Fun and Fat Free Cruising
February 28, 2009
This year more than 10.5 million people will go on a cruise. Almost all of them will have a fabulous time but when they step on the scales after they get home, they will let out a shriek at how much weight they have put on.
However, going on a cruise can be both fun and healthy. You can eat, drink and be merry without packing on the pounds by following our ten simple steps for fun and fat free cruising.
Now before you all roll about laughing, let me explain that I have just come back from my first ever cruise. I ate three meals and some a day, drank more than my doctor would have liked me to yet I didn’t put a single pound on for the seven days we were at sea. I appreciate that most of us go cruising to get away from it all and have a good time.
Many of us even go on a diet before sailing so that we look our best as we lounge by the pools but there really is no need to put on a lot of weight while we are at sea only having to shed it all once we get back home.
Gardening Tips and Tricks for Late Autumn
February 28, 2009
Preparing for the Winter Months: Gardening in October
When you feel that first solid bite in the breeze and you see the songbirds winging their way south, and the trees are bursting with fire-laden hues, you know you can’t be spending the weekend curled up by the fireplace with a good book. Not for long.
While the weather is still gardener-friendly, you must shorten your “to-do” lists for the coming of late fall and early winter. Now is the time to attack your lawn and garden by planting your spring bulbs, buying and maintaining your trees and shrubs, doing your late autumn lawn care, using common-sense watering strategies, building a compost bin and making your own compost, controlling the many common garden pests, and winning at the weed-whacking war before the sudden onset of the fickle, cold and all-enveloping winter season.
Planting Your Perennials
Plant the spring-flowering bulbs until the ground becomes frozen, and prepare your tender but tenacious perennials for the coming seasonal changes. Remember that in the milder climates, bulbs can still be divided and transplanted. Plant hardy bulbs anytime before the soil freezes, but it’s best to plant them early enough so the root systems can grow before winter arrives. In some climates, you can plant until Thanksgiving or even Christmas. Late-planted bulbs develop roots in the spring, and may bloom late. But they’ll arrive on time by next year.
Africa
February 28, 2009
AFRICA
(to africans in diaspora)
africa here i come, africa
africa of the black soul
the soul of an ancient culture
the culture of your timid tribes.
its your voice i hear africa
your voice of the talking drums
your beaded drums and the royal trumpeter
the metal gong of your town crier
i have come to see your music dance
i have heard of your ageless minstrels
have i not heard of your swinging hips!
i have heard enough and have come to watch
wouldn’t you dance for me africa
africa here i come africa
would you not show me to your tribes
the timid tribes of your sweetened tongues
the varied tongues of your virtuous men
africa, black soul africa
tell me about your gods
your gods of the sky and of the mother earth
your gods of the hills and of the rivers abound
show me to your kings africa
your kings of the ancient dynasty
the ancient dynasty of rusted spear and shield
africa, here i come africa
HEAVENLY GUEST
heavenly guest
heralding thunderously
in its own awake
pelting on men
as well, the gods
gathering itself
drop by drop.
Art of Essay Writing
February 28, 2009
Art of Essay Writing
by: Susan Kassel
I love essays! I enjoy reading them, checking them, teaching my students how to generate them, but most of all I enjoy writing them! You want to ask why. I hope after reading my article you will understand. And I so much believe that you will also fall in love with the incredible world of essays. Let’s start our trip from a short background. The word “essay” originated from French word “essai” which means “attempt, effort, sketch”. And this translation reflects the essence of the task you are assigned at your college. Really, it is your personal attempt to give a challenging sketch on some engrossing issue. Unlike other academic assignments, essay suggests freedom of your creative work. Its main advantage is that you can write it on any topic, in any style. Essay is your own point of view on something you have heard, read, seen etc. The forefront of the essay is your personality, your thoughts, feelings and your life position. You have a unique chance to enter a reasonable controversy with other authors, as the teacher expects you to show your erudition in the subject. However, you should remember that regardless freedom of the writing process, it is not that easy at all. Because you are expected to find an original and capturing idea (even in the traditional context) and exceptional opinion on some problem.
Relax This Christmas by Planning Early!
February 27, 2009
Relax This Christmas by Planning Early!
by: Donna Hamer
Do you plan for Christmas or do you wake up and think, oh no. its seven days until Christmas I don’t have any presents, I don’t know what I am doing for the holiday - stress!
This year take the time to plan your Christmas. Christmas is the season of joy, warmth, reflection and good will.
1. Plan ahead for your Christmas Shopping.
Set aside a morning in the last week of November or the first week in December.
Get yourself a cup of coffee a notepad and pen. Put on your answer machine and take half an hour to make lists for the following:
(a) Christmas Card List
(b) Christmas Present List
2. Now let’s deal with the Card List
Now that you have written out the card list, buy the cards when you are out shopping.
Either that afternoon or the following day divide your list into say 5, and then over the next 5 days write out your Christmas cards until the list is complete. In the last week of November post out your cards.
Pet Insurance - Check Out 10 Key Questions Before You Buy
February 27, 2009
Pet Insurance - Check Out 10 Key Questions Before You Buy
by: Michael Challiner
If your bones and joints are strong and flexible, they move smoothly. And that means life can be fun, and appreciated fully. But for one in seven people, movement is restricted by a musculoskeletal disorder - arthritis, back pain, fracture, osteoporosis, or sports trauma. Faced with such pain and discomfort, you may be pleased to pay £3,500 for orthopaedic surgery or hydrotherapy to get those painful joints flexible again. But would you be so willing to spend the same money on your pet Labrador?
Veterinary care has developed fast over the last 10 years and as pets get older they are increasingly likely to suffer illness that can be lengthy and expensive to treat. Take diabetes for example. It’s relatively common in dogs over the age of 6 and whilst it can be successfully treated, the treatment is ongoing and expensive - one vet estimated that treatment could cost around £2,500 per year. Eczema is yet another condition which can require a long period of treatment.
Why Should You Meditate?
February 27, 2009
Everyone’s mind needs a little downtime. We all need time to focus on one task, instead of multi-tasking all day and night. In fact, your mind doesn’t take a complete rest when you sleep. Your mind moves from dream to dream for about two hours per night.
Your mind needs rest and a vacation. Have you ever noticed that when you take a vacation, you come back with fresh ideas, a better attitude, and establish clear priorities? This is due to getting some time to relax and reflect on your life. The time off allows you to think clearly.
Our problem stems from being so busy that we lose touch with our inner self. We fill our time with too many activities to realistically accomplish them. Companies do this to their employees, but we voluntarily do it to ourselves. You have the ability to take control of your own life, and the solution is as simple as daily meditation sessions.
The answers to our problems are within ourselves, but many of us don’t want to look that deep, for fear of what we might learn about ourselves. It is always easier to blame outside forces for our problems. However, closing down outside distractions and listening to our inner voice is natural medicine.
Top Secret! The One-Year Path To Publication
February 27, 2009
Top Secret! The One-Year Path To Publication
by: Steven Barnes
There is a way to virtually guarantee your publication within a single year. No, it has nothing to do with self-publication. This path is not for dilettantes, and will push you to the limit, but it has worked for dozens of my students, and it will work for you.
It is based on writing principles first proposed by two giants in the publishing field, science-fiction writers Ray Bradbury, and Robert Heinlein, over thirty years ago. And no, you don’t have to be a science fiction writer. No matter what your ULTIMATE goal—novel, screenplay, playwright, or poet, you can adapt this method. It is designed to address literally every major problem you have or might encounter as a writer.
1) Write a story a week, or a story every other week.
2) Read 10X as much as you write.
3) Put your stories in the mail. Keep them in the mail until they sell.
4) Never re-write except to editorial request.
And there you go. Now let’s look back at the steps for a bit of further explanation.
Pet Insurance - A Waste Of Time?
February 26, 2009
Pet Insurance - A Waste Of Time?
by: Michael Challiner
According to a survey published by Mintel, one in three pets needs an unexpected visit to the vet each year. This means that you are more likely to claim on your pet insurance than on a home & contents policy or even your car insurance.
The word “unexpected” is important here. If you are looking for pet insurance to provide cover for routine treatments such as vaccinations or worming, forget it - policies that do that are as rare as hens’ teeth! And you won’t find cover for elective treatments, such as neutering, either. This means that the most common reasons for visiting the vet are uninsurable.
But don’t forget it’s those unexpected visits that tend to be the expensive ones! Developments in animal care mean that more conditions can be effectively treated and costs of emergency care can be horrendous. A cat that argues with a car could cost £700, even more, to treat. After all, a series of X-rays could cost £400 and a MRI scan will put you back £1,000. If Buster the Bulldog tore a ligament that too can be treated - but the cost? Don’t expect change from £1,500! This is serious money!
A Look at Planting Flower Bulbs
February 26, 2009
Flowers are a favorite of many backyard gardeners. Thanks to their ease of planting and relatively low cost, flower bulbs are a popular choice for flower gardens. Not only are flower bulbs beautiful, but planting them is a very simple undertaking.
Planting flower bulbs is so easy, in fact, that it’s almost foolproof. The most important consideration is timing. Flower bulbs need to be planted when the ground is cool-not too hot and not too cold. It’s best to plant them about six weeks before the ground freezes.
The next consideration is location. You’ll want to choose a place where the soil drains well-bulbs do not grow well in areas with standing water. Bulbs also need a location that is well lit and sunny.
Make sure that the soil is loose. It does not require any fertilization or special treatment. However, you might want to add compost or peat moss if you’re working in a new flowerbed.
The next consideration in planting flower bulbs is purely cosmetic. You’ll want to consider the placement of the various flowers. Generally, bulbs should be densely planted-they do not look as nice planted alone or in thin lines. Taller flowers should be planted behind short ones. Consider the finished product as you are planning your flower beds. Think about which color combinations work best together, as well as which varieties of flowers best complement each other.
