How to choose your perfect property match

If only we had the proverbial dollar for every time someone asked us, "Which property should I buy?" The mistake most buyers make is that they ask this question first, when it should be the last in a long line of others.

They choose a property and build their purchasing strategy around it, rather than developing a strategy and then finding a property to suit it.

In doing so, they run a higher risk of choosing a property that won't deliver the lifestyle or financial benefits they need. It may even put them behind the eight-ball, making it harder to play catch-up down the track.

To choose the property that really is right for you, start with the most basic question. Do you want a property to live in or to rent out?

If a place to live in is what you're after, it's important to choose one that will cater for the way you live - not just now but for the medium to long term. Property is expensive to buy and expensive to sell, so why spend thousands on stamp duty and agents' fees until you absolutely have to? By holding the property for seven to 10 years, you'll also give capital growth a chance to do its work; an important consideration even when you're buying primarily for lifestyle purposes.

Take a close look at your lifestyle. How many people will be living in the property? Are you intending to start a family during the time you live in the property? Do you already have children? How old are they now, and how old will they be in seven to 10 years' time? Will they need a lot of outdoor space to run around in or is their indoor space more important? If you buy a smaller property now, will you need to extend it as your family's needs change?

Do you want to live in a certain area to access your preferred schools or tertiary institutions? If you work in an office, can you commute by public transport, or do you prefer to drive? If you're planning to work at home, what kind of floor plan might you need to separate your working life from your home environment?

If you want to buy a property purely as an investment, your lifestyle requirements and personal preferences must take a back seat. It doesn't matter if you don't like the property and wouldn't live in it yourself. The important factor is whether it will deliver the right financial outcomes.

This is where the next question comes in. What's more important to you - capital growth or income?

If you're in your working years it's generally best to focus on capital growth because that's what will build your equity, or wealth base. You can use your working salary to fund the purchase and pay the mortgage. As time goes by and your equity increases, you can borrow against the equity to buy further wealth-building assets. As you approach retirement, however, and the prospect of 20 or 30 years without a salary looms large, it's more important to focus on property that will deliver enough rental income for you to live on.

As a rule, residential property is best for capital growth because its chief value lies in the land it sits on, not in the building. Look in areas with a limited supply of properties but considerable demand from buyers.

By contrast, commercial property is your best bet for income replacement because the main value of the property lies in the building and the rental income commercial tenants can generate. Focus on fast-growing population corridors with increasing demand for services like petrol stations and convenience stores.

Can't afford to buy commercial property or want to diversify and spread risk? Consider a commercial property trust instead.

Article by: Mark Armstrong, David Johnston

How to Choose a Wedding Consultant: 18 Essential Questions

Ever thought of hiring a wedding consultant? Before you do, it would be best to check out his or her credentials. Robbi Ernst, III of June Wedding, Inc. has prepared some questions for you to ask before hiring anyone:


1. Does the consultant have a business license or at least a DBA registration?

2. If you meet the consultant in his/her home, do they have liability insurance?

3. How long have they been in business?

4. What professional organizations do they belong to? (NOTE: while belonging to an association is important, realize that there are some unprofessional organizations and associations and often their only requirement is paying dues).

5. How many weddings do they do a year?

6. Ask for at least five vendor referrals (vendor referrals are other professionals in the area; vendor referrals are usually more reliable than bridal referrals).

7. Is the Consultant Certified; if so, by whom? Again, check out that Association that gave the certification.

8. Does the Consultant have a contract? Ask for a copy.

9. Does the Consultant have a staff or "back-up" system in case he/she becomes unavailable on your wedding day?

10. Does the Consultant accept referral fees/commissions? Do NOT work with any consultant who receives referral fees/commissions.

11.What does the Consultant do? Are they able to work with you on an individual meeting basis or do they only work on the full production?

12. Check out well the referrals that the Consultant gives you. Do they have good reputations in the local business community? Do they all have licenses, insurance and health permits (if they are in the food industry)?

13. Will the Consultant work within your budget?

14. Does the Consultant seem organized, efficient, able to listen to your ideas and translate them into reality?

15. How and what amount does the Consultant charge....and what are they doing for that fee?

16. How often will the Consultant provide you with written updates on your wedding planning?

17. Will the Consultant be at the Rehearsal and Wedding Day
throughout? Is this within the fee quoted or is it additional?

18. How will the Consultant be attired on the day of the wedding?

Tips by: Robbi Ernst, III

Banana Bread

Prep time: about 90 minutes

Ingredients:

* 2 eggs
* 1 3/4 c. sifted flour
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/4 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/3 c. vegetable oil
* 2/3 c. sugar
* 1 c. mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)

Utensils:

* oven (You'll need help from your adult assistant.)
* measuring cups and spoons
* mixer
* sifter
* spatula
* small bowl
* medium-size bowl
* large bowl
* bread pan coated with nonstick spray

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
2. Beat eggs well in a small bowl.
3. In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In a large bowl, add the vegetable oil. Add the sugar a little bit at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy.
5. Add the eggs to the mixture in the large bowl and beat well.
6. Add some of the flour mixture to the large bowl and beat well. Then add some of the mashed bananas and beat some more. Continue adding flour, then bananas, then flour, then bananas, until everything is mixed in.
7. Pour mixture into the baking pan. Bake for 70 minutes.
8. Flip your banana bread out of the pan, let it cool for a bit, and cut it into slices to eat and share!

Serves: 16

Recipe by: Kids Health

Top 5 ‘Green’ Fountain Tips

Always go with re-circulating fountains rather than fountains that have a dedicated water source. Re-circulating fountains pump the same water through the fountain over and over again instead of constantly consuming fresh water from a pipeline. All small fountains (such as tabletop and wall fountains) and most medium to large outdoor fountains re-circulate water, but if you’re thinking about having a custom fountain made for your home or business, nix the idea of having a water line installed. In most cases (unless we’re talking about giant fountain installations like, say, the ones at the palace of Versailles), a dedicated water source isn’t necessary and is just wasteful.

Choose solar powered fountains, or fountains made of recycled and/or rapidly renewable materials. As we told you a few weeks ago, choosing solar power when available is a no brainer. Check out the selection of solar fountains at KineticFountains.com – there are a wide range of beautiful, high quality designs to choose from. In addition to solar power, bamboo fountains are an excellent eco-friendly choice. Not only do they add a tranquil feel to any interior or exterior space, they take advantage of the world’s fastest growing plant instead of using harmful plastics or non-renewable natural resources.

Sl_4541 Use an outdoor fountain to create a mini ecosystem in your garden. Water fountains can be a wonderful basis for an eco-friendly backyard wildlife retreat. Place a solar birdbath fountain among butterfly-attracting native plants; provide squirrels, caterpillars and other creatures places to hide and nest with low-growing bushes, dead tree limbs and mossy rocks. It will be beautiful for you to look at, and will help to make up for the nature that has been displaced by the construction of your home and others nearby.

Use natural, non-toxic water treatments. Fountec and Protec are excellent choices which are highly effective without causing harm to the environment. Fountec kills and inhibits the growth of algae in fountain water quickly and easily, without the use of bleach or dangerous chemicals. Protec contains a unique blend of organo-phosphonates to protect against both white calcium mineral buildup and metallic stains. Both water treatments are safe for use around wildlife and pets. Protec treated water can even be used in water gardens where fish and plant life are present.

Ditch the bottled distilled water. The old advice about preventing mineral scale by using distilled water is out. Bottled water is simply wasteful. Natural water treatments like Protec do the job just as well, without creating waste or harming the environment. Plus, they’re less expensive and more convenient. No need to lug gallons of distilled water out to your garden fountain and spend your valuable time pouring them in when you can just add a little bit of water treatment to your faucet/hose water once a week or so.

Tips by: The Joy Of Water Fountain

Build A Healthy Relationship - 10 Tips

From the moment we're born, we begin to build relationships. Ideally, strong parental bonds are developed in infancy, as these will become the bases upon which all other relationships are built. Friendships, business associations and romantic partnerships are all constructed upon the same basic foundation of trust and respect. Unless you've lived your life since birth in complete solitude, it's impossible to say that you've never experienced a relationship.

While it's not always apparent, every relationship is built upon love. Saying that "love conquers all" does hold some truth, but in order to conquer the enemy, even love needs some help from time to time. Having a relationship is easy; in order to build a healthy relationship, you'll have to do a little work.

Love has no rules, but here are some tips to help you build a healthy relationship:

1. Spend quality time together. It doesn't matter if you're trying to strengthen your marriage, your business partnership, or your relationship with a child. Everyone needs one-on-one time with those who are important. If, for example, you've been too busy working to notice that your daughter has grown up too quickly, try to set aside an hour every day to make up for lost time. Without quality time together, your relationship will falter and fail.

2. Love yourself -- and your partner. Independence is an attribute to any relationship, but there has to be a healthy balance. Be dependant to yourself without making your partner feel as though he or she is unwanted. On the other hand, you need to be able to show your partner that you really need him or her, without becoming too overbearing or clingy.

3. Learn to give and take. There are two parties to every relationship, and knowing how to share is paramount to success. You might have discovered as a five year-old that if you didn't share your toys, you'd soon have no one to play with. The same rule holds true in your marriage. If you don't share your thoughts, feelings, hopes and fears, your relationship can quickly become stagnant and you'll find yourself all alone. Don't be shy to express your gratitude or to ask for the same treatment in return. Giving, and taking, helps to strengthen relationships.

4. Show your appreciation. Give tokens of your affection and gratitude from time to time. Leave a love note on the pillow. Pick up flowers on your way home from work. Show honest interest while your partner is talking -- anything less would just be rude and inconsiderate. Tell your partner that he or she is smart and talented and attractive. If you don't say it, he or she will wonder whether or not you believe it.

5. Ask for feedback. If you partner doesn't readily show his or her feelings, don't be afraid to ask for appreciation. It's the only way to find out his or her true feelings. If you can't get a direct response, make some general comments or ask for an opinion, and take it from there.

6. Love unconditionally. You wouldn't want someone trying to change you, and those you love certainly don't want your criticisms. Love and accept your partner and your children for who they are. Sometimes it the differences between people that can create the strongest bonds and keep relationships intact.

7. Respect each other. Spouses, kids, business partners and friends all need to give respect in order to earn it. You need to show respect to your partner for opinions shared, decisions made and, basically, for the person he or she is. Giving respect is how you really show and prove your love. It needs to be felt and shown in positive, concrete actions, as well as in encouraging words.

8. Know that a little thing can be a big deal. Don't forget to say "thank you" when your partner does something nice. Even if it's a cup of coffee made for you in the morning, your partner has gone out of his or her way to do something nice, and deserves recognition. "Thanks" is a very simple word that packs a huge wallop and does wonders for the heart. Never take your partner for granted.

9. Be honest. Keeping secrets from your partner can cause serious damage to a relationship. Be open and honest, and tell your partner as much as he or she wants or needs to know. Confiding in your partner can actually help to strengthen the intimate bond you share.

10. Be faithful. Of course, this is the biggie. Remain loyal to your partner at all times, sexually and emotionally. Let him or her know that you are and will always completely devoted. This doesn't mean that you need to cut all ties with the opposite sex, but be respectful and draw the line if someone begins to flirt with you. It's also important that you trust your partner as much as you expect to be trusted.

It's not always easy to build a healthy relationship, but the efforts certainly do pay off.

TEACHING YOUR DOG TO SIT

Few things in life are prettier than watching a well-trained dog and one of the basic commands is the sit command. There are several methods of teaching your dog to sit. Two of the most popular are the Click and the Compulsory methods. The Click method is based again on purely positive reinforcement while the Compulsory method uses both positive and negative reinforcements. Let’s begin our discussion with the easier of the two, The Click Method.

The Click Method of training a dog to sit is based upon rewarding the animal for the desired behavior. It gets its name from the idea that some audible queue is used to alert the animal of a pending reward with many trainers using a device called a clicker for this purpose. Whenever the audible queue is given, the reward follows immediately. To train a dog to sit by this method requires little effort on the trainers’ part. One begins by lavishing the dog with several treats, one right after the other while giving the audible queue. Then abruptly stop the shower of treats and wait for the animal to direct its attention to you. Now display a treat and give the audible queue as you give the treat to the pet. Now hold another treat at chest level so that the dog must look up to see the treat. After a few minutes, your pet will likely sit down on its haunches because this position makes it much easier to watch the treat. Immediately, when this happens, give the audible queue and reward the pet. Repeat this lesson several times. After a while you will notice your pet sitting in anticipation of the click and the reward so it is now time to add your verbal command to the routine. When the dog begins to sit, say “sit”. This will gradually teach the dog that the command precedes the action and they will learn the meaning of the command in this way. After some practice and a bit of patience, your dog should begin to sit without having to see a reward being offered.

Now let’s discuss the more traditional method of training…. The Compulsory Method. This is the method grand dad used on his dogs. Tell the puppy to sit while enforcing it. Saying the verbal command “sit” and pushing down on the puppy’s tail section to make it contact the floor accomplish the lesson. With some dogs you might have to hold their chin up during this process or they will go ahead and lie down. The object behind the lesson is to teach the pup when you say “sit” that there is no other choice but to sit and so eventually the animal will respond on its own rather than having to be coaxed into position. Some owners use a tool called a choke collar for this training method. They will leash the dog with the choke collar in place and upon the sit command push the dog down. At the same time they will hold the choke collar down by way of the leash allowing only enough slack for the dog to sit but not stand up. If the dog tries to stand the choke collar tightens around the animals’ neck producing extreme discomfort. The author does not recommend this method as it can produce a nervous and fearful animal, which can become quite aggressive when it feels threatened. Such training also makes leash training much more difficult as it teaches the animal to fear the leash because of the pain inflicted by it. This also tends to lessen the bond between master and dog because the dog comes to associate the master with the pain and discomfort as well and may lash out at the owner or others if the treatment continues.

In whichever method you choose for training your pet, one thing remains constant. Always be consistent. Also be sure to pour lavish affection upon your pet for good behaviors and responses as this improves their bond to you and makes them desire to please you more fully. With a moderate amount of time and patience, your dog will be rivaling any animal presented at the local dog competitions for his well-trained style and mannerisms.

Article by: John Neyman Jr.

Feeding Your Toddler

eeding toddlers can be challenging. They are often picky eaters, are hesitant to try new foods, and in general, don't seem to eat very much.

To begin planning your toddler's diet, it can help to begin with the idea that toddlers need a lot less to eat than you think. Remember that children aren't growing as fast as they were during their first year of life and so have lower energy needs (the amount of calories per kg of their body weight) and smaller appetites. So if your child is active, healthy, and growing and developing normally, then he is likely getting plenty to eat.

It can also help to avoid common mistakes, such as:

* drinking more than 16-24 ounces of milk each day.
* drinking more than 4-6 ounces of juice each day.
* letting your child fill up on sweets and snacks.
* forcing your child to eat when he isn't hungry.
* giving servings that are too big. The average toddler serving is going to be about 1/4 of an adult serving size. Don't go by the serving size listed on nutrition labels, as these are mainly for older children and adults.

Toddler Food Pyramid

Well, there isn't a toddler food pyramid. The Kids' Food Pyramid is for children aged 2-6 years, but you can still use it to guide what your younger toddler eats, including 6 servings of grains, 3 servings of vegetables, 2 servings of fruits, 2 servings from the milk/dairy group, 2 servings from the meat and protein group, and a limited amount of fats and sweets. Just remember that the serving sizes will be smaller for younger toddlers and are equal to about 1/4 an adult's serving size.

The Basics of a Toddler's Diet

Although you shouldn't usually count calories, knowing how many calories your toddler needs can help when planning his diet and can also help reassure you that your child is getting enough to eat.

The average toddler needs about 1300 calories each day. Bigger kids will need a little more and smaller kids a little less. A good rule of thumb is that your toddler will need 40 calories each day for each inch of his height.

If he is following AAP recommendations as to how much milk and juice he drinks, that will take care of:

* 300-455 calories (about 19 calories per ounce) from whole cow's milk (or a similar amount from breastmilk if you are breastfeeding your toddler 2-3 times a day) if he is drinking 16-24 ounces a day. Remember to not give low fat milk until your child is 2-3 years old and don't overdo it on milk. If he gets up to 48 ounces of milk a day, then he is getting over 900 calories a day just from milk, which is almost 70% of the number of calories he needs all day.

* 60-90 calories (about 15 calories per ounce) from juice. Don't overdo it on juice either. If your child is drinking 2-3 10 ounce sippie cups of juice, that is giving him 300-450 extra calories.

A common problem scenerio we see in kids who don't eat much, is a toddler who drinks 4 cups of milk and 3 cups of juice each day. That can add up to 1350 calories, which is probably more than he needs all day, so it is not surprising that this child wouldn't be hungry for other foods.

So you now have only another 550-950 calories to get in him, divided between three meals and two snacks. That usually isn't very hard if you look at the number of calories in foods kids usually eat (although you should be choosing more healthy alternatives for many of these foods):

* american cheese (one slice) = 45 calories
* apple (1/2 small apple) = 40 calories
* banana (1/2) = 50 calories
* beef, ground ( ounces) = 85 calories
* bologna (1 slice) = 90 calories
* bread (1/2 - 1 slice) = 20-40 calories
* breakfast cereal (1/4-1/2 cup) = 40-80 calories
* chicken nuggets (3 - 6 pieces) = 105-210 calories
* eggs (1/2 - 1 egg) = 35-70 calories
* french fries (7 - 15 steak fries) = 60 - 120 calories
* french fries (8 - 17 Funky Fries) = 150-300 calories
* fruit cocktail, canned (1/4 ounce) = 50 calories
* Grahm Crackers (1 - 2 sheets) = 60-120 calories
* grape jelly (1 tablespoon) = 50 calories
* hot dog (1/2 - 1 hotdog) = 60-120 calories
* ice cream (1/2 cup) = 135 calories
* Macaroni & Cheese (2 1/2 ounces) = 260 calories
* mozzarella cheese (1 ounce) = 80 calories
* pancakes (1) = 60 calories
* peanut butter (1 tablespoon smooth and thinly spread) = 95 calories
* pizza, cheese (1/2 - 1 slice) = 140-290 calories
* Pop Tart (1/2 - 1 pastry) = 1-200 calories
* popsicle (1) = 70 calories
* pudding (1/2 cup) = 110 calories
* vegetables (1 tablespoon per year of age) = 25 calories/tablespoon
* yogurt (1/3 cup) = 50 calories

A sample breakfast, with 1/2 cup (4 ouces) of cereal, 1/4 cup of milk and 4 ounces of orange juice would give about 230 calories. If you instead gave a slice of bread with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and jelly and 4 ouces of orange juice, your toddler would get over 250 calories.

For lunch, consider a 1/2 sandwich (one slice of bread), with 1 slice of lean luncheon meat (90 calories) and cheese (45 calories) . Or a tuna fish sandwich (add 1/2 tablespoon of mayo to the tuna to get 50 extra calories). Or a sliced and quartered hot dog. And water, juice or milk.

Dinner might include 1-2 ounces of chicken (75-100 calories) or beef (120-165 calories), 2-3 tablespoons of vegetables (50-75 calories), some whole wheat bread (40 calories) and 1/2 cup of milk (76 calories).

Plus, your child will likely need a couple of small snacks mid-morning and in the early afternoon. These might include 1/2 cup of milk (76 calories) or juice (60 calories), 2-3 tablespoons of fruit (50-75 calories), or a slice of cheese (45 calories). Alternatives might include some jello, pudding, or yogurt.

This sample diet outlined above will give your child well over 1000 calories. In reality, he may not eat 3 full meals each day though. Many toddlers just eat one good meal a day and it is usually still fine. If he eats a good breakfast (250 calories), a small lunch and dinner (100 calories each), has a couple of snacks (150 calories each), 16 ounces of milk (300 calories), and 6 ounces of juice (90 calories), then he is still getting almost 1200 calories.

If you (or your Pediatrician) doesn't think that your child is getting enough calories, there are ways to boost the amount of calories he eats in small quantaties of foods. See our guide to boosting calories for more information.

Don't Worry About -

The only real time that you should worry is if your child isn't gaining weight well or isn't very active. An overly restricted diet with too much milk and juice might also be a problem.

Things that you shouldn't worry about include a toddler that:

* doesn't seem like he eats a lot. Remember that as long as he is gaining weight and is active and healthy, then he is likely getting enough calories.

* only eats a few kinds of food each day, such as peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hot dogs, or chicken nuggets and french fries.

* won't try any new foods. You can keep trying to introduce new foods by putting a very small amount (like 1/2-1 tablespoon) on his plate and don't force him to try or finish it. Many kids won't try a new food until they have been offered it 10 or more times.

* doesn't eat a balanced diet each day. Most kids don't. As long as his diet seems balanced over a week or two, he is likely getting enough variety. If he really isn't, talk to your Pediatrician about the need for a vitamin supplement.

* doesn't finish everything on his plate. The idea that children should sit at the table until they 'clean' their plate is out of fashion. Instead, children should be taught to recognize when they are full and then stop eating. If your toddler isn't finishing what you offer, learn to offer smaller portions.

* doesn't eat what you prepare for him. Try to avoid making elaborate meals for your toddler or offering foods with a lot of spices or sauces. Instead, keep things simple. While you shouldn't have to prepare a separate meal for your toddler every day, don't be surprised if he doesn't want to eat 'adult' foods.

* is overweight. Okay, you should be a little concerned if your child is overweight, even at this age. However, instead of restricting calories, you may just want to provide a healthy diet and encourge regular physical activity. Be sure to watch your serving and portion sizes (offer toddler size portions) and don't offer too much milk, juice, or high calorie snacks.

Article by: Keep Kids Healthy

Feng Shui Decorating Tips For Your Bedroom

Sleep is vital to your health and determines how well you function in your day. From a feng shui perspective, your health centers in your bedroom. While consulting, feng shui expert Marina Lighthouse offers her clients hints and tips for better sleep and feng shui in the home. "This is an area where you spend a good part of your life, so make sure you have everything you need to induce good rest."

If you suffer from sleep disorders such as anxiety and sleeplessness, you need to check your bed position. Where is it placed? According to the BTB school of feng shui, it is very important to have your bed in a commanding position. This is the position where one has the best unobstructed view of the main entrance while lying in bed. However, do not align your bed directly with the door.

Having a headboard against the same wall as the main bedroom door can create health issues such as headaches, insomnia, problems with the nervous system and poor mental well being. This in turn can lead to a breakdown in all areas of life, i.e. career, finances, and relationships. The solution is to place a mirror on the opposite wall to reflect the door.

Lighthouse says to look at the feng shui and chi of what surrounds you from all directions, inside and outside. Are there sharp angles pointing at you? Correct them or they will affect you negatively. Soften interior angles with cloth or round faceted crystals. Exterior sharp angles, for example an angle coming from a neighbor's roof line, can be corrected with placement of a bagua mirror.

Are you sleeping in high electromagnetic fields? This could ultimately affect your health. Robert McKusisck of Biomagnetic Research in Globe, Arizona has dedicated his life to creating specialized die-electric resonators to diffuse the EMF's (electromagnetic fields) in one's home. He also created EMF protection for cell phones. "Television screens radiate long after they have been turned off," says McKusisck. Keep the television out of the bedroom. An electric clock also radiates large EMF fields, so move it away from your night stand as the fields drop dramatically the farther you place it away from your body. Battery operated clocks do not have EMF fields, so they are a better choice.

Subconscious and psychological factors can also affect your sleep. The bedroom is supposed to be a place of intimacy. It is a place to re-charge emotionally, spiritually and physically. For optimal rest, Lighthouse says there are many factors to be considered concerning feng shui for your bedroom: Who has slept in your bed? What are you sleeping over? Are you using the area under your bed for storage? Lighthouse recalls a Silicon Valley professional who was having trouble sleeping. During the consultation, Lighthouse recommended removing the stagnant boxes that had been stuffed under her client's bed for years. When the client opened a particular box, she was surprised to find it was full of photographs of a former partner. She had been sleeping over them for years! Had this been having a negative effect? After implemented a few of Lighthouse's feng shui sleep tips, her client immediately noticed a "shift" and began to sleep better. Within two weeks, a new partner appeared, and within three months they were off to Paris together... viva amore!

Unpleasant memories may be attached to objects you have inadvertently placed around your room. Over time, these objects can drop your energy level like a ten ton weight, so remove them from your bedroom immediately. Better yet, remove them from your home. Positive, inspirational objects of color and beauty will lift your energy and improve your overall well being.

Article by: Marina Lighthouse

Top 10: Best Pickup Lines

Number 10

"I was wondering if you have a moment to spare for me to hit on you?"
This one is relatively original and seems innocent enough for her to take notice, without feeling threatened by you. You'll also effectively send the message that you're interested in her, but are more interested in making her smile.

Number 9

"What's a sexy woman like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?"
A fairly underused line, this one conveys that you find her hot, without sounding offensive. Show her you can be a bad boy and see if she likes your direct approach with the ladies.

Number 8

"Do you work for UPS? I could have sworn I saw you checking out my package."
This one is fairly blunt (no pun intended), but it's the perfect one to use when you see a woman giving you the eye and, well, checking out your package. Since she may feel a bit uneasy, you should take the opportunity and strike up a conversation while you have the upper hand.

Number 7

"Who's your friend?"
This one is risky, but it will shatter any pretense she might have about your actions by shifting the focus on her friend. This will intrigue her, to say the least, as she will wish to know "hey, how come not me?"

Number 6
"I'm new in town and can't find my way around; could I have directions to your place?"
The line itself isn't that great, but city newcomers are always refreshing people to speak with, and they also seem less threatening. It's highly unlikely that she'll shrug off your request to chat, and she'll probably laugh (if she has a sense of humor). The probability that she replies with a "where from?" is even higher. Do not use if you are actually a local.

Number 5

"I may not be the best-looking guy in here, but I'm the only one talking to you."
Believe it or not, only good-looking guys should use this one, since they'll be viewed as modest. If a guy uses this and he is ugly, then it's a sign of insecurity, which is a huge a turnoff. Generally, this line passes because it proves that the guy is down-to-earth. It will surely throw her off guard as she might get offended. Use with caution.

Number 4

"You must be Jamaican, because Jamaican me crazy."
If you ever spot an attractive woman and would like to approach her, this line is funny in a childish manner and women tend to laugh off funny lyrics such as this one.

Number 3

"What's your name?"
Instead of saying something like, "baby, we're like two banks: we both have interest in each other and we should merge," this one is simple and will not insult her intelligence. It may be the oldest one in the book (well, "come here often?" takes that award), but this one is genuine and direct -- two important qualities.

Number 2

"See my friend over there? He wants to know if you think I'm cute."
Extremely original, this line will make you stand out from the pack. This line virtually guarantees that she will smile. You may not leave with her that night, but you may get her phone number or at least chat it up for a while.

Number 1

"So what haven't you been told tonight?"
Very original, this line will make you stand out from the other men. You acknowledge that she has been getting hit on all night and you do not wish to add to her frustration. However, you are confident and interested enough to try your luck without insulting your intelligence.

By Shawn Croft

Ten Keys to Successful Parenting

It is important that we discipline in a way that teaches responsibility by motivating our children internally, to build their self-esteem and make them feel loved. If our children are disciplined in this respect, they will not have a need to turn to gangs, drugs, or sex to feel powerful or belong.

The following ten keys will help parents use methods that have been proven to provide children with a sense of well-being and security.

1 - Use Genuine Encounter Moments (GEMS)

Your child's self-esteem is greatly influenced by the quality of time you spend with him-not the amount of time that you spend. With our busy lives, we are often thinking about the next thing that we have to do, instead of putting 100% focused attention on what our child is saying to us. We often pretend to listen or ignore our child's attempts to communicate with us. If we don't give our child GEMS throughout the day, he will often start to misbehave. Negative attention in a child's mind is better than being ignored.

It is also important to recognize that feelings are neither right nor wrong. They just are. So when your child says to you, "Mommy, you never spend time with me" (even though you just played with her) she is expressing what she feels. It is best at these times just to validate her feelings by saying, "Yeah, I bet it does feel like a long time since we spent time together."

2 - Use Action, Not Words

Statistics say that we give our children over 2000 compliance requests a day! No wonder our children become "parent deaf!" Instead of nagging or yelling, ask yourself, "What action could I take?" For example, if you have nagged your child about unrolling his socks when he takes them off, then only wash socks that are unrolled. Action speaks louder than words.

3 - Give Children Appropriate Ways to Feel Powerful

If you don't, they will find inappropriate ways to feel their power. Ways to help them feel powerful and valuable are to ask their advice, give them choices, let them help you balance your check book, cook all our part of a meal, or help you shop. A two-year-old can wash plastic dishes, wash vegetables, or put silverware away. Often we do the job for them because we can do it with less hassle, but the result is they feel unimportant.

4 - Use Natural Consequences

Ask yourself what would happen if I didn't interfere in this situation? If we interfere when we don't need to, we rob children of the chance to learn from the consequences of their actions. By allowing consequences to do the talking, we avoid disturbing our relationships by nagging or reminding too much. For example, if your child forgets her lunch, you don't bring it to her. Allow her to find a solution and learn the importance of remembering.

5 - Use Logical Consequences

Often the consequences are too far in the future to practically use a natural consequence. When that is the case, logical consequences are effective. A consequence for the child must be logically related to the behavior in order for it to work. For example, if your child forgets to return his video and you ground him for a week, that punishment will only create resentment within your child. However, if you return the video for him and either deduct the amount from his allowance or allow him to work off the money owed, then your child can see the logic to your discipline.

6 - Withdraw from Conflict

If your child is testing you through a temper tantrum, or being angry or speaking disrespectfully to you, it is best if you leave the room or tell the child you will be in the next room if he wants to "Try again." Do not leave in anger or defeat.

7 - Seperate the Deed from the Doer

Never tell a child that he is bad. That tears at his self-esteem. Help your child recognize that it isn't that you don't like him, but it is his behavior that you are unwilling to tolerate. In order for a child to have healthy self-esteem, he must know that he is loved unconditionally no matter what he does. Do not motivate your child by withdrawing your love from him. When in doubt, ask yourself, did my discipline build my child's self-esteem?

8 - Be Kind and Firm at the Same Time

Suppose you have told your five-year-old child that if she isn't dressed by the time the timer goes off, you will pick her up and take her to the car. She has been told she can either get dressed either in the car or at school. Make sure that you are loving when you pick her up, yet firm by picking her up as soon as the timer goes off without any more nagging. If in doubt, ask yourself, did I motivate through love or fear?

9 - Parent with the End in Mind

Most of us parent with the mindset to get the situation under control as soon as possible. We are looking for the expedient solution. This often results in children who feel overpowered. But if we parent in a way that keeps in mind how we want our child to be as an adult, we will be more thoughtful in the way we parent. For example, if we spank our child, he will learn to use acts of aggression to get what he wants when he grows up.

10 - Be Consistent, Follow Through

If you have made an agreement that your child cannot buy candy when she gets to the store, do not give in to her pleas, tears, demands or pouting. Your child will learn to respect you more if you mean what you say.


Tips by: Positive Parenting

6 Tips to Keep Your Camera Lens Clean!

Dirt on your DSLR lens is one of the main factors that reduces the image quality of your photos. Although some defects caused by small spots may be repairable in post processing, larger dirts most probably will probably make your photo useless. Even a tiny stain that you haven’t noticed or ignored during the shoot out can ruin hours of hard work at the end of the day. The most important fact that you have to consider before cleaning your lens is to choose a proper method to make sure you don’t scratch your lens surface.

Here we present 6 tips for you to effectively clean (and keep clean) your DSLR lens without giving any damage to it. Remember most of these methods presented here are also applicable to compact digicam and other kind of optical devices:

1 - Use a UV (Ultraviolet) Filter

This relatively cheap filter is a perfect protection for your valuable lens, both from dirt and other impacts. You will be cleaning the filter, thus minimizing the risk of scratching the actual lens surface. We recommend you to keep this filter attached all times, but remember to choose a high quality one otherwise it may degrade the quality of the output image. Since different lenses may have different filter diameters, you may have to purchase one for each of your lens.

2- Use lens hoods, and lens caps for both front and back end of your lens:

The benefits are obvious, keep them attached all the time. Do not forget to keep the lens caps clean when they are not attached.

3- Don’t let dust get in to your camera body

Dust inside your DSLR will attach to the back end element of your lens and also to the image sensor, double trouble. When you are changing lenses, try to find a place with minimum dust and wind, and aim your camera to the floor to minimize the chance of dust getting inside.

4- Use a Blower

Blowers can be used directly to the lens and also inside of your camera. This is a very secure way of cleaning your lens since there is no physical contact with the glass, but on the other hand not very effective as the others.

5- Get a Lens Cleaning Fluid

A small amount of alcohol based lens cleaning fluid makes it eaiser to wipe oil, fingerprints and contaminants off your lens. Lens cleaning fluids are applied to your lens by the help of a cleaning cloth or tissue, instead of directly pouring on the lens surface. Check the lens surface and cleaning clothes to make sure there is no big particles because these particles can stratch your lens easily while cleaning.
An alternative to alcohol based cleaning fluids is to simply breathe on the glass then clean it with a cloth. If this doesn’t get enough, you may choose to use the fluids.


6- Use a Lens Cleaning Pen

Lens Cleaning Pens are really useful tools with a cleaning pad on one side and a brush on the other. The retractable brush made of soft bristles is used to dust away the hard particles and contaminants. I would recommend you to buy a high quality one with very soft brush to avoid scratching the glass.

I would like to remind that the best protection solutions for your lens is the preventive methods: Stop contaminants before getting on your lens surface. Do not use the cleaning methods those requires physical contact until there is no other option left. And buy the highest quality tools which minimizes the risk of scratching your valuable lenses.

Tips by: Photolectic

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the world. This is a day for you to take a rest and be spoiled by your kids. Enjoy!

Brooms

Make your next broom your last... Some ideas to make your brooms last longer and do a better job.

1. Always use a holder to keep the broom stored off the floor or store with the broom side up. (Resting on the floor the fibers will flatten and reduce the effectiveness of the broom).

2. Comb out the fibers regularly to remove debris.

3. Brooms can be cleaned with mild detergent and water; this is a good job for your spouse if they forget your birthday.

4. Always sweep gently in order to let the bristles do the work.

5. Push broom blocks have two handle holes (one on each side). Change the sides often so that fibers wear evenly.

6. The correct length for a broom handle is from the floor to the bridge of your nose. Remember to sweep in an upright position to prevent back fatigue.

Tips by: How To Clean Anything

Bath Tub And Shower Cleaning Tip

Here are some tips from the Housecleaning-Tips.com to help us orgniase our bath tub and shower cleaning process.

The bathtub and shower are a perfect haven for mold and mildew. To make the area easier to clean there are two things you can do.

1. Clean your bathtub and shower at regular intervals and

2. Make sure your bathtub and shower are as mold and mildew unfriendly as possible.

For me the easiest part of bathtub and shower cleaning is spraying the tiled walls of the shower and the bathtub with mildew remover and letting it sit for about 15 minutes while I tackle the toilet cleaning.

I think that its the closest thing to a self cleaning bathtub and shower we are going to get for quite a while.

When I return to the bathtub and shower with most of the work already done by the mildew remover, there may still be some soap scum, dirt and mildew residue to wipe and scrub away.

# Use a bucket and mix a solution of water and tub and tile cleaner in it

# Use a bathtub stopper in order to prevent a build up in the drain causing it to clog up

# Use rubber gloves. I sure you want to keep those hands in good condition.

Now that you are prepared, let us begin.

First, using the rinse ace sprayer, let the water spray against the tiled shower walls and in the bathtub. Once the water has touched all the areas in the bathtub and shower walls start scrubbing.

Using the tile and tub scrubber gently scrub away the scum and dirt that was not affected by the mildew remover.

When you are satisfied that your shower walls and bathtub are scrubbed clean, take a rag, dip in the bucket and wipe the outside of the bathtub. Now rinse by taking a clean rag, soak it with clean water and wipe the outside of the bathtub again.

You're almost done, just spray down the shower walls and bathtub again to remove residue resulting from the scrubbing and cleaning.

Once that's complete, remove the bathtub stopper and clean it at the bathroom sink. Then use a dry rag and wipe the bathtub and shower dry.

Now to protect your tub drain and keep it clear, drop a Sani-Clean Stick into it.

Now you have finished your bathtub and shower cleaning.

Tips from: Housecleaning-Tips.com

How To Seperate Your Home Life From Your Home Business

Author: Michael Laleye


Too many home businesses fail due to a lack of discipline and not only from the business owner. Many times friends and family fail to understand that even though you are at home, you are still working, hence the term work at home business. Very few spouses or children would ever think of interrupting someone while they were at work outside the home, yet they have no compunction about dropping into their home office unexpectedly to discuss any topic.

It is a learning experience for family members when a business is operating out of the home and some may even feel as though they are being imposed upon by having to stay out of a room in 'their' house because you decided to stay at home and work, turning the spare bedroom into an office and posting a private sign on the door. At first, they may be willing to leave you alone and initially, you may actually appreciate the occasional interruption. However, once the novelty wears off that you are at home all the time, the interruptions will really begin to take their toll.

There will be a transitional period when a home business first opens during which the rest of the house members need to get used to the idea of pretending you are not home, even though they can hear you and probably even see you in your office. There is no real harm if they pop in to ask the occasional question just as you might venture into the family's space to ask a question, provided it does not become a habit and a constant source of distraction.

Family will understand a lot better than neighbors and friends who see your car in the driveway during the first few days of working at home and chances are they will come calling to make sure you are OK. Even once told you are now working from home and really have to get back to work, you will probably have to hear about how lucky you are to be able to work at home, on your own schedule and have no one telling you what to do and not have all the distractions at an office.

During the initial period of adjustment patience will be needed to prevent creating bad feelings among family and others who unknowingly interrupt your work schedule. After awhile however, you will need to set parameters for everyone, if you plan to help your business grow and be successful. You immediate family will generally accept when they figure out if you cannot work, they may not be able to eat.

After about the first month, working in a home office will typically smooth out and there will be fewer people knocking on the door and you will not be spending the time wandering around the house searching for ways to be distracted. It is common in the beginning for new home business operators to get behind on their projects and then struggle to make up the time.

Digital Photography Tips

Digital cameras are very popular today, largely due to the the convenience and high quality images they can create. Cameras and camcorders are getting smaller and more powerful everyday, making digital photography in the reach of anybody who has the desire to snap away.

The high range digital cameras give you a lot of control over how creative you want to get with your photographs. From simple things like controlling the light and sharpness of the image, to full on digital imaging features that let you change the entire perspective of the image.

Most cameras today are by defualt fully automatic, but also have the option to switch to completely manual, and varying degrees in between.

Written by Mike

How to make a rose dome

You’ll need: Small oasis ball (available from your local florist or craft store), 3 bunches of mini-spray roses, a pretty china bowl or tea cup, a gift box (available from The $2 Shop or similar), tissue paper, ribbon.

Step 1. Soak oasis ball in water

Step 2. Cut all rosebuds to about 1cm in length and tightly pack them into the oasis ball. Use green buds as well as full blooms to create texture and full coverage.

Step 3. Position the finished rose dome on top of your desired china container. Place both the ball and the china into a tissue-filled gift box tied with a pretty ribbon and you’ll have a perfectly presented floral gift for Mother.

Story: Wendy Hart
Photographs: Kelley Eady Loveridge