posted on October 24th, 2008
I watched a PBS series titled, “Road Trip,” where the narrator took his parents (married 60 years at filming time) around the States in an RV. This documentary’s attraction was its reassurance that in spite of certain differences, we have more in common than not with our fellow man.
Sometimes when we watch such a couple, we focus on the surface of what we witness. In this instance, the wife was nervous about bridges, big trucks that passed them on the highway, and frequently went to stand in the bathroom at the rear of the RV until the moment that frightened her passed. The father was jovial, loved to sing, and would climb onto his soapbox about issues that were important to him, in particular how the common man is the unrecognized foundation of society. So, what was under the surface?
The son revealed that his parents’ first child was a daughter who did not live long. The four brothers grew up aware they’d had a sister and that their parents preferred not to speak about that loss. The son said he always wondered how their lives would have been different had their sister lived, that the factor of one, whether with us or gone from us, can have a profound effect.
In the final minutes of the last segment, the father sat peacefully at the end of a pier that looked out over a serene lake in a wooded area. The son commented that his father was always ready to sing and laugh despite the fact he had buried a child, fought in a world war, lost his fortune and retirement twice, won over cancer, sustained a marriage for six decades, and with his wife raised four sons into good men. He said when his father left the Earth no one would name a street after him or take special note of him in history. Yet, he left a quiet legacy that would affect several generations because of who he was and how he chose to live his life. Akin to the classic movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” his factor of one touches and influences every person he interacts with, most especially his family.
We all have occasion to feel overwhelmed by events; and in such moments, we may temporarily forget our significance to the bigger picture of our lives. Our own factor of one creates ripples at all times. We never know when one seemingly simple gesture, word, or kindness on our part reaches into the heart of another and makes a difference.
Every moment of our time on Earth is a pebble dropped into a pond. We may be aware of how we affect those nearest to our center point, and forget to be aware of how far the ripples may travel. Each of us creates a legacy; and as with the quantum universe, the size of it is irrelevant. Every ripple is a thread in the larger tapestry. Perhaps we can remember that we are weavers and seek to ensure some of our threads are ones that endure the tests of time and merit.
Joyce Shafer is a published author; freelance ghost re-writer, editor, proofreader; and United Press International weekly columnist, also published at various online venues. See the exceptional reviews of her first book, “I Don’t Want to be Your Guru, but I Have Something to Say,” at http://www.lulu.com/content/773467 and both books at http://www.joyceshafer.com Contact her at jls1422@yahoo.com
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posted on October 24th, 2008
People always ask: what is the best way to combine food and wine? They are worried that they are going to serve the wrong combination at the dinner table. Well, there is no “right” and “wrong” way to pair food and wine. Here are some general information that will help you choose the most suitable wine with your food.
If you have guests over for dinner and would like to serve more than one type of wine, it’s a good idea to serve first the lighter wine, before you offer the heavier full body wine. Also, the type of food you serve should be your guide in order to pair food and wine. If your dish is light then a lighter wine would be proper, if your dish is hearty then a medium to full body wine would be more appropriate.
What I like to do is pair opposites. Hot and spicy foods are great with sweeter wines like Riesling or even dessert wines. Most of the people do not know that, so try it and your guests will be pleasantly surprised. If the dish is salty(such as certain appetizers) serve an acidic wine like a Saunignon Blanc or a sparkling wine. These types will help cut the saltiness of the food. For hearty and spicy dishes try a Cotes du Rhone from France or a Rioja from Spain.
Always keep in mind that food and wine pairing is very subjective,so some food and wine combination that I like you might hate. So try to experiment with different combinations. You never know, you might discover new tastes and you will enjoy it!
Demitris Sideris is the the author of several articles about food and wine an he is the webmaster of http://www.recipesonweb.com
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
To ride one’s hobby horse, is to indulge in ones favourite pastime. Learning new hobbies are a wonderful way for children to have fun, develop skills and make new friends. A hobby can either be practiced in a group or alone, according to ones temperament and the nature of the activity. Hobbies can also manifest as collections, which can last for a lifetime - that is from childhood to adult years. Hobbies extend the world of entertainment beyond the watching of TV, playing computer games or seeing movies on DVD’s.
One cultivates hobbies for pleasure and enjoyment and not for financial gain. Hobbies can lead to the acquisition of great skills, knowledge and experience at a later point of time. However hobbies are primarily for personal fulfilment and self expression and not for livelihood or material gain. Children can afford to spend a lot of time on their favourite hobbies because they don’t have to bother about earning a livelihood and remuneration.
Craftwork is an all time favourite hobby of children. Some common craft activities for kids are puppet making, finger painting, vegetable painting, string painting, origami, making paper and cloth dolls, stitching, needlework, painting, candle making, bead craft, book craft, printing, printmaking, fabric painting, pokemon crafts, prehistoric crafts etc. Children also love to read and write. Collecting stamps, books, coins or any other item are also hobbies. Carpentry, gardening, trekking, blockbuiding are also some things which children love to do.
Some children also pursue different sports, dancing, singing, play acting and playing of different musical instruments as a hobby. Cooking is also a favourite hobby with children world over. It is a very creative pursuit which is highly therapeutic. Photography is also a good hobby for grown children. Playing computer games, net surfing and chatting on the net has become favourite tech hobbies in recent times.
Scrap booking is another hobby which has consumed children from times immemorial. It helps in their emotional and psychological development.
Hobbies, which appear uninteresting and trivial at the outset, have evolved into serious professions for some individuals. Children are known to become hobbyists or amateurs in their favourite pursuits with time. These can consume their adult years and transform into professions of passion.
Indian children are very talented and possess a lot of skills in them. We need to cultivate this talent in the right direction by teaching them the various facts about animals, places, our history and culture and give them a change to know India
And the Lord spoke unto the horny and told them, “Thou shalt make love - and it shall be good.” A group of Christian wives have set up a Web site called Christian Nymphos to help young married women embrace intimacy in their marriages. The site…
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
In today’s society, green can mean so much more than just the color of your wedding invitations. ‘Going green’ is a very popular topic these days even when it comes to wedding planning and can start with your invites. There are a number of easy ways to be more environmentally conscience with your invitations that may even save you some money.
The biggest way is having your invitations printed on recycled paper stock. Designs on recycled papers have come a long way in giving you some gorgeous choices.
Another way to ‘think green’ with your wedding invitations is to simply reduce the amount of paper used for your invitation ensemble. Suggested ways to save on paper include:
- Select an invitation style that comes with only one envelope for mailing thus eliminating the familiar inner envelope. An example of this style is a self-mailer invitation where the envelopment wraps around all of your pieces and seals up to become the actual mailing envelope. Another benefit of having only one envelope is that you will save on your handwriting time. This style may require extra postage depending on its overall size.
- Use a response postcard to eliminate the need for a return mailing envelope and to save on postage.
- Opt for a seal and send wedding invitation which gets mailed without a separate envelope. This economical all-in-one design folds up and seals into its own self-mailing piece. This style also has a response postcard attached for easy removal and mailing back by your guests.
- Choose a smaller sized single-panel invitation card instead of a larger folded or layered style.
- Include your reception information on your invitation to avoid including a separate reception card (having less weight in the envelope may even save you from affixing extra postage). If space allows, your dinner and reception details can be added on as extra lines aligned with the rest of your verse printing, or some invitation styles allow the option of a corner copy - 3-4 lines that appear in the bottom left or right corner usually in a smaller sized font. There may be a small extra charge for corner copy which is not recommended for narrow or tea length styles.
- Set up a personal wedding website to give your guests easy access to online maps, directions, area hotels, gift registry information, etc., instead of printing extra invitation insert pieces.
Today it is easier than ever to make earth-friendly choices when selecting your wedding
invitations without sacrificing quality and style. Every little bit helps when it comes to saving our planet and some of your choices might even save you some ‘green’ (money) in the process.
Sara Haese is the owner of http://www.PrintedCreationsWeddingStore.com where you’ll find a great online selection of modern wedding invitations and save the dates. Visitors can also sign up to receive her FREE Wedding Invitation Guide.
“Gossip Girl” Taylor Momsen is expected to return to the show in a few days after beating a “potentially life-threatening throat infection,” according to her doctor. Momsen, 15, “is expected to make a full recovery in the next three-to-five days…
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
Origami is a Japanese word meaning the art of folding papers into shapes to create decorative objects. Learning how to make origami flowers will give you a sense of pride and accomplishment.
Any local hobby, or art store would carry the specific color or colors of origami paper that you may need to construct your flowers. You can use regular newspaper but it is usually too thick for the folding process, however the specialized origami paper is thin enough and cut to the right size and shape.
When making an origami flower this is exactly what is done and for these origami flowers only a few tools are needed. Aside from origami paper the only tools you need are; a pair of scissors, a pencil, and a ruler.
One of the easiest origami flowers to make is the rose. Four sheets of origami paper are needed, one sheet for the leaves (green) and three sheets for the flower (red). The second red piece is about three quarters the length of the first, and the third is about three quarters the length of the second one. The fourth square (the green one) is the same size as the largest red piece. Origami square base is the pattern that will be used to fold all three of the red pieces. This process is very simple once you learn it.
Take one square and fold it on the diagonals, then on the East-West line and the North-south line.
Make sure that the colored side is facing upwards. Now fold the diagonals as the valley goes (downward), and the East-West and North-South as the mountain goes (upward). Repeat this process on the other 2 red pieces.
Make an imaginary line through the paper, then fold and unfold the right corner of the base to the middle of the imaginary line. Next fold the edge onto the crease mark you made and unfold it. And then you can fold the right edge to the left, and repeat this process on the reverse side. Perform the same steps on the other two pieces of red origami paper. Then, put the rose petal forms inside one another to giving your flower a 3D look. Lastly, shape the green paper to make leaves and put it underneath all the red pedals for a beautiful flower.
Origami flower art is an inexpensive hobby that can be very rewarding. It’s not hard to learn, once you get the right directions, and it’s very much fun to do. One or two hours spend on learning these processes is approximately all the time it would take. The creation of origami flowers gets faster the more of these lovely flowers you make.
Erich Simko is an avid and enthusiastic Paper Flower creator, Origamist and Arts and Crafts buff. Learning these skills in particular has helped him through difficult times in his life and he believes it will bring much joy to your life as well. To receive more proper instructions with illustrations than this article allows to explain, Erich invites you to visit this fabulous resource to learn How To Make Origami Flowers.
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
Did you talk with your kids about your divorce when you first decided to live apart from their other parent? Don’t think that this one talk will take care of the subject once and for all. Instead, you should have many discussions with your kids at various ages.
As your children get older, they will re-experience the grief process stemming from their other parent not living in the same home. Kids will have different questions as they reach different development stages. You may be surprised to see the intense feelings that your child displays about your divorce when you have lived apart from their other parent for many years. If you divorced when your children were small, they may not remember a time when their whole family lived together. In some ways, this is easier since they have never known a different living situation.
Young Children
Younger kids often feel that the other parent abandoned them and may be afraid that you will do the same. Be respectful of these feelings, and try not to be late to pick them up from child care or other events. A child who is the last to leave may relive those feelings of abandonment. Reassure your preschool and early grade school kids that you will not leave them. Discuss how families can be made up of different people living together and may not include two parents living in the same home. Let them know that you love them and that the other parent does, too.
School-age Kids
School-age kids often feel different from other kids when they only live with one parent. Talk with them about their feelings. Children this age may still have the abandonment fears, so reassurance of your love and commitment to them will still be needed. At this age, they may want more details about why you are divorced. Stick to the facts without casting blame on the other parent. A simple explanation that you and the other parent no longer loved each other and wanted to live apart may suffice. Try to give the least amount of information that satisfies the child. Often, adults want to provide all of the details, and the child really may not want to hear them.
Teens
Teenagers are starting to have romantic relationships of their own. Because of this, they may have more questions about why your relationship with their other parent dissolved. State facts without casting their other parent in a bad light. If there was an affair, you may be ready to share that information, but you do not need to give your commentary about the whole situation such as your thoughts about that home-wrecker your ex-partner shacked up with.
Definitely talk with your teens about how their choice of a life partner can have major consequences for their future. They may learn lessons from your experiences, so share some of the effects that your decisions have had on you. Since your kids may not have seen happy adult romantic relationships modeled, be sure to discuss how to treat their dates and what treatment they should expect from their friends and romantic partners.
Communicating with your kids about your living situation is very important. When your child asks a question about your divorce, answer truthfully with age-appropriate information. Expect that the topic will come up again and again as your child matures and gains different life experiences.
Find more information about divorced parenting at http://www.singleparentspot.com
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
As Rudyard Kipling once said, “Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.” A lot of gardeners see Fall as a time to start putting their gardens to rest. However, Autumn is the perfect time for assessing, designing, and improving your gardens. Consider your landscaping. Fall is also a great time to perform grounds and tool maintenance. Perform a soil test; sharpen your garden tools; clean your lawnmower for storage; improve soil, and mulch garden beds for next season. Those little efforts now will help your garden thrive come springtime.
Other Fall To-Do items?
- Stop fertilizing, and water plants less as temperatures start to dwindle.
- In general, to cut back or not to cut back certain plants seems to be a matter of region and preference. Ask a local gardening expert what he or she recommends for your plants.
- Meanwhile, dispose of any diseased or infested plant debris to avoid re-entry of the problem in the Spring.
- One last weeding will help to improve the appearance of your garden throughout the remaining months of autumn. Furthermore, each weed that you eliminate now will prevent possibly hundreds of weeds from sprouting in your garden next spring.
- In many areas, strawberries planted now will be able to yield fruit in October and November. Strawberries produce well for about three years. Other than eating them, your next Fall task will be to replace the old plants with new ones in that 3rd year.
- Take cuttings, if desired, to winter indoors.
- Plant trees and shrubs. Keep these well-watered after planting so they can get used to their new environment before colder weather hits.
- Burlap wrap any plants that would benefit before heavy frosts begin.
- Prune any diseased or stressed tree/shrub limbs, shoots now - while the healthy parts of the plant are more easily differentiated.
- Assess which plants and shrubs have done well in your gardens and which have not. Jot notes down for next season’s planning. Take photos of your successes and rough spots. Plan your spring bulb garden now.
- As needed, divide perennials and transplant newly divided bulbs. Try for a mild, overcast day to minimize stress to plants/bulbs.
- Once temps hit 60 degrees, prepare soil beds for and plant Spring-flowering bulbs.
- Cut back flowers that have stopped blooming and/or stop deadheading seed heads early Fall if you want plants to self-sow. Wildflower and ornamental perennial seeds can be harvested and sowed now or within the next couple of months.
- Consider leaving ornamental grasses as-they-are. They make for some lovely landscaping during the bleaker months.
- Rake and clear fallen leaves, fruit, and dried brush.
- Watch for frost warnings; protect/cover plants and vegetables as needed.
- If you have a compost bin or pile, turn it with a pitchfork or garden fork.
- Bring summer houseplants back indoors for the cooler months when nighttime lows drop into the 50’s. Outside, spray all plants gently with water to dislodge any unwanted pests; examine plants carefully before bringing them indoors.
- Once you have watered your last outdoor plant and cleaned your garden tools for the season, drain and coil your garden hoses. Put tools, hoses, and portable sprinkler systems in storage.
- Pick herbs to freeze and/or dry. Be sure to take any unripe tomatoes and cukes inside before frost. You can wrap them with newspaper and leave in a cool, dark place to ripen or use them in creative cooking pursuits.
- Reap the harvest of the vegetables and herbs still in your garden. Preserve, puree, can, or freeze, with a smile.
Now that your “chores” are done and the weather is cooler, walk around your yard. Look at the photos of your landscape. Assess what has worked well, what you might like to see. You might want to plan a gazebo, a koi pond, some additional flower beds, or a water garden for next season. Outdoor lighting, retaining walls, patios, decking, and other structures can also be considered on your Fall gardening checklist.
Article by Steve Boulden. Steve is the owner of The Landscape Design Site which offers landscaping garden design ideas, plans, pictures, and advice. To find out more about landscaping and landscape design, visit his site at http://www.the-landscape-design-site.com
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
There is no denying that Asian style furniture has become a big hit as of late. But though we are all quick to label it, what truly is Asian “style” furniture? The mass produced veneer covered European platform bed knock offs that we receive from comes from China and other Asian countries certainly is are not representative of Asian furniture style. So I’ve set off to refine this definition discover what gives Asian furniture its style.
Asian style furniture is really a broad term for countless, distinctly unique, furniture designs from different regions and time periods. One common refinement of the term Asian Style Furniture is Oriental furniture which typically refers to Chinese antiques and reproduction furniture. Oriental furniture is recognizable from its bold painted designs which often feature reds, golds and black. Typically made of rosewood, Oriental furniture is heavily lacquered to cover skillfully painted scenes.
Modern Japanese furniture designs can be recognized from its roots in traditional Tansu furniture. The word Tansu in the Japanese language basically means joined wooden boxes. Tansu furniture can be divided into hundreds of sub styles but by far the most popular is Kaidan Tansu which are stacked trunks which often form the shape of stairs. Though the stair step design of Kaidan Tansu is sought after for its aesthetic appeal in modern homes, traditional it was used both to climb to lofts as well as for storage. Of course Japanese furniture style has produced dozens of other trademark designs including simple platform beds that feature Tatami woven grass mats. In general Japanese furniture features simple, clean, often boxy lines.
Southeast Asian Style furniture also has hundreds of sub sections that owe their origins to the great diversity of this region of Asia. However perhaps the most influential furniture styles have come from Indonesia which is one of the largest producers of furniture in the world. After the Asian financial crisis of 1997, the indonesian Rupiah became very weak which made Indonesian furniture extremely affordable for export. Because of the great value Indonesian furniture represented, Indonesia’s export furniture industry boomed. Unfortunately it has boomed faster than regulations could manage and a great deal of overharvesting took place in the lumber industry, wiping out large portions of the Indonesian, Malaysian and Burmese forest. Luckily sustainable furniture organizations such as the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) have begun to step in to protect the region.
Traditional Indonesian furniture style features hand carved designs from bold, darkly stained woods such as teak and mahogany. Indonesian furniture artisans are among the most skilled in the world and produce elaborately carved pieces that are durable enough to last for centuries. The island of Bali with its lush tropical environment has created some more modern designs that have and unmistakably Island style with a traditional Asian flair.
So next time you find yourself in a hip new hotel or restaurant and you comment on the beautiful Asian “style” furniture, have fun with it and try and take your observation a few steps furniture. With practice and further research you just might be able to shock those around you with a more accurate diagnosis such as Tang Dynasty Oriental furniture or Japanese furniture from the Edo period.
http://www.tansu.net/ Features sustainably harvest Asian furniture from across the continent of Asia.
WASHINGTON - Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, describing the current financial crisis as a “once-in-a-century credit tsunami” acknowledged Thursday that the crisis has exposed flaws in his thinking and in the workings of the…
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
“Ineffective communication is the chief cause of project failure” according to The Stevens Institute of Technology. A project manager of a large complex project spends 88% of their time on communication to the project team. It is important for the project manager to have a clear communication plan that can be referenced by all interested parties to find out how the project is progressing.
Technology today has enabled professionals to remain connected from anywhere. Project Managers can use this technology to ensure that the project communication is sent out regularly is concise and readily available. Web sites, emails, and conference calls, all play a part in a strong project communication plan which is essential to the success of a project. Directing the stakeholders by how they are affected by the project to the different outlets will ensure that the project manager will have the necessary time plan, execute, and control a project to its closure.
A proper communication plan has four elements. Audience, frequency, location, and agenda are all parts of the plan that can be illustrated to the stakeholders to guide them to what meeting or email they would like to observe on a regular basis.
The audience receives the communication from the project manager or the communications person on the project team. The audience is made up of the core team, project stakeholders, and project sponsors. Each of these types of audience needs different amounts of communication. A project stakeholder will need less communication than a member of the core project team.
The frequency is the number of time per week, month, or year that the communication will be issued. A Core Team meeting usually happens weekly. While, a project sponsor meeting might happen once a quarter. When the project is running smoothly, the meetings will be short, but it is essential that the meetings happen on a regular basis. Email or other updates can follow the same frequency as meetings.
The location of the communication is important as this describes how the information will be communicated. Email is of course one of the more frequently used forms of communication. Virtual meetings are becoming popular for projects with a distributed team. The use of desktop sharing and conference call bridges help facilitate. Blogs and Wiki sites are also being used to share project information. Having an email sent when it is updated will help drive people to the site rather than to a cell phone.
The agenda describes what will be communicated. The facts and information reviewed by the audience of the meeting or email. The potential audience can review the agenda of each activity and judge for themselves where they need to be or what email list needs to be subscribed to.
The next time someone wants to crash a project meeting, direct them to the Communication plan. This document can be hanging on the wall in the war room or online in the project portal. Either case, the communication plan must be available for all to review and understand.
Brad R. Holt is a Project Manager with 12 years of project and program management; focusing on Organizational Excellence and Building Businesses. Brad’s dedication to process simplification and change management defines his work style. Contact Brad at http://www.bradrholt.com if you need help building systems to run a business.
Category: Uncategorized
posted on October 24th, 2008
Yorkshire is the biggest county in England, with just about every type of landscape on offer. Towns and cities aside, the best places to experience ‘real’ Yorkshire are the more rural areas, where the small villages and hamlets can be found dotted amongst the undulating green landscape. In terms of scenery, Yorkshire is particularly special due to a wide range of habitats throughout the county - this in turn provides different niches for birds and animals to flourish. In the Yorkshire Dales, the varying contours and rolling hills provide wonderful valleys with separates dales - each named after its river. Wharfedale, Malhamdale and Wensleydale are just three of the many dales - all worthy of a visit. Valleys can differ markedly in their length and breadth, and also in the topography that affects the winding river. A dale itself can be remarkedly varied, with water passing gently through the many graceful arched bridges, and flowing powerfully past steep limestone scars.
Common to many of the rivers is the characteristic dipper, a bird of fast moving water with an attractive chestnut-red chest and white belly. These rounded looking birds can often be seen bobbing up and down on boulders amidst the bubbling water. Kingfishers also breed in some areas, often seen as a flash along the river… calling in flight as they go. Some of the more secluded spots are particularly inspiring, such as the winding wooded ghyll at Janets Foss. Accompanied by wild garlic in the spring, this high sided gulley is also home to a resident rookery, with flycatchers and redstart flitting amongst the trees. The limestone landscape of the dales also means there are a range of colourful flowers to see during summer. Cranesbills, harebells, meadowsweet and much, much more, provide a mixture of colour and scent along almost every leafy lane, with wildflower meadows adding bright swathes behind the limestone walls.
To really appreciate how vast the Yorkshire land can be, a trip to North York Moors gives some incredibly wide views. Home to one of the largest expanses of heather moorland in the country, these moors are at their peak during August and September when the flowering heather turns the moors into a spectacular carpet of deep purple. Part of the moorland has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the heathland habitat and its breeding birds. Birds of prey such as the diminutive merlin can be spotted here along with reptiles including adder. Close to the moors, Farndale is famous for its early spring appeal. The dale contains huge numbers of wild daffodils - also known as ‘lent-lilies’ which are only found in a few selected part of the country. Here they grow in mass, as they line the river and fringe the fields. Further east, the edge of East Yorkshire boasts some fascinating coastal scenes, with the white chalk cliffs around Flamborough disappearing vertically down into the lapping waves. On the tops, a mixture of cow parsley and campion flowers add vibrant colour to the open sea backdrop. The cliffs around here are home to thousands of seabirds, including gannets, puffins, razorbills and guillemots, all flying to and from their cliff-based nests in an aerial frenzy. Bempton Cliffs is the largest mainland gannet colony in Britain, creating a raucous show during the busy breeding season.
Yorkshire is not only a destination but a potential experience - a place to stimulate the senses, whilst appreciating the calm serenity and majestic power of the landscape. You can take in the sights, sounds - and smells, of a rich and varied county as you walk over open hills, explore wooded valleys and revel in the open green spaces that make this land truly unique.
Paul Miguel is a professional landscape and wildlife photographer based in West Yorkshire. His work is regularly used by a number of magazines and publishers. He also runs a range of photography workshops.
http://www.paulmiguel.com
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