What is Piano GHD Syndrome?
January 31, 2008
Do you remember the movie, Groundhog Day? In this wonderful movie, TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) relives the same day - Groundhog Day, over and over and over again. No matter what he does, he wakes up the next morning and it is once again Groundhog Day. This continues until he decides to learn and grow. Only after he begins focusing his efforts on helping others instead of concentrating on himself does he move forward and awaken to a new day.
Groundhog Day Syndrome (or GDS) is the term I use for students who want to continue to play the same song or the same few songs over and over instead of moving forward and learning new skills and songs.
While all students develop favorite songs that they love to play, others get stuck. For most students, this is a temporary thing, and just represents a beautiful song that they have learned from memory. When these students sit down at a piano in a friend’s house or at their grandparents, they play their favorite piece to impress their friends and relatives. A lot of students, for example, learn to play Beethoven’s Fur Elise, which is a wonderful song. They play it over and over, but they are also willing to move forward and play and enjoy new pieces of music. A student who truly has GDS, however, will want to only continue to play their most favorite piece in the whole world, which they have worked very hard to learn to play! They will want to only keep playing it no matter how much other music is presented to them.
Small Dogs - Different Breeds, Different Personalities
January 31, 2008
Small dog breeds are great pets, but since their personalities are all different, it’s a good idea to look at their individual characteristics to see if they fit with your lifestyle.
Pomeranians:
Pomeranians developed from a much larger dog breed and seem to have retained the mellow character. They are good with children if they have been raised with them from puppyhood. They are playful and active. They tend to bark and require daily grooming.
Chihuahuas:
Chihuahuas are an interesting small breed. I have raised several herds - and that is a good word for a group of chihuahuas - and their temperment is a bit different from other small dogs. They can be very aggressive towards other dog breeds. I adopted one chihuahua who kept attacking a German Shepherd who finally bit her. After she got out of the hospital she went after him again. I ended up with her because she wasn’t going to quit attacking bigger dogs. Some chihuahuas will growl and nip at small children. Good points - chihuahuas are very loyal and affectionate. They don’t require as much exercise as other small breeds so they make ideal pets for apartment dwellers or older people. They are good with cats.
8 Reasons Why A Freelance Writer Should Use the Internet
January 31, 2008
What a wonderful resource the Internet is!
Students find information to help them with their studies; business people keep in touch with important clients and stay up to date with important business developments; stay-at-home-parents can find ideas for children’s activities and feel less isolated by forging friendships with other online parents; and even small children have the opportunity to learn how to use the technology that will take them into the future.
It seems everybody has a reason to use the Internet and writers are no exception. In fact, the Internet is a resource that once explored, most writers couldn’t do without.
Let’s take a look at why.
1. Research
This one’s almost too obvious to mention but nevertheless, it’s the number one reason why a freelancer would use the Net.
While most writers still build up their own library of reference books, without the Internet we’d still be scurrying off to the public library in the hope that they’d have a book about “coinage in ancient Egypt” or “the architect who designed the fountains at Trafalgar Square”. Pretty obscure subjects and the likelihood of the library having anything on their shelves was pretty remote. They could probably order something that might help but that could take anything up to a month to arrive.
Tank Requirements For Discus Fish
January 31, 2008
For Discus fish, there are 2 consideration in tanks - tank depth and volume. Because of their size and swimming habits, a minimum of 18″ is needed for tank depth, the deeper the better. Regarding volume, a good rule of thumb is that each adult discus will need 10 gallons of water. Larger tanks will also give more stable water conditions, and taking into account other considerations the minimum size for a discus show tank should be no less than 55 gallons. It is also advisable to use a rectangular tank. Not only are they cheaper, but are more efficient, because they maximize surface area. Surface area is the most important factor in buying a tank. Why? Because it is only at the surface of the tank that gas exchange occurs. (Oxygen in, Carbon dioxide out.) Assuming you have a seventy five gallon show tank, and it’s biological filter is working as required, up to twenty young fish 3 inches in size, or 6 or 8 fully adult discus can comfortably inhabit the tank. An outside filter may be added to large tanks to increase basic aeration and biological filtration needs.
Growing Orchids as House Plants
January 30, 2008
One of the long standing myths that I still hear is that orchid house plants are difficult and finicky to grow. Well, plain and simple, the answer is No. In fact, orchids as house plants are easy to grow and will continue to bloom for years. Some orchid plants have been around for centuries.
Watering
Orchid house plants and orchid plants in general will need watering periodically, usually you can water once a week. Remember, most orchids are air plants and this means you will see their roots. Their root system is very efficient in storing water.
Here is a watering guide you can use: Cattleya, oncidium and dendrobium orchids like to dry out between watering. An easy way to water is to put the plant in the sink and let water flow through the plant for about 1 minute. Remember, let the water drain from the plant before putting it back into the decorative pot.
Plhalaenopsis orchids like to almost dry out between watering. To decide on the next watering is to stick your finger about an inch into the moss which should feel spongy and not bone dry.
Writers Block - Melting the Ice
January 30, 2008
What does one do as a writer who loves writing and feels empty of creativity?
When the writing process stops, there is the experience of fear. There is a sense that something precious has been lost. Out of this fear comes a sense of clinging. There is a clinging to all my beautiful words. It feels as if all my beautiful creativity is melting.
I guess all writers live with this fear. That is until they remember that this flow of creation does not belong to ‘me’ or ‘mine.’ I find a wondrous freedom in such recognition. If the writing is not mine then it is a gift given to ‘little me.’ The ‘I’ in ‘little me’ has only to learn how to receive it.
I remember that the fear of not being able to write creatively is the very thing that gets in the way.
This writer waits and watches. He waits as anyone with a little bit of wisdom waits. He waits as anyone who has been graced this day on this beautiful earth waits. He waits at the centre which is always empty but is always full.
How to Prepare the Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes
January 30, 2008
Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes that you enjoy at your favorite restaurant, but have no idea where to start to achieve that wonderful and delightful flavor?
There are a variety of ways to create the best garlic mashed potatoes that you have ever tasted but when it comes down to which way is best is according to your own taste buds.
When you take a look at garlic you will see that there are various kinds of garlic that you can use for your mashed potatoes such as German red garlic, Spanish Roja garlic, Leningrad garlic, and Yugoslavian. You can find all of these garlic’s in a powder form or use fresh garlic. So, the first thing you need to do is decide which garlic you would like to use. Personally, I like using fresh minced garlic cloves.
There are two popular ways to prepare the best garlic mashed potatoes. With this recipe you will use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. For the first recipe you will need enough potatoes to feed your family or guests. The rule of thumb is one medium potato per person.
Profiting From Pleasure - Art Collecting Tips: a Six-Part Series on Successful Art Collecting -Part 3 - The Art of Assessing True Value
January 30, 2008
Profiting From Pleasure - Art Collecting Tips: a Six-Part Series on Successful Art Collecting -Part 3 - The Art of Assessing True Value
by: Carol Chua
To buy art intelligently, the more you know, the better. You can become a wise collector with patience and discipline.
Know Your Subject
To determine if a particular piece of art is worth acquiring, ask:
1) Who is the artist?
2) How important is the artwork?
3) What is the artwork’s history and documentation?
4) Is the asking price fair?
Learn as much as you can about the artist and the distinctive aspects of his or her work. Ask why some pieces are more highly-valued than other pieces. Don’t just grab at ‘bargains’. Generally, the more renowned the artist is, the pricier the work.
1) WHO IS THE ARTIST?
Look at :
1.1 The artist’s date of birth and demise (if applicable)
1.2 The artist’s training credentials
1.3 The artist’s place of work and residence
1.4 Positions, roles or titles held by the artist
1.5 Places and countries where the artist’s work has been exhibited
Filtration Methods For The Discus Tank
January 29, 2008
Good filtration is the prime priority in the discus tank. Basically, there are three types of filtration - mechanical, chemical and biological. Let’s start with the basics…
Mechanical filtration removes the uneaten food, waste products and acumulated plant waste from the tank. Different methods will accomplish this - pads, sponges, and floss, to name a few. The objective here is to capture the dirt before it pollutes the tank to high levels. Common filter floss is inexpensive, and highly efficient, making it a good medium for the tank filter. One must keep in mind, however, that the function of the mechanical filter is basically aesthetic.
Filtering using chemical filtration takes place at the molecular level. The most commonly used medium is activated charcoal. Activated charcoal adsorbs a huge amount of pollutants in the tank, and discoloration, antimony, arsenic, chlorine, chloramine, chromium, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, phosphate plus some of the heavy metals and other toxins in different degrees. (adsorbs: Formation of a thin film on a surface.) It does not, however, remove ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, so don’t expect it to do the job of biological or mechanical filtration. If your tap water is overly high in phosphates or nitrates, there is the chance that your fish won’t do well until you pretreat the water with activated charcoal or other specific resins. If you live in the city, chances are good that the city can provide you with an analysis of their provided water. If, however, you live in the country, and have your own well, then the water should be sent to a lab for testing.
Cheap Therapy
January 29, 2008
I call it cheap therapy. That gushing, near-religious, poured-from-the-body stress release that comes after writing my heart out for hours each day, delivers more balm to my soul than years of psychoanalysis.
There were eight of them. Eight family members and friends died in five short years. I was a neophyte in this death thing. This clamping-down-on-your-heart, ripping-a-hole-in-your-soul, death thing. It stunk. Badly. I was forty-three when my grandmother died. It floored me. The shock that it could really happen, that they could actually leave me, was overwhelming.
The guilt that had ridden hard on my back for the past twenty years came at me with a rush. I should have visited more. Called more. Written more. But the three baby daughters that we’d had in two years had consumed every ounce of our energy. We’d fallen into bed each night exhausted, and had awakened tired, but happy, each morning. The thought of a ten-hour trip home had seemed insurmountable with three little ones in car seats and diapers. So we put off the visits home for a long, long time.
