balance in your environment.

Feng Shui originates from and is practiced in China. this has spread to millions of other people who now firmly believe in it. These people say that their lives are controlled by natural forces around them. Although there are many schools of thought of Feng Shui systems, there are many factors that have a common trend in the use and positioning of many items changing colours scheme to mention a few.

A Feng Shui specialist may give many ways to improve your environment and create a harmonic balance in homes or even in businesses. They use five elements, xuan kong flying star, colour, positioning of furniture, simple remedies and cures for problem areas and many other practices beyond these. those who practice Feng Shui claim that it enhances and attracts good health, wealth and relationships.

Much advice has been thrown around, and it can be quite confusing to many on how to achieve this balance in you own environment. So I have taken a few of Feng Shui instructions and simplified them. You may want to try out to see whether it makes a difference to your life.

* Remove all your shoes and slippers and allow main door to be free and clear.

* No televisions in the bedrooms or cover it over with a plastic cloth when not being watched.

* No mirrors opposite or by the side of your bed.

* Get an indoor water fountain in your home, you can put this anywhere you like.

* If you have had bad luck and have a fish tank in your house, move it somewhere else in the house. If you still get bad luck after a few more months, move it again.

* Your cooker in the kitchen should have no refrigerator, washing machine or toilet opposite it. The fire and water is bad and causes arguments.

* Mattresses on the floor should not be slept on by children. It will cause them to be sick often.

* Young children should have their backs to the wall when they write.

* Double bunk beds are bad for children. The child sleeping underneath will not have "fresh chi" and their health might be weak.

* Your bed should always have a solid wall behind it.

* On top of your bed there should be no beams.

* A marble table in your dining room may give you pressure at work. Get it replaced with a wooden one!

* If your child is sick put them into another bedroom or hang a six-rod metal wind chime in the room. Put it by a window where the wind can make it chime is a good idea.

* Red coloured sofas are bad and will give rise to heavy work pressure, troubles and obstacles.

* Your bedroom windows should remain open at least once 20 minutes a day to allow fresh chi to come in.

Even if you can't manage all these, just a few may well make a difference to you life, luck and even love.

http://bulgarianslivatree.com

http://tipsnwrinkles.com

Richard Koch

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Questioning Old Testament Stories From The Bible

Miracle Story With Michael
Genie Of Your Mind

For the Best Spiritual T-shirts - Full of Faith T-shirt Expressing How You Feel About Jesus

This started about 4 years ago when I was at church hearing the preacher say when God is with you all things are possible no matter how it looked. that word started stirring me up on the inside. I know I wanted to started my own business but what. I know I had drawing talent but I did not know how I was going to put it to good use. I prayed about it everyday asking God I wanted to your my talent to glorify you. it took awhile it did t happen over night.

It was about 3 years later. One night God puta vision of a logo in my heart; I quickly woke up and drew it on a sheet of paper. Still I did not know what it meant at first because I still wanted to use my drawing talent for God. Then it hit me I seen alot of t-shirts but very few that Christian can wear that would express how they felt about God. Then I know I was on to something very special. I took my drawing talent and started making design for the christian to show how much they love God using my talents to focus on Jesus in a way that never been do before.this t-shirts are a powerful witness tool for christian of all ages. there is a t-shirt that will please everyone. but for the most part I just one of many trying to do my part in getting the word out that Jesus is here now and forever more.

My Name is Thomas Gathers born in Brooklyn New York now living Lynchburg, Virginia, with my wife of 14 year Gwendolyn and my 2 year old daughter Brookelyn. I am one out of seven children. My life was not easy, but my parent Annie & Ancil done their better to make sure that we had everything we needed. I had friend but sometime they were up to no good. But when I met my wife for the first time there was something different about her. She had Jesus in her life something I really didn't know about. But the more time I spend with her the more I wanted what she had. Joy, peace, happiness. then that special day on 11/21/01 when I accepted Jesus Christ and the rest is history. My life was changed forever I never know life can be so wonderful with Jesus in it.

Finding Something You Don

Exterior House Painting - 5 Tips For Doing a Professional Job

Spring is just around the corner and this article is all about giving the exterior of your house the paint job it deserves. As a professional house painter I would like to lay out five important tips that most people get wrong when painting the exterior of their home.

#1.) House Wash - I like to give the house a good wash before I paint it. I don't wash all four sides at once though. I usually do just one side (the side I plan on painting first) at a time because I'm going to be there for a week or two anyways probably. That way by the time you get to the next side there isn't a bunch of webs or sand or dirt built back up.

#2.) Choosing Colors - Some houses you drive by have weird colors. This is because they picked colors from a fan deck. For best results you should use an exterior house color brochure. Its coordinated color schemes help you to choose normal standardized colors. A standardized color chart will have perfect color matches that you should pick and choose from. Especially if doing two or three color schemes, you want a professional color-coordinated exterior brochure. These brochures are usually found at any paint store.

#3.) Use Quality Paint - I always use name brand paint on all my exterior house painting jobs. Why use inferior paint and waste all that hard labor? Especially if you are paying someone else to do the painting. I like Benjamin Moore exterior house paint. They have good time-tested exterior paints and primers.

#4.) Latex vs Oil Base - I always use latex paint on the outside or exterior of a house. Oil base or Alkyd coating tend to crack and peel. Latex paint can breathe and stays flexible. It lets the moisture out of the house. Oil base paints cannot. That is why you get cracking and peeling.

The only exception is when the you have bare wood. You want to prime it with an exterior alkyd or oil-base primer. Bare wood can cause "bleed through" stains that you can not block as well using a latex primer (Although nowadays some latex primers are actually getting good at stain blocking). But the main thing is that you want to use latex paint on your house's exterior and you want to use a good name brand exterior paint. Especially if you're a house painter and you're doing it for a homeowner. Don't show up on their door step with average name brand paint. People want the best.

#5.) Oil Base Stains - If you plan on staining your house there are many excellent exterior latex stains. Especially solid body stain. Solid body stain looks like regular paint except it's made for rough wood siding. Now if you have a natural wood color siding you will want to use a "semi-transparent" stain that is oil base. I would use an oil base stain in this instance because the oil base stain can permeate down into the natural wood. This is something that should be done every few years to keep the sun and elements from deteriorating the natural wood look. A quick one coat to protect the natural wood siding is best.

Lee Cusano has owned and operated his own successful painting business since 1991. He has also helped many others to start their own painting business with his "Paint Like a Pro Estimating and Advertising System". Lee also offers a new free report titled "How To Quit Your Day Job This Week and Double or Triple Your Income". To get it please go to http://www.Painting-Business.com

Painting Metal Siding

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Start Budgeting For Your Very Own Sunroom

It only takes a few weeks before you can enjoy in your very own sunroom. However, if not properly managed, the money you need to spend on the sunroom would go sky-high. Because of this you need to properly monitor the different expenses when it comes to building your very own sunroom. You also need to determine the materials and the quality of sunroom you want so you can create your budget and prevent overspending. In most cases, the cost of sunroom construction would go as low as $10,000 and as high as $70,000. And the do-it-yourself sunroom kit is applicable to those who want to trim down their expenses on sunroom construction. The figure on the sunroom costs mentioned above may still alter and this is due to the material cost, style, design, flooring system and the labor cost you will choose. If you have a bigger budget, then you can go for the more elaborate designs. But if you think that your budget is only at the minimum, there are still excellent sunroom designs and materials that can give you full satisfaction without having to break your bank account.

Sunrooms are getting more and more popular among homeowners today because of the practicality it offers. As compared to the traditional rooms, the cost of building a sunroom is a lot more economical. Read on, so you can have a clear idea on the expenses you need to shell out when planning to build a sunroom. In the labor charge aspect on constructing the stairs, you need to have an approximate of $300. Other expenses which would cover the labor charge also include the roofing and the flooring systems. If all these combined, you need to have at least $12,000 for the labor charge alone. The sunroom materials are also the determining factors on how much money you need to spend. For those on a limited budget, you can opt for the vinyl as it is more inexpensive as compared to the costs of aluminum sunroom. But if you have all the money to spend, then you can settle for the wood. Though wood is the most expensive, it is the one that needs regular care and maintenance to prevent premature damage.

Of course, a sunroom would never be complete without the furniture. As we all know, sunroom is also synonymous to wicker furniture. These two are the considered as the perfect combination. Wicker furniture is also economical but it also endows the entire room with an earthy and natural appeal.

If all the budgetary constraints are settled, then you can now start building your very own sunroom. Once finished, this place would serve as your haven for relaxation and a nice place to spend your quality time with your friends and loved ones. All these can be enjoyed if you properly plan the important aspects in building a very cozy sunroom. Don't let money hinder you from having a sunroom of your own. Choices are so varied so this gives you no excuse to not have one on your home.

Andrew Caxton is the author of many articles published online.Learn more about sunroom kits and diy sunroom kits at http://www.allsunrooms.com/kits.html

Nailing Or Screwing Drywall

Psychics and Psychic Readings - The Higher Level

When people research or debate also talk about psychic clairvoyants or precognitions, and try to expand their knowledge about this phenomenon, and when people try to find facts about this subject using known theories, this in itself becomes a conflicting challenge about their personal theories, and not many people would like the fact that their theories are challenged.

There are many people who experience events and somehow feel that it is more than coincidence, through out our life of human history. Psychic intuition skills have helped us whether we were aware or not. To glimpse in to the future sounds out of this world, but as we know, we live in a very complex world indeed. And the advancements of modern science answer many unknown facts about our existence. Example being; we now know that our beautiful planet is round instead of flat. Yet also, ancient cultures without such scientific advancement have astounded us with their marvelous creations such as the Pyramids of Giza. They have placed high regard, rather evolved around the concept of spirituality for their spiritual masters. We can all agree we are far from really understanding our true nature.

Also we must place high respect for science and their findings as well, especially the science of consciousness. Many research and energy is being put towards subjects of psychics clairvoyants extra sensory perception telepathy just a name a few. As you maybe aware that psychic readings give insights to events and situations. Psychic readings and psychics ability to accurately advice people, on matters that concern them has forever been within our human history. Also we all have seen movies where in past history, when people who practiced or explored different beliefs or concepts have been tied to a tree and prosecuted. Thank goodness that is in our unintelligent past, as freedom of speech and choice of belief, is the most important factor, rather a sacred treasure, we must all uphold.

Psychic intuition is built in us to protect us from danger, guide us to our true nature (spiritual) just like a little new born turtle hatched and knows to swim straight to the ocean. We too are drawn to spirituality, almost all the people around this complex planet believe in spirituality. And almost all the cultures have a psychic to consult when faced with spiritually unfamiliar waters. The ocean of emotions in every heart thirsts for spiritual reason, guidance and spiritual answers. And only the calm waters will reflect the stars. When we expand our beings then calmness can become part of our hearts ocean.

It is possible to glimpse also anticipate near future events, this requires an art, art of seeing; whether one likes to label such visions as predictions or perception. To have a real psychic ability, one must attend life from a view point of purity of heart, and when a spiritual psychic advances in wisdom through proper guidance and learning for many many years, will develop an intuitive psychic ability. Every human is equipped with this psychic ability; it's just only select few choose to explore the boundaries. And just like any chosen subject, the more we attend the more we learn of it. Also when we debate a subject of reality, then this becomes a personal matter. As what is real for some might not be real for others. Yet if we were to draw a straight line _______ and we both at the same time see this line. We will both see and agree that it is a straight line. The truth cannot be bent. And the truth of the matter is, within the garden of every spiritual heart, there is a rose that is blossoming silently, which is called YOU.

Tolga Savas
International psychic clairvoyant answering all your metaphysical questions, and offers real psychic readings, dream analysis, psychic chat online, Kumalak the Mirror of Destiny, See the Future that is Now

You Have To Start Somewhere

Brick Stencils - Faux Painting Made Easy

One of the easiest faux painting finishes is faux brickwork. It can add interest to a dull flat wall or drab concrete surface, either in the home or in the garden or patio area. The great thing about it is that reusable stencils, easily available from many retailers, make the job really quick and easy, even for beginners.

Brick Finishes

An uninteresting floor or wall can become an eye-catching feature with a brick finish makeover. Indoors, the unpainted brick look is trendy and modern with the warm colors of brick complementing other decorating styles. Outdoor spaces can also be enhanced. Brickwork (especially aged brickwork) has a soft, warm appearance whereas plain, untextured concrete floors can be stark and ugly.

Using brick stencils is useful if you want to extend existing brickwork without the effort, expense and mess of actual construction. (And you may not be able to find bricks that match.) Brick stenciling is also an alternative to restoring existing brickwork. Brickwork that has been damaged or previously painted is notoriously difficult to restore but can be rejuvenated with clever use of paint.

The Pros and Cons of Stencils

Especially if you're new to faux painting, brick stencils have many pluses and few minuses. In some cases (for example, if you need to match existing brickwork) you may have to mark out your design manually, or create your own stencil to match what you already have. If you can buy a stencil to suit your purpose you will save a lot of time. The only real downside of stencils is that their fixed size can create problems with corners and edges (especially curved edges, for example around a circular or arched window).

Which Design?

Brick stencils come in a staggering array of different designs, with different brick sizes and paving patterns. Choose your design carefully to fit in with the room or surface you plan to transform.

Make sure that the scale is in proportion. Consider the space available. You may not want large bricks in a small room or small blocks in a bigger space. The size of the brick is one factor influencing the degree of texture that results. Some manufacturers offer customizing and re-sizing of stencils.

Also consider how the pattern will match your architecture, dcor or space. Modern home with clean lines may invite a plainer, more geometric pattern. That could be simple rows, but a herringbone design can also look neat. Circular or swirling patterns can soften a space with hard lines, or complement older architecture, rustic dcor or traditional gardens.

Have Some Fun with It

Brickwork doesn't have to be reds and browns. Other colors can simulate brickwork that has been painted over. You can also choose between a clean, new brick appearance or create a soft, aged look by using paint techniques to create a distressed effect. Stencils are the core of the process but you still have other fun options to choose from to create your ideal look.

Find more brick stencil ideas from That Painter Lady. Then claim your free "Insider's Guide to Faux Painting" and avoid all the common mistakes, get success tips, find the right products for the job and more.

Wood Flooring Problems In Bath

Spirituality - 3 Questions to Develop Your Personal Spiritual Relationship With Your Higher Power

Women often find themselves searching for deeper meaning in life.

We all know a woman who seems to be at complete peace with her divine relationship. She is serene, has confidence and her life works.

  • Maybe she grew up in a spiritually rich environment and has always felt guided and protected by her Higher Power.
  • Maybe she grew up without a spiritual foundation at all and has developed her Divine Relationship on her own.
  • Maybe she had to reinvent her relationship with her Creator for various reasons.

Whatever her path, a woman in an intimate relationship with her Higher Power is a beautiful being indeed.

So, what about you?

You intuitively know that you are intricately connected to something greater than yourself but if you don't have an established spiritual belief in place, where do you start?

Start here.

Ask yourself these 3 Important Questions designed to help you develop your own deeply personal and satisfying relationship with a Divine Power, however you choose to understand that Power.

#1 What is your current understanding of a Higher Power?

  • You may or may not have had any religious or spiritual instruction growing up. Some of what you did receive may no longer fit what you truly believe. Maybe you have gleaned bits and pieces from various sources and haven't taken the opportunity to put it all together. It doesn't matter really, you are who you are, and you are enough.

#2 How would you like to feel about your relationship with your Higher Power?

  • This may seem like an unusual question. By answering it you will understand what you need from your Divine Relationship. Everyone will want something different.

#3 What questions would you like to find your answers to?

  • You undoubtedly have some questions about spirituality. Gather them up and go looking for answers that feel right.

In the end, all paths lead to the same place.

There are no right or wrong answers. There are so many aspects of spirituality in the world. With a bit of insight you will find the path that feels right for you. You will know when it is a good fit. It will feel like you have "come home".

Caution: Some of us have been wounded spiritually at some point in our lives. If this applies to you, please give yourself the gift of finding a support system. This journey is supposed to feel good, you are supposed to feel connected and loved. Anything less than that is unacceptable. Ask someone for help.

Wishing you Peace & Abundance... Joyce Lee "Your Life Empowerment Coach"

2008 joyceleelifecoach.com

Are you ready for more opportunities to explore and reflect? Go to http://joyceleelifecoach.com/prompts.html for your special gift of "20 Profound and Provocative Journal Prompts" designed to help you focus on your life with a spirit of peace.

Joyce Lee is a certified Life Empowerment Coach, Personal Growth Facilitator and Law of Attraction Practitioner, specializes in helping women understand the Law of Attraction and deliberately creating the life they really want.

Spending 15 Minutes Each Day

Monday, July 20, 2009

Fire Ant Bites - First Aid in Case You Are Bitten

Fire ants, although they are such annoying creatures for us humans, they are a real wonder of biological engineering. Fire ants come in different shapes and sizes, the largest of these creatures can come up to be as big as a fifth of an inch, which it is very impressive for a microscopic insect. They can be very easily distinguished because of their brown head and their slightly darker body.

The fire ants have a very simple way to feed, but a much more complicated way to deposit and digest the food. Fire ants bite, cut and chew the skin with they very powerful mandibles (in comparison to their own size), in order to suck up all the nutritive liquids. Interesting is that, fire ants have two stomachs: the fist one has the purpose to deposit and digest the food for themselves, and the second one to share the food with other members of the colony, in order for them to fed properly.

Fire ants have a very annoying bite. The bites from fire ants can cause a burning or stinging sensation on the nearby zone of the skin where the bite occurred (because they cause this kind of sensations, they are called "fire ants"). After that the skin will raise and fill up with a fluid. It is very important that you will not scratch the injured area, in order for that to heal, because you can easily infect yourself or some leave permanent scars on your skin.

These are very little insects, and it is quite impossible to see them on your skin and clothing, with a naked eye. Although they are so little, their actual effects of their bites can be seen and mostly felt very quickly, in less than 10 seconds. Don't be surprised if you will be bitten another time in a short amount of time. Fire ants will bite many times, even if all the venom they have had was consumed before on you or other people.

The best method to kill these creatures is to use on the harmed area a lye - water solution (approximately 20% lye and 80% water). Firstly you will need to make a circle with this solution, in order to trap the insect, and then turn all the solution that you have left on the wound to kill it. Attention! Be very careful when you deal with this solution, because this is a caustic solution.

Also, it would be very wise to douse the wound under hot boiling water for a short period of time in order to kill all the insects. Unfortunately, if we are talking about a full colony, the queen will most probably not die.

Another very good method in order to get rid of these insects is to soap and wash the zone, but in some cases, it will not kill the queen.

Also, it is wise to use proper insecticide on the mound, but you must be very careful in order that the insecticide will reach the queen. If you cannot reach the queen, this action is mostly useless. The good news is that all the other insects will eventually die after this toxic attack in 24 hours.

You can also use some insecticide baits in your house or garden. The bait will be carried back by the fire ants to the queen, and they will eventually feed from the bait or just get in contact with it and die, in the end. This is a very good solution for your problem, if the time factor doesn't count for you so much.

First Aid in case of a Fire Ant Bite

If you are outside your house and you are near a mound, it will be smart to get away from it.

Immediately remove the infested clothes that you have on the moment of the fire ant bite.

Clean the zone by rubbing alcohol or using soap and water on the affected skin part.

In order to reduce the obvious pain and inflammation use ice packs.

Apply creams or lotions based on hydrocortisone topical ointment or calamine.

Try a bleach or even baking soda with water in order to reduce the pain or inflammation.

Use Benadryl to reduce the itchiness sensation and the inflammation.

Call immediately 911 or contact a specialized doctor when you encounter sensations such as hives, swellings, chest pains or even shock and coma.

Now you need Fire Ants Treatment to take the 'fire' out of fire ant bites. More information about First Aid here will definitely help you.

Resolving Home Remodeling Anxiet

Does God Not Like Corner Backs?

I am a person that has been on a journey. Over that last few years I have really searched for a spiritual centeredness in my life. I grew up in a very religious family. Religion tore our family apart because certain philosophies could not exist. Everyone felt they had the true way to heaven. Now mind you all of them considered themselves Christian, but with their own brand of Christianity.

My family for me is a microcosm of the world. Everyone is not Christian but each religion feels as though THEY have the way to heaven. As a matter of fact if you do not believe as THEY do then you and others that think like you deserve to die! I never could understand the thought process that another creation of the God you worship should not live because you disagree on some miniscule point. For me it is difficult to understand how a creator of all things can choose one group or one person over another.

One day I was watching a football game. My team did win the game on this particular day. One of the receivers was very emotional during the game after he caught a touch down pass. He sat on the sideline actually crying! After the game a reporter asked the receiver what was going through his mind at that time. The receiver stated that he had spoken with his pastor at church the day before or sometime during the week. He said the pastor told him that God would allow him to do something great in the game to glorify him. Because the touch down was a turning point in the game the receiver surmised that this was the great thing that God had allowed him to do. God was on his side that day according to the receiver. A thought came over my mind at that moment. What did the corner back (this is person that plays a position on defense in American football) do to fall out of favor with God? Did God not like the corner back so he allowed him to get embarrassed on national TV?

I make lite of the situation with the cornerback, but it puts religion in a perspective that we should start to think about someday and I hope soon. Many people think of God as someone watching over all facets of our existence. I know some days he must get tired and just rest. He takes his eyes off the window to the world for brief times. I know this is true because I was going to the barber last week and prayed for a good hair cut. The barber messed up!

I figured I got in the same dog house as the cornerback or else he would not have gotten beat for a touch down and my barber would have had a steady hand. Or maybe he was busy with the guys involved in the war that had the guns praying that they be the ones to live and the other guy die? Have you ever thought how a God would choose which one of his creations would live when they were in conflict? People often speak of God as being the father. If that is so then how does a father choose one child over another? If you are a parent, what could your child do that you would never forgive them for and send their souls to burn in hell for eternity?

I don't think any religion has it right. When there is any thought that God will favor one over another for any reason it is wrong. When we start to question why a God does not work favorably for everyone then maybe we can move away from the thought process of God punishing one person over another. That cornerback has to know that he was not out of favor with God and that is the reason he was embarrassed by that receiver. I have come to believe that God is not a being in any sense of the word. However, there is a source that is greater than us, a source that we are all connected with. This source does not favor anyone anymore than the next person. One day I hope that religion will come to grips with its contradictions and let that lowly corner back know that him being out of favor was not the reason he was beaten on national TV. In our connection with universal consciousness, we all are as great as we choose to be.

Hi my name is Reginald Martin and my perspective is one of a holistic approach with the knowledge of how the universe weaves its interconnected tapestry and affects our lives. I am just like many of you. I have been through many of life's major ups and downs, like the birth of my children, raising a family, a divorce, Amway (any former distributors out there?) starting out dating again after years of marriage and being laid off from a job. These ups and downs can either make you or break you! My friend they made me. Although when my Amway business went under that was close to the straw that broke the camels back for me. J Just kidding. I developed a consciousness about life through the school of hard knocks that I would like to share with you. I look back on many of those events now and can laugh a little. I have been where many of you are about to go. There is a saying that I like, "you can learn from your experiences or from the experiences of others. The former will take you a lot longer to get the lesson but you will eventually learn it." I have mucho experience! My expertise is the areas of man, husband, father, brother, uncle, boss, friend and neighbor. I enjoy sports, reading, blogging and manly things like crotch scratching, yawning and stretching in the morning. Unless you have not lived you know that anything going haywire in those areas can cause you to have mental breakdown followed by a spiritual awakening, or not! And oh yeah, I kinda look at life in an irreverent quirky kind of way. I swear this is like writing an online dating profile!

Helpful Habit Planning Tips

Fireplace Design Ideas

Are you trying to find some inspiring information about fireplace design ideas? There are some basic elements to any fireplace that are generally addressed in turn, in order to come up with a complete fireplace design. There are three main components to any fireplace design.

The three primary components to fireplace design include the hearth, the firebox and the type of opening that is employed between the firebox and the room in which the fireplace is located. The hearth is the area outside of the firebox, in general. The firebox is the area in which the fire itself will be burned.

Hearths

Let's first talk about hearths. A hearth may be flush with the floor, raised above the floor, or sunk down lower than the floor. Additionally, there may be no hearth to speak of at all. In these cases the firebox should be at least two inches above the floor, as the hearth is what helps protect the floor from the heat of the fire.

Another type of hearth may include hearth seats of various kinds. The most traditional and popular type of fireplace with hearth seats are the kinds that feature simply two blocks on either side of the firebox opening.

Fireboxes

As with the hearth types, the different kinds of fireboxes generally have mainly to do with the height relative to the floor and / or hearth. There are raised fireboxes, flush fireboxes that are the same height as the floor, and there are dropped fireboxes that are somewhat lower than the hearth and / or floor in front of the fireplace.

Fireplace Openings

Of course the most widely utilized type of fireplace opening is the rectangular opening. Generally, a rectangular opening will be just that: rectangular in shape. However, even with rectangular openings, the sides typically flare outward from the firebox toward the face of the fireplace.

There are flat arch top openings where the sides are straight, yet the tope of the opening has a slight arch to the shape. As with the traditional rectangular opening, the sides typically flare outward from the firebox toward the face of the fireplace.

There are full arch fireplace openings where the opening contains no straight lines. These types of fireplace openings have one continuous curve all around the fireplace opening. This is the type of opening you are probably used to seeing in American Southwestern style fireplaces.

There are also corner fireplace openings that allow for there to be two open sides to the fireplace. As the name suggests, a corner opening fireplace is situated in such a way that an entire corner section of the firebox is exposed.

There are U-shaped fireplace openings where the firebox is exposed on three sides, the front, as well as the two side areas. These last two types of fireplace openings will generally produce better heat radiation. If you will be using your fireplace to heat your home, and not merely as decoration these are certainly worth looking into. For images of these various fireplace styles, take a look at http://www.fireplacesnow.com/FireplaceStyles.htm .

Jon worked in construction for 10 years before starting his own local fireplace installation service 8 years ago. At his website, Jon will show you how his years of experience in the industry can help change your fireplace into the focal point of your home. To learn more about fireplace design ideas visit http://www.fireplacegate.com

Bathroom Remodeling Problems

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Plumbers - Get Free PR and Grow Your Profits

Most plumbers do not think they will be able to get their stories into the press and so do not bother trying to get any free PR. This is a mistake, PR is a very powerful method of marketing for free and any business can get a massive amount of free PR which would normally cost a serious amount of money if it was done through paid advertising.

PR actually lends a lot more credibility than traditional paid advertising because when your story is featured in the editorial of your local newspaper, TV or radio station it carries a lot more weight.

There are plenty of people who have turned their businesses around just through using PR. Just by sending a simple one page press release to their local media they got a lot of free publicity and interest in their business. Follow the strategy below as one way that you can try to get some free publicity:-

Promote yourself as an expert in your field and make sure all your local media knows about you.
Use the world around you as a backdrop for what you have to say. For instance, the winter is a time when we all need to keep warm but in the current economic climate where money is tight we want to spend as little as possible to do so. As you are a plumber you could write a one page press release about how you can help home owners keep warm and save money at the same time and include tips on insulation and getting the most from their central heating systems etc. You may need to spend a bit of time doing some research, but if you assure the public that you have some genuine information that will help them you will find it is easy to get some free publicity.

Your local media is always on the look out for fresh, exciting and unusual stories to use, so get your imagination working and come up with some interesting stories to get that free publicity that could seriously increase your business.

Plumbers discover very easy to implement marketing and internet marketing strategies to recession proof your business with this free E-Book from Marketing Man. Marketing Tips for Plumbers

Marketing Man has hundreds of Marketing Tips to help you recession proof your business. If you run a small business visit his website today to get instant free marketing tips to help you fight the credit crunch. Marketing Man

Advantages Framing With Steel

Ezekiel Prophecy - Bridge Uniting House of Judah and House of Joseph

The following is a bridge from the Native American spiritual path, the Red Road, as taught by Cherokee elder John Red Hat Duke, to Torah, the holy scriptures of our ancestors in Jerusalem, on which Judah (Jews) and Joseph (Hopi and those tribes associated with them) may unite with HaShem's blessing.

Note: The union of the House of Judah and the House of Joseph is the same event as the completion of the Hopi migration back to Jerusalem, as revealed to Dorothy by Creator. Ezekiel 37

Step 1: Observe nature with awe and gratitude. A sense of love and respect for all creation will begin to grow within me.

Creation. Our universe. The cycles of life and death. A vast composite of exquisite harmony; a truly beautiful harmonic symphony of melodious verse with each vibratory element sustaining one another, loving one another. This is truly a miracle of melodies played out in the grand scheme of creation.

HaShem's plan for humanity is wondrous and exciting! As the salmon swim upstream every year to spawn, they are led by HaShem's awesome spirit. In the wondrous scheme of HaShem's creation, all of creation follows an internal instinct, and so Jacob's children yearn to go home. HaShem has provided an inheritance for them in Judea-Samaria so His plan of creation may be fulfilled.

Step 2: Learn to trust Creator and accept my circumstances. Overcoming adversity will produce spiritual growth within me as I walk the Red Road.

Today we face great adversities, probably greater than any of us have ever seen in our lifetimes. It is also a wonderful time of great opportunity for spiritual growth. We have the potential of rising to great spiritual heights; even to the place of forgiveness, love and tolerance where we will be prepared for the coming of Messiah.

Moses' life was filled with circumstances that tested his faith in HaShem, G-d. He was instructed by Creator to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses had to trust HaShem or he would have given up on his mission before he ever began it because in his mind the work was impossible. Yet, if he had given up and not trusted HaShem, the Israelites could still be living as slaves under the Egyptians, but HaShem's plan was fulfilled. The Israelites were protected and sustained. Creator led them through the wilderness to the land of milk and honey. Through all the adversity of wandering in the wilderness, Moses had to convince the people of Israel to accept their circumstances and trust HaShem and He would lead them home.

We have a tendency to quickly enter the land of 'fire and ice," where our emotions fluctuate to extreme anger (fire) and to coldness and judgment (ice.) Now we must learn to enter the land of 'milk and honey,' where we will nourish, i.e. provide milk for all the children of Jacob with an attitude of sweet forgiveness, i.e. with the sweetness of honey. May we move beyond the place of being extremely difficult to appease to a place where we will bring joy to Jacob and all of our ancestors who wait with hopeful hearts that we will enter the land of milk and honey.

Step 3: Seek for truth within myself, that I may remove hypocrisy and evil intent from within my heart.

Creator is the third partner in procreation. It is He who gives life. It is interesting to note that procreation is the first mitzvah mentioned in the Torah, which gives it primary importance.

Children are the greatest blessing we can have in this life, and Jacob's children were no exception. They were his greatest joy, and it is said that Joseph was his favorite.

This apparently caused jealousy in the hearts of his brothers, except for Benjamin. So they contrived evil action against Joseph to get rid of him. They contemplated killing him, but ended up throwing him down a well from which he was sold into slavery in Egypt.

Joseph's brothers, including Judah, then went home and practiced possibly the greatest hypocrisy and deception of their lives. They pretended to be grief stricken, and convinced their father, Jacob, that Joseph had been mauled to death by wild animals.

However, HaShem was with Joseph, and turned the evil action of his brothers into a positive guidance and blessing for Joseph and for all of Israel.

There is a way to remove jealousy and evil intent from our hearts and return to live in the abundant blessings and unconditional love of HaShem. HaShem commanded the Israelites that He is Yahweh their God who brought them out of Egypt where they lived as slaves. They shall have no other gods to rival Him.

As we serve others with loving-kindness, we serve HaShem. As we allow His Living Waters to flow through our hearts and bring joy to others, the flowing water also purifies our own hearts through love, and this prepares our hearts to be ready for the coming of Messiah. The reason the union has not occurred between Judah and Joseph prior to now is because the people have not been ready! There has been no water in the well!

Is there any other way for all the children of Israel to regain wonderful blessed companionship with Creator except to accept each other with unconditional love and return to being the unified family of Jacob? Let's bring Joseph back home to his father and receive HaShem's blessing.

Step 4: Repent and humbly surrender my will to Creator, that I may become one with Great Spirit.

The joy of walking in harmony with Creator cannot be surpassed by any worldly activity. It produces a profound sense of peace and completeness; it answers the question, "Who am I?"

The House of Israel sinned against HaShem. We chose to live wickedly and rebel against Him. Before we can walk in harmony with Him again, we must see our own wickedness as repulsive and turn away from it in humility and repentance. We must ask HaShem's forgiveness.

We must surrender our arrogant self-will to Creator's will. For instance, He told us to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, and He declared the seventh day as the Sabbath.

Some of us feel it does not matter which day we choose to call the Sabbath, but that is not humble surrender to the will of HaShem; it is arrogant self-will! The Sabbath given to man was a blessing from HaShem, and a blessing once given cannot be changed! If we desire to walk in companionship with Him and receive of His blessing, we must repent and humbly surrender to His will.

When we have turned away from our wicked ways, and received Creator's forgiveness, then we will be ready to accept our inheritance in Judea-Samaria. Currently, Judah is in control of this area. Although HaShem has promised to join together Judah and Joseph as one stick, it will only be accomplished when the people are ready. Judah must be ready as well as the Ten Northern Tribes; the House of Joseph.

It is not enough to walk in the ways of the Noachide Laws, or to adhere to the 613 laws of the Torah. This is like singing in low bass; a very low vibration. We must sing in high tenor or soprano at a much higher vibration. We must walk the higher spiritual path of purity and unconditional love; the spiritual path of the Keetoowah, the Red Road, in the truth of the Torah. This can only be accomplished by learning to walk in the way Creator commanded when He told us to not bear any grudge against the children of His people, but to love our neighbor as ourselves. (Leviticus 19:18)

All children of Jacob, Israel, must accept one another in the way HaShem commanded before we will be ready to fulfill the prophecy in Ezekiel 37:19. May we be quick to forgive perceived wrongs, and not relish being cruel and difficult to appease. May Israel again see all his children united as one family.

Step 5: Communicate with Great Spirit from my heart; listen, and live the insight I receive.

Israel is to listen! Yahweh our G-d is one G-d, and we must love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)

Have we lost the unity between our body, mind and spirit? Is our worship of HaShem lip service only? We can try to convince others that we walk with HaShem by speaking about holy things. However, our actions speak much louder than our words, and our actions betray what is in our hearts, and what is in our hearts is who we really are.

Some Israelites were thorns in the side of Moses. They tried to convince the people that they should return to Egypt to the good life. These are the dark forces that are with us still.

Today, Joseph wants to return home and claim his inheritance, but there are those who would deny him that which HaShem has provided, saying Joseph's children are an abomination in the sight of Creator and would only destroy eretz Israel if they were allowed to return.

Judah is refusing to invite Joseph back home, and in some ways he has good reason. The Ten Northern Tribes of Israel have not been living as a light reflecting the wonderful love of HaShem. They have assimilated into the many Nations of the world and many of them are living in idolatry today.

But what has Judah done to draw them back into the love of HaShem? Where is the light that would light the pathway for the rest of Jacob's children to find their way back into the joyous place of living in harmony with Creator? Judah, herself, does not appear to carry this light!

We must rise above the material world of law, only, into the spiritual world of HaShem. It is here that love resides; that HaShem resides. It is here that Light exists. It is here that our thoughts exist and we make our choices.

Creator has given us instruction; we are to have a heart full of unconditional love. If we refuse to accept our brothers and sisters of the House of Israel with unconditional love and forgiveness, and with a helpful spirit to help each other prepare to stand before HaShem in purity and truth, then we are a hypocritical people; we worship HaShem with our lips only! We must live His commands if we are to truly be His people! We must love our people as ourselves; all the children of Jacob!

Step 6: Learn true abstinence. It is in serving others, with an attitude of loving-kindness that I create a flow of Living Waters which will purify my heart.

Joseph served his Egyptian master well. Even when he was falsely accused and imprisoned, he retained his attitude of servitude and loving-kindness by interpreting the dreams of the chief cup-bearer and the chief baker. When the pharaoh had two dreams and could find no one to interpret them, the chief cup-bearer remembered Joseph and told the Pharaoh how he had interpreted his and the chief baker's dreams accurately.

So the Pharaoh called Joseph to him and asked him to interpret his dreams. He did so, and then suggested how the Pharaoh should govern in the approaching times of plenty and famine.

Pharaoh approved of his suggestions and the interpretation of his dreams, and therefore promoted Joseph to chancellor. Only his own throne was above Joseph.

Joseph was blessed by HaShem, and because Pharaoh accepted Joseph into his household, he prospered.

Joseph knew and acknowledged that it was HaShem who interpreted the dreams. He also knew that when he served others, he served Creator.

When Joseph's brothers came to him during the famine and asked for food, Joseph lovingly fed them and provided additional food for them and their families. It was this service with loving-kindness that created tremendous joy in Joseph's heart; the joy of serving HaShem.

Jacob's family was reunited, and the flow of love, the flow of Living Waters, moved them all to tears. This is why water is used as the symbol for the cleansing of the soul. Flowing water purifies, and love flowing from HaShem through compassionate servants like Joseph purify their hearts with the flow of living waters.

This same joy will be experienced again when Joseph's brothers serve HaShem by welcoming Joseph's children and the other members of the House of Israel home. It is then that HaShem will establish a new covenant with the House of Judah and the House of Israel. It will be a covenant written in the heart, a covenant of unconditional love without judgment. It will be a time of great joy and abundant blessing as we experience the wonderful love and compassion of HaShem.

Step 7: Attain complete, joyous harmony with Great Spirit; walk the Red Road. This requires that I totally surrender my will to the will of Creator, and love others unconditionally without judgment because that is who I am.

IAM is calling. Have we forgotten how to listen to His voice? Have Judah and the House of Israel become deaf to the voice of HaShem and turned to self-worship in the ways of the world?

We must return to the ways of the traditional ancestors if we would be ready to welcome Messiah (Masaau). We must return to the ways of Abraham, and the ways HaShem taught Moses when he called His children out of Egypt; out of bondage into a land of milk and honey.

We are invited to enter the land of milk and honey and we can do this by inviting our children home with a sweet, forgiving spirit.

It is time to do more than talk about HaShem and about holy things. It is time to BE that which we were created to be. It is time to become one with the wonderful, awesome IAM; to walk in companionship with Him as Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.

Joseph was a wonderful example, and we can do this as he did. With a forgiving spirit, he fed his brothers when they came to ask for food from him in Egypt during the famine.

Joseph depicted a man totally surrendered to the will of HaShem, else he would have judged his brothers guilty and unconditional love and forgiveness would not have been possible.

Joseph walked the Red Road by fulfilling HaShem's Law of Love, and now Joseph's children are asking his brothers to complete HaShem's plan of Creation by walking in companionship with them along the Red Road and inviting them to come home. Will HaShem hold Judah guiltless if they do any less?

For more information about gaining eternal life in the presence of Creator, and about the return of the long awaited Hopi Pahana, read the books Red Hat Speaks, and Red Hat's Wisdom, by Dorothy K. Daigle. These books can be ordered from any bookstore or online from http://www.iuniverse.com or Amazon.com

Dorothy was taught by Cherokee elder and wisdom keeper, John Red Hat Duke, for over ten years in the Keetoowah Cherokee spiritual ways, in Eastern philosophy, and in Judaism. She was raised Christian so she has a good working knowledge of Christianity. She now follows no religion but strives to walk the Red Road spiritual path according to Jesus' teachings.

She received her call from Creator in the fall of '92, and was then taught by the great prophet Elijah for four years. She was given four assurances by Creator when He called her. She was told that she was anointed by the Holy One of Israel, that she would be protected until this work was done, that Creator would go before her whenever He sent her somewhere, and that she did not have to prove herself to anyone. She is one of Creator's prophesied Two Witnesses. She carries wisdom of many years of living under Creator's guidance and direction.

Starting With Simple Things

3 Water Treatment System Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

Let's face it. Buying a water treatment system for your home is no small purchase. If you are currently in the market for one of these in-home water purification systems, I'd like to make you aware of 3 mistakes you should avoid at all costs when making your purchasing decision.

Mistake #1 - Assuming that clean drinking water is your only concern.

While making sure that your family has safe, clean water to drink, you also have to remember that the best water treatment should cover your cooking and bathing/showering needs, as well as, protection from plumbing pipe corrosion.

It doesn't do you any good to drink clean water, but eat food that's been cooked in water containing dangerous chemical toxins like herbicides and pesticides.

Furthermore, if you purify your drinking water, but use regular tap water to bathe and shower, you're being exposed to high levels of chlorine. Chlorine not only strips your skin of essential oils, but it also creates a harmful gas in the shower steam. This chlorinated steam can aggravate asthma and other respiratory sensitivities.

All the chemicals contained in unfiltered tap water have the potential of leaching lead, copper and other heavy metals from the pipes in your home's plumbing. These metals are poisonous and can have a serious effect on the health of your family...especially small children.

Mistake #2 - Relying on bottled water as an effective water treatment system.

The bottled water industry has enjoyed an explosive success due to consumer awareness of dangerous water pollution. The problem with thinking that bottled water uses the best water treatment is that it's a complete fallacy. There are absolutely NO government standards or regulations requiring bottled water to be any cleaner or safer than tap water. A water company could be filling these bottles with a garden hose, slapping on a label that reads, "pure mountain spring water" and you would never know the difference.

Even if bottled water companies make an effort to purify their water, you are still left with the plastic waste that these bottles create. Over 60,000,000 plastic water bottles a day are being dumped in land fills. In my way of thinking, this is NOT the best water treatment system.

Mistake #3 - Purchasing a water purification system that requires expensive add-ons and heavy maintenance.

Reverse osmosis and distillation are popular water purification systems that have some technical problems when it comes to filtering certain contaminants. There is a whole host of chemical toxins and dangerous bacteria that these systems, by themselves, cannot get rid of. I won't bore you with details, but it involves the molecular size of these toxins.

If you want to get rid of these water polluters, a reverse osmosis or distillation water treatment system will require a carbon filter add-on. This is an on-going expense and inconvenience as these filters must be purchased and changed on a regular basis.

Additionally, a reverse osmosis water treatment system requires a diaphragmed storage tank due to the slow speed of clean water production.

These are unnecessary expenses when you consider that there is a less expensive, more comprehensive and convenient water treatment system available.

So now what?

It is probably apparent that I've done some research when it comes to the best water treatment system. I believe that a system based on multi-stage filtration is the most effective when it comes to removing most chemical pollutants and bacteria. I say "most" because I've learned that there isn't any water treatment system that can be 100% certain.

That being said, however, multi-stage filtration comes as close as possible. The cutting-edge technology behind multi-stage filtration means that you can rest easy knowing that you're providing safe, clean water for every household use. Multi-stage filtration products come in a wide variety of convenient appliances...including whole-house filter systems.

If you want to see what these innovative appliances look like, just visit my web site. There you will find pictures and more information about my recommendation for the best water treatment system, based upon my extensive research.

Article written by Olivia Romero - "There are many reasons why we need clean, healthy water but there's one that has to rank as the most important of all." Visit http://www.cleancoolwater.com to find out what it is.

Painting A French Door

Spiritual Ethical Will - Giving the Gift of Tradition

Spiritual ethical wills are different from a last will and testament. Instead of bequeathing physical assets, ethical wills bequeath personal insights, morals and philosophies. If you are looking for a gift that will keep on giving then invest in the development of a spiritual ethical will.

Parts of an Ethical Will

An ethical will can be formatted in a number of different ways, however, most formats will have the same basic sections. The first section will be the introduction. It will identify who the ethical will is intended for and what its purpose is. The second section will contain personal insights into life, philosophies and values that the writer has. The final section will point out what the reader is supposed to learn from the will, such as cherishing time with their family or learning to be charitable.

Writing Your Ethical Will

Writing your ethical will can be an intimidating process. People who do not write a lot may feel as if the process of composing and editing an ethical will is more than they can handle, or they may feel that they just don't have the time to write one. Fortunately, you don't have to sit down and write the entire thing in one night, nor do you have to write an ethical will that is 100 pages long.

The writing process for an ethical will needs to start with an outline and a brainstorming session. The outline will help you to format your ethical will and the brainstorming session will help you to flesh out the ethical will. There are a lot of brainstorming activities that you can try including word association and freewriting.

The next step is to develop the topics you entered in your outline. To do this you will need to try and write at least one paragraph per topic. You can talk about memories, you can provide examples or you can just discuss your thoughts about the topic.

After you have a first draft completed you will want to put away your will for at least a week. When you take it back out you will be able to look at it with fresh eyes. This will make it easier to edit your will. Start by reading through the ethical will out loud. This will help you to find grammatical mistakes, typos and sentence flow problems.

Get more tips for writing an ethical will at Spiritual Ethical Will.

Developing Wealth Building Habit

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Pleasing, Perfect Patios

Scope
A good starting point will be to undertake a site assessment and analysis of the client needs and user requirements. The adage 'don't fire a canon to kill a fly', comes to mind, therefore from the outset it is important to determine the scope, i.e., how will the area(s) be used, by whom, how many users and when do these needs arise. Scope can also influence patio layout/profile and indeed levels, and these aspects are important factors to be considered in developing a creative but distinctive patio layout.

Position
Some of the previous questions might be obvious, but how many times have we seen patios which are too small or worse are poorly positioned for the event? Too sunny or more likely too shaded and cold when being used? Put simply if the main activity and time of day is around 'lunch events' then it would be obvious that the patio position should reflect this need. It is important to note site characteristics, all level might be fine for many people but some might be challenged by variable levels. The latter can also be exploited in the design and layout. Site orientation including the direction of sun travel should be noted as well as the positions of the sunny but also the shaded areas and the relevant times. Again this will be important for planning the various patio areas for breakfast, lunch and evening/dinner activities. Frequently space availability (or lack of) and site orientation do frequently impinge on patio positioning options. Typically patios are used more in evenings and are therefore positioned away from the house so as to catch the evening sun. In order cases, some very fortunate users may have separate patios and thus optimum positioning options for sun and/or shade.

Size
An area to sit, read and eat will have different space needs. Small sites do limit options, access routes can also influence size. Too small and the area will appear cramp, unappealing and probably unusable. Too large and perhaps 'car park look' comes to mind. Getting the balance right will be influenced by a number of factors scope, space availability etc. As a general guide, we would recommend that the minimum airspace/footprint should be 3.0 metre/10 feet, but with space availability permitting a better layout would be in the range 4.5m-5.0m/15-16 feet. This area allows for adults to sit comfortably at tables or later stretch the legs without fear of running out of space. In smaller sites, which may necessitate the use of compact but round tables, typically minimum diameters would be 3.0m/10feet, but these are small spaces for 4-6 adults.

Therefore for groups comprising 4-6 adults, the practical size requirements for the main patio area would be approx 4.5m x 5.0m or 15ft x 16ft. Clearly reading areas or informal /alfresco areas will require much less space. Access routes should be a minimum of 1.2m-1.5m /4-5 feet wide. There is little point building pedestrian routes/pathways 3.0m/10feet wide? Better to reduce the paved space and space gained utilise for additional planting/lawn/features?

Transition
One frequently (very popular with designers/architects) comes across the expression 'seamless transition'. What does this expression mean? Essentially this refers to the physical extension of the interior area to the exterior space, in which one leads from the former to the latter. In otherwords the garden or 'outdoor room' appears as an integral part of the house. To exit the interior and enter the exterior space ideally on same level, continuity of colour and textures, no steps and an open aspect or view to the garden area. The traditional French-style patio doors opening out to a patio area with panoramic garden views comes to mind! Incorporating planted beds within the patio areas and also against the house walls not only contributes to achieving a seamless transition but also a much more attractive patio area that is more integrated within garden but probably a more cost effective utilisation of available space. What should be avoided at all costs, is where the patio area is simply a buffer zone stretching the width of the site and a simple division between house and garden.

Construction
There is an increasing but vast range of patio materials from which to choose. The unique characteristics and appeal of natural paving stone is very popular, with sandstone, granite, and limestone being the most popular. Colour, size and orientation should also be carefully considered within the overall preferred garden style. For example, warm earthy sandstone tones might appeal or be more compatible with traditional Victorian/Mixed Border style Herbaceous gardens, but the light or neutral tones of granite paving might be stunning in more contemporary or minimalist gardens. The paving patterns can also influence the overall look, small complex patterns might be ideal for 'townhouse gardens' but appear fussy in larger sites. Large rectangular slabs can be laid to emphasise the width or turned around to stretch the length. The slab size must also conform to design style, a traditional layout for a larger area might involve a random joint incorporating 4 or more sizes of paving slab. A contemporary layout might be one size laid in a staggered or 'soldier course'.

Texture
Where possible try and introduce texture, ideally in various forms of the primary material. For example, if you are planning on constructing a patio with sandstone, do consider using sandstone risers for steps but also sandstone setts for lawn edging and sandstone chippings for borders and trims. Not only will this provide interesting textural contrasts but a more coordinated effect. Whereas some might prefer the visual contrast of mixing apples with oranges, I would much prefer a more coherent appearance of one material and use layout to reflect functionality but also visual contrast.

Obstacles
In many cases there is no scope to reposition/remove unsightly utilities such as rainwater downpipes, gulleys, manholes, inspection chambers etc. But the presence of many of these unsightly necessities can be disguised or concealed by design. Recess frames are excellent to conceal covers but provide easy access to waste water, and integrated planted beds can be positioned to conceal pipework etc.

Finally the perfect patio is an integrated space that requires careful and creative planning but must also be well constructed if maximum enjoyment is to be realised.

The author is Director of OWEN CHUBB GARDEN LANDSCAPES LIMITED, an established and award winning garden landscaping company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company offers clients a complete landscaping service including Garden Design, Construction & Planting.

For more information about company and inspiring aspects of landscaping, visit:

http://www.owenchubblandscapers.com

Getting Rid Of Horrible Attic Sm

Spiritual Affirmation - Healing Your Inner Self With Spiritual Affirmations

From childhood to adulthood, the knowledge we gain or the experiences we have in our lives only helps us to discover our outer personality and brings us closer to material things of this world. At the same time we sometimes get depressed or fall into a low self-esteem Problem. Spiritual Affirmations help us get out of these problems. Spiritual Affirmations leads us towards a happy and satisfying life with a peaceful mind.

Affirmations are a judgment that we pass or any thought we have. An affirmation is directly linked to our sub consciousness. Affirmations can either be negative or positive which can either guide our subconscious actions to a successful life or towards failure.

Spiritual Affirmations are a form of meditation which when mediated often, have a desirable results. For example if a person has a lack of confidence or self-esteem problem sit in a peaceful, quiet place with some spiritual affirmations in your mind, let the emotions flow to you and start saying the spiritual affirmations aloud, 'I believe in myself' or 'My inner self will always guide me towards right path with decisions that are beneficial to me and others'.

The key behind spiritual affirmations is to let go of all your negative thoughts and trust completely in yourself. Instead of thinking 'This project is too difficult for me' try thinking 'I am capable of anything and obstacles do not effect me or my work'. Once you adopting this kind of spiritual affirmation you will notice a positive and healthy change in your life.

The best way to carry out spiritual affirmation technique is to release your mind of any negative thought, sit in a peaceful and quiet place, relax and visualize any positive spiritual affirmation such as 'My mind is at peace now'. At the same time try to use simple words and sentences which can easily be interpreted by our mind and mind can easily accept it to be true.

Spiritual affirmations not only help to achieve a peaceful mind and happy life but also helps us draw closer to God. Remember God and His blessings as much as possible while utilizing the spiritual affirmation technique. For example "I let my renewed soul thank God for His blessings" or 'I release my old self and reborn with a new pure soul'. The most acceptable and commonly used word in spiritual affirmation is 'Amen' meaning 'so be it'. While some of us use it to conclude our prayer, it can be used for spiritual affirmation.

For a positive result spiritual affirmation needs to be repeated many times for effectiveness. Write down any positive thought you get maybe in a diary, on a piece of card or whichever way is convenient to you. Review them daily to get your mind to completely accept these thoughts. Preferably review them twice a day. Initially during spiritual affirmation technique we will also get negative thoughts. Note down these thoughts as well and at the end of the day review them and try replacing them with something more positive. Once you perform this spiritual affirmation technique on a regular basis you will find a positive change in yourself with a renewed spirit.

Robert Watson is a certified hypnotherapist with the ABH and the NGH, and has worked with affirmations and subliminal messages for over ten years. Visit his Subliminal Messages website for more information about using affirmations and subliminal messages to help you lose weight, quit smoking, have a more positive outlook and more.

Habits To Prevent Losing Things

Books on Home Building - Professional Advice

If you're a do it yourself or or a homeowner who every once in a while, once to tackle a small or large project but doesn't know where to begin, can gather useful information from home building books. I have been using these books for years and may have been worth their weight in gold.

I started my career working for my father and my father worked for his father as a Carpenter. Our job was to frame the house and we built a Lotta homes. I learned how to frame and developed some great carpentry skills from my father and working with other skilled carpenters. Over the years, if you're paying attention, even a monkey can figure out, how to assemble almost anything.

The only problem that I faced, was learning how to build the rest of the home. I would often ask questions to other building trades like plumbers, electricians, roofers and construction superintendents. Some of these people were helpful and others were not. When I was in my early 30s, I purchased my first book on home building. This book lead to other books and soon I found myself with more home building knowledge that my father.

I had about 50 books on home building and soon found myself doing large home remodels, with no formal education. I would attribute almost everything that I learned outside of house framing to books. These books have proven invaluable to me over the years and with a relatively small investment. I couldn't have spent over $200 purchasing these books but have used the knowledge from them to save myself thousands of dollars.

One $20 home building books or home repairs, can save you lots of money, if you're willing to do a little research and the labor to complete almost any home building project.

By the way, if you're interested in learning how to repair a roof, build your own house, interior decorating, structural engineering, building a deck, gathering some more information about home painting or even remodeling your bathroom. An online home building bookstore can save you money if you're willing to do the work.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping

If your looking for some more home inspection or home building ideas

Structural Framing Beams

Friday, July 17, 2009

What Needs to Change to Become Your Authentic Self?

Becoming your Authentic Self is a process of deprogramming who you were trained to be and rebuilding your perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors to be in alignment with who you were born to be.

And this means change.

"Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die!"

There is good reason why humans resist change. The inborn survival instinct does not want to risk losing what it has in exchange for the uncertainty of change.

The dilemma for the person on the spiritual path is that you must change in order to grow. My Awakening Your Light Body teacher, Duane Packer, often shared this quote: "If you want to have what you've never had, you will need to do what you've never done."

The good news is that the more spiritually evolved you become, the more tools and skills you have for consciously creating your reality.

Although it is quite tempting to believe that if only the other person (or situation) would change all would be well in our world, at some point in our spiritual growth we come to accept that our outside reality is a reflection of our inner reality. It is said that we don't see the world as it is; we see the world as we are. It is a big leap forward in spiritual awakening to understand that what we experience in our outer life is a reflection of our inner life.

The great thing is we can change our mind any time we want and start focusing on how we want our life to be (instead of focusing on what we don't want and creating more of that!)

As Nelson Mandela has said: "We must become the change we want to see in the world."

A good question to ask when you are not liking a life situation:

"What belief, attitude, behavior, or perspective do I need to change so I can be joyful in this situation?"

Once we get past wanting to blame someone else for our unhappiness, it is not too hard to take the next step and ask what we need to change about ourselves.

Is it possible that something as simple as asking what we need to change in ourselves can turn around a seemingly impossible situation? Yes!

How do I know? Because I have done it. The hardest part is acknowledging that the unpleasant outside circumstance is a result of something inside of me. But as the saying goes, "do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?" At this point on my spiritual path I have found myself to be "wrong" so often that I am used to noticing my "faults" and owning what is true no matter how embarrassing, silly, stupid (all judgments, by the way) it is. I encourage you if you have a situation that is causing you unhappiness, use it as an opportunity to ask "What do I need to change in myself so this situation gets better?"

I know you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Jennifer T. Grainger, B.Msc.,Spiritual Growth Coach & Mentor, Founder of http://www.SpiritualGrowthCommunity.com, an online resource center for people exploring their spirituality. Sign up now for a fr^ee membership and receive Jennifer's guided meditation:"Sitting in the Stillness". In this meditation you will connect with your Divine Self for guidance, inspiration and expanded consciousness. Sign Up Now! http://www.SpiritualGrowthCommunity.com

Structuring Your 24 Hour Day

Building Your Lake Home

You might have a dream of building a lake home for retirement, for enjoying summers at the lake or for an investment. No matter what your reason for owning a lake home by starting out with a good builder and knowing some of the basics about home building, you will be able to have a positive experience during the home building process.

Start by looking in your area for a builder that suits your needs and has a good reputation in the area. Make sure that the builder is sensitive to your needs and will listen to what you want in a lake home. Notice whether promises are kept or broken. Some contractors are skilled at giving good impressions early but lack the character to do what they say. You can save yourself many headaches by learning to spot this deficiency early on.

Ask your builder the following questions:

  1. How many years of experience do you have in building lake homes?
  2. What special skills and qualifications do you have to offer?
  3. What happens if the project goes over-budget?
  4. What type of homes do you normally build?
  5. How much input will we have into the design of the home?
  6. Are you licensed and insured?
  7. Who is responsible to get building permits?

Take your time when looking for a builder. Some of the best builders in the area may be booked up several months in advance, but they also may be able to fit you in as many times builders work on several homes at one time. For instance, as the concrete is drying and setting up at one location, they may be doing the framing on another home.

Have a one-on-one meeting with the builder and see if he/she is open to your ideas and suggestions. Does the builder give you his/her complete attention? Or is he busy taking phone calls during your meeting? If so, the builder might not devote his/her full attention to your project. Then ask to meet some of the key staff who will be working on the home. Do the employees seem professional and interested in their work?

By taking your time when looking for a builder, you will go a long way in the process of having what you want in your lake home. Make your dream home a reality by taking things one step at a time - and starting with a qualified builder.

For more information about what to look for when building your lake home go www.bluestoneconst.com.

Jim Raboin and Larry McCulley are co-owners of BlueStone Construction (http://www.bluestoneconst.com) and have over 20 years of experience in the building industry. Jim has been in the building industry since the early 1990's and is a visionary who has built BlueStone on the idea of giving more than is expected. Jim has close to 15 years of residential construction experience and is fast becoming known as a new kind of developer/construction leader in the Brainerd Lakes region. Larry McCulley has been in the building industry since 2000. He has built BlueStone by taking what he has learned from our clients and creating truly unique lakehomes that reflect their lifestyles. Achieving excellence through relationship building is his passion. Larry has 7 years of commercial and residential construction experience and received his bachelors degree in construction management from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Fixings Squeaking Stairs

Tips on Installing Stair Rods

Stair rods are the thin pieces of either metal or plastic that fit to the base of each stair riser to hold your staircase carpet runner in place. This not only protects the carpet and stops it from moving from position, but it also increases safety measures as people are less likely to fall or trip on carpet sections that have come loose from the stairs. You also have the added benefit of a decorative, attractive finish to your carpet, which adds charm and style to your staircase.

Even though stair carpets should be fitted with grippers to help avoid any movement in the carpet, stair rods form an extra means of securing your carpets, but they simply are not strong enough to form the only means of securing them.

Stair rods are available in several materials and several decorative finishes to suit any taste or decor. They range from various timbers or chrome finish to iron or brass, there are so many styles available that you will easily find one available to suit you and your home.

It is possible to order stair rods that are made to measure, but it is important that you get your initial measurements correct to ensure correct fitting and to avoid ending up with stair rods that are too short.

Most staircase carpets are fitted inside each stair riser, so you will need to measure not only the width of your carpet but also add extra length for the finial, or decorative end piece. This means the measurement you supply will be a tip-to-tip measurement from the end of one finial to the end of the other. As stair rods are front fitted, this means you can add them to carpet runners or stairs that are completely carpeted.

When installing your stair rods you should mount the bracket firmly onto the staircase so that it sits directly alongside the edge of the carpet. It is recommended that you drill a pilot hole first for easier installation.

Attach the finials or decorative end pieces to the rods and secure them in place using small screws so they don't come off. Once both brackets are installed, lay the stair rod in the brackets being sure that the rod protrudes an equal distance from the bracket on each end. You should check that the rod overhangs the carpet runner an equal distance on each side, and then carefully screw the top half of the bracket to the bottom bracket piece to secure the stair rod in place.

If you are installing stair rods to fully carpeted stairs you may require longer screws to hold the brackets in place as the screw will need to go through the carpet and the underlay before it can grip to the stair riser.

Once your stair rods are installed, you should be able to enjoy a stylish accent to your staircase that not only looks great but is amazingly low maintenance. Stair rods don't require cleaning with cleaning products; simply wipe them with a clean cloth to maintain their protective lacquer coating and their fine finish.

Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who represents a number of UK businesses. For flooring accessories, he recommends Completely Flooring, one of the UK's leading suppliers of Stair Rods.

Bathroom Remodeling Problems

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Dream Walking - Where Do You Go To

Dream walking and astral travelling are very similar. Astral travelling tends to be something you do alone, where dream walking is a more conscious experience where you can choose who goes with you.

It is good to set your intentions when going to sleep. You can ask your Higher Self for help with a problem or you can consciously choose to go on an adventure, using your powers of visualization and imagination.

If you have friends who are open to spiritual experiences, you could chat with them in advance and invite them along on the adventure. Distance is no object, so you can even arrange this on Chat or by SMS messaging in advance.

When bedtime comes, go to bed in a relaxed and happy way and if you feel any tension in your body, just spend a few minutes releasing that consciously, becoming aware of the different parts of your body.

Breathe into these areas and relax and expand your consciousness. Feel the more subtle aspects of the physical body  the organs, the cells and molecules; and become aware of your Energy Body or Aura, which permeates throughout the physical body.

Allow the Electromagnetic Power in your Aura to expand and connect to more aspects of yourself by grounding yourself to the Earth, reaching up with your consciousness and feelings to the planets around the Sun in our solar system and feeling their influence, like archangels guiding one's destiny.

As you connect more and more with your Energy Body and the Energy Matrix of the Zero Point Field, which is talked about in Quantum Physics, feel your chakra centres activating and coming alive. Feel the multidimensional aspects of yourself opening up and connecting you with your spirit family, healing helpers and guides within and beyond the veil. You may feel your power increasing like a magnetic presence or charisma comes around you.

When the energies feel right, remember your intentions at the beginning of the process and who is coming with you. Reach out with your feelings and start a telepathic communication with the friends you would like to take with you. You do this deep in your heart with a faint starring in your feelings; it is more the intention to send the message than anything verbal.

If they are ready too, choose to slip out of your physical body into your Energy Body and choose to focus with your feelings on the images in your imagination. See yourself soaring through time and space. This is a process of transcending your physical body consciously becoming aware if the finer and finer aspects of Self, until you transcend the physical into your light body.

Remember that you do not really travel out of yourself: you just choose to make yourself bigger and move your awareness around inside of your Self, which truly is the whole universe. It is like moving your awareness from your head to your big toe, travel from your head to your toe; you just became aware of a different aspect of yourself. So choose to feel yourself as the Universe in this expanded transcendental awareness and then choose which aspect to be aware of.

It is all about focus of intention and what you choose to create; either alone or with the friends you have chosen to have this experience with you. Connect fully to the senses in your Energy or Light Body. This is like being aware of your senses in Sixth Sense Mode.

Feel your surroundings, the warmth of the sun, the wind in your hair; smell the flowers and the freshly cut grass in the hay meadows. Start a conversation with your friend and hear their voice in your ears. Feel their hand in yours as you walk along together. You are using your powers of visualization, imagination and mixing these with your passion and desire in a very subtle dream state.

Then fully open up your imagination and your Self to the multi-dimensions of experiences you can choose to create in this state of consciousness. Enjoy your Dream Walk. Remember you are only limited by your imagination, in this state of awareness all things are possible. Please focus on the good and life supporting aspects, which will help you and your friends, live a happier more fulfilled life.

When you are finished bring your Light Body/awareness back to the here and now, reconnect with your physical body again and enjoy the rest of your night's sleep. Thank all your friends who helped with this process and send them loving thoughts.

By George E. Lockett SSHA, IIHHT -- HealerGeorge(C) Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Tel: +44 (0)1286 882701 Visit HealerGeorge's web site to experience the power of Distant Healing or listen to HealerGeorge Radio giving Questions and Answer advice mixed with Spiritual Music. You can also enjoy many free benefits on HealerGeorge, like listening to Free Guided Meditations. Why not order HealerGeorge's Latest book entitled "A Journey into The Self - The Multi-dimensional Nature of Being Human" By George E Lockett. It is all available off the web site. HealerGeorge Web Site and New Book

Description: What is this book going to do for YOU? For those who are seeking a complete energetic makeover, as you read it you will feel a stirring and awakening in the depths of your heart. For those who have questions about Shifts in Consciousness, Energy Balancing, and Healing within the body, you will find clear answers.

Creating A Habit