A Pathway to Self Love

I've been practicing and teaching intuitive energy work, Thetahealing®, and Reiki and providing spiritual guidance for over 10 years. Something that has come to my attention consistently is the lack of love men and women have for themselves and their bodies. So many women I work with come to me operating under the assumption that everyone else is more important and should come first. Whether this is a subconscious cultural belief or a very pronounced cultural belief, many women are taught to put men, children, and other's needs before their own. Women are taught that self love and self care are selfish acts.

Women have also been taught throughout the ages and across the globe that the less space they take up, the better - would a woman consciously choose to wear a girdle or bind her feet? As a result, I have seen woman after woman come to me with body image issues. They believe that curves are not OK and there is never enough weight lost. They're trying to reach a "thin" goal that's abstract, unattainable, and unrealistic. We are haunted by a need to look like the women in the fashion magazines - women that diet themselves down to below weight, for the camera, without regard to their health.

Men also have their own set of social pressures. They are taught that to be a man means being the main bread winner. They've been taught for centuries that it's weak to express or show emotion. They're also being portrayed as the disrespected, incompetent dad more and more by the media. Male obesity is currently on the rise as we go deeper into an age of texting and email and less and less personal interaction.

Loving ourselves starts on the inside, with the outside being a reflection of that self love, or lack thereof. With so many obese men and women now on the planet, what is it that we're truly looking at? Is it just that our national diet is unhealthy, or is it a much deeper issue? Are we eating to meet our physical needs or are we eating to meet our emotional needs, having exchanged food for love in this country?

For over ten years, I've worked with both male and female clients providing specific spiritual affirmations, tools, and spiritual guidance to increase their self love and to clear their negative beliefs about themselves. I've taught women's empowerment workshops and provided holistic tools and classes for clients to move through their energetic blocks and beliefs. I also work with clients to clear self sabotaging beliefs and behavorial patterns that continuously prevent them from achieving self love and their deepest desires. I work with clients to empower them and instill self confidence, self love, and self forgiveness, while affirming their extraordinary talents and gifts. I experience great joy as I see my clients and students achieve new relationships, marriages, children, careers, and opportunities that are their hearts' desires.

These changes can occur so easily in the client when working with a high vibrational energy. During the session, the client is in an active role of checking beliefs through muscle testing, while I work with my skills and gifts and the client's intention to promote the shift within them.

After and between sessions, I encourage my students and clients to stand in front of the mirror and tell their bodies how beautiful they are and how much they love themselves, to reaffirm all the downloads. Here are some affirmations to say every morning, to get you started:

I love my body.

I am beautiful/ I am handsome

I am extraordinary!

I am a unique, beautiful, and extraordinary woman, and I have a beautiful body.

I am a unique, handsome, and extraordinary man, and I have a beautiful physique

I love myself, and I love my body.

If you'd like to work with Theresa to clear energetic blocks, self hatred, negative behavior patterns, anger, or resentment and to learn more about loving

Why Is the Fat in Coconut Oil Better Than Other Cooking Oils?

In recent years, coconuts and coconut oil have begun gaining mass popularity for a wide number of reasons.

Coconuts, coconut water and coconut oil are now available at multiple retail outlets in many different forms.

As a water, it competes in the energy drink market, because it is naturally loaded with nutrients to assist with proper hydration, such as electrolytes and potassium. But the boundaries for this incredible gift from nature, do not stop with revitalizing drinks.

Coconuts, in some form or fashion have now crept into the health and beauty (soaps, cosmetics, shampoos), wellness (dietary supplements: immune support and weight loss), culinary (stable cooking oil and food ingredient) industries as well. In fact, the coconut has gained cultural and even religious significance in some areas of the world (Southwestern Nigeria is home to the Yoruba Religion, for example).

The remainder of this article, however, will focus on one particular aspect that has helped coconut oil gain deep, long-term support. This article will discuss the dramatic difference between the fat in coconut oil and the fat in other common oils.

For quite some time, it was believed that the fat in coconut oil was unhealthy, because of its high saturated fat content, as saturated fat is typically something that most doctors and clinical nutritionists will still scream to avoid. That being said, if those same doctors and nutritionists were aware of what is to follow, they may just scream for people to use it.

The difference between the fats in coconut oil and other oils, is simple. The saturated fat in coconut oil, is constructed of Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFAs), also known as Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs). The saturated fat in most other common oils, is constructed of Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFAs). In fact, the saturated and the unsaturated fats found in most animal (eggs, milk and meat) and vegetable sources (plants and oils), are comprised of LCFAs. This means, that if you are not paying attention to your diet, then as much as 98% to 100% of the fat you consume, may be LCFAs. And, that would not be good.

Glancing at the molecular level, all fats and oils are constructions of molecules called fatty acids. Consumers and doctors are generally acquainted with two methods to classify those fatty acids. The first method appears on the Nutrition Fact panels of foods and Supplement Fact panels of dietary supplements (vitamins). This method classifies fatty acids based on the amount of saturation, appearing as: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The second method classifies fatty acids based on the molecule size or the length of the carbon chain within each fatty acid. This method classifies fatty acids as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) and long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs). Again, coconut oil is comprised predominately of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also known as medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).

This second method of fatty acid classification by molecule size, is quite important, because our bodies respond to and process each fatty acid chain differently. This means that our bodies will process the MCFAs in coconut oil differently than our bodies process LCFAs.

It is generally accepted that MCFAs and LCFAs differ in quite substantial ways. For example:

  • MCFAs are believed to have little to no impact on blood cholesterol levels
  • MCFAs can be metabolized, processed and passed out of the body, where as LCFAs are much more readily and easily stored as fat.
  • Excess dietary long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) intake results in insulin resistance. Since medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) are preferentially oxidized over LCFA, it is hypothesized that diets rich in MCFA result in a lower ectopic lipid accumulation and insulin resistance compared to diets rich in LCFA (1).
  • MCFAs do not contribute significantly to weight gain and may promote weight loss. In a Netherlands study, High Fat MCFA diets gained less weight, had less ectopic lipid accumulation than those compared who maintained High Fat LCFA diets (1).

Because of this, it is also widely accepted that coconut oil:

  • consumption increases High Density Lipoprotein (HDL... the good cholesterol)
  • is rich in fatty acids that have natural antiviral, antibacterial properties
  • contains monolaurin which is the same anti-microbial agent found in human mother's milk
  • differs from hydrogenated (vegetable) oils, because hydrogenated oils have been shown to contain trans fats, which have been shown to raise LDLs... the bad cholesterol

In closing, please note that there are only a few known dietary sources of MCFAs and coconut oil will continue to grow in popularity as more and more people learn that it is one of the best natural sources.

(1) "High-fat diets rich in medium- versus long-chain fatty acids induce distinct patterns of tissue specific insulin resistance" by De Vogel-van den Bosch J, van den Berg SA, Bijland S, Voshol PJ, Havekes LM, Romijn HA, Hoeks J, van Beurden D, Hesselink MK, Schrauwen P and van Dijk KW. J Nutr Biochem. 2011 Apr;22(4):366-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2010.03.004. Epub 2010 Jul 23.

Article by Tawne Bachus. Originally Published January 11, 2013. Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Please note that while this site offers information, it should not be taken as medical advice.

Please consult a trusted medical professional before using the information on this site.

Results should be expected to vary from individual to individual. Also, please understand that you may still need to do other things to treat and support your health in addition to using the information on this site.

A Glimpse of Utah and Utah Real Estate

SALT LAKE COUNTY

SALT LAKE CITY, UT

While being the Capital of Utah, Salt Lake City is also the most populated city with over 190,000 residents. The Salt Lake Metropolitan area houses over 1.1 million residents and is one of the largest intermountain areas. Encompassed in Salt Lake Valley, once called Bonneville Lake, Salt Lake offers close proximity to both the Wasatch and Uintah mountains.

Host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Salt Lake City has several ski and snow recreation in the neighboring canyons located within 10 to 15 miles of the city. Salt Lake also offers several hiking, fishing, boating and summer activities as well.

Salt Lake and Utah offers strong employment and education in high tech and computer careers, local corporations include eBay, Unisys, Adobe, 3M, L-3, Micron, Siebel and Telarus. Within the city limits, the University of Utah offers wide variety of degrees, ranking nationally among the medical, law and several other studies.

Salt Lake City Real Estate Market has maintained with help from the strong economy. Homes range from $100,000 to over $13 million.

MURRAY, UT

Right in the heart of Salt Lake Valley lies Murray City. Established in 1903 and has a population of close to 50,000 residents. Murray is home to several retail shopping and activities including Fashion Place Mall, Costco, Sam's Club and Murray Park.

With Murray Real Estate prices ranging from $70,000 to $1.8 million, it has very little turn over when compared to other cities. Murray is one of the few cities that supplies it own power and at a better value than the county.

Murray park is one Utah's largest city parks and includes a recreation center, water park and pavilions. Cottonwood river divides the park from east to west. Other activities include Wheeler Farm's, Mick Riley and Murray Parkway Golf Course.

SANDY, UT

Sandy was incorporated in 1893 and quickly became a boomtown for mining. Several miners and workers support several supply, lodging and day to day services on State Street. After in the 1960s officials fought for annexation of more land from the county and quickly grew to it's current size of 22.3 square miles.

With over 96,000 residents inside it's boundaries and 81% owning their own home, it has become a thriving suburb for Salt Lake. Sandy has several parks and recreation areas, including Dimple Dell, Big and Small Cottonwood Canyon, Real Soccer and several merchants. Located within 20 to 40 minute commute downtown, but is within 10-15 minutes from the major freeways. Sandy Real Estate values range from $150,000 to $6.9 million.

UTAH COUNTY

LEHI, UT

Lehi is located just south of Salt Lake Valley in Utah County and is within 30 miles from Salt Lake City Center via I-15. Lehi houses the attractions Lehi Roller Mills and Thanksgiving Point.

North or Provo Orem area and the gateway for Saratoga Springs, Lehi has a busy main street with individual store fronts for shopping. Lots size for homes range from a condo or small.1 acre yard to large horse and cattle ranches. Lehi Real Estate prices range from $70,000 to $1.4 million with an average list price of $270,000.

AMERICAN FORK, UT

American Fork is a smaller city in Utah County with 26,000 residents, however being surround by the several neighboring cities it does not feel small. American Fork is nestled against the Wasatch front in Utah County with beautiful canyons and rivers.

American Forks has several retail shopping and entertainment, plus several outdoor activities. American Fork Real Estate values range from $110,000 to $1.1 million with an average list price of $240,000.

OREM, UT

Orem is the northern partner in the Provo-Orem Metropolitan, with 88,000 residents making it the fifth largest city in Utah. Set against the east side of Utah Lake and the Mount Timpanogos, Orem was voted 5th best place to raise a family in 2010 by Forbes.

Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, Summer fest celebration and parades in June are local attractions. Local shopping and entertainment include University Mall, Costco and Wal-Mart.

Orem Real Estate values range from $130,000 to $4 mil with an average list price of $250,000.

PROVO, UT

Home to Brigham Young University, Provo is Utah's third largest city with 112,000 residents and 526,000 in the Provo/Orem Metropolitan. Located within proximity of Provo Canyon and Sundance, Provo attracts several visitors each year for recreation and entertainment.

BYU, Novell and Nu skin are top employers. Rated by magazines as one of the top ten places to live, Provo offers a historic downtown and scenic home views from the mountain side.

Historic homes date back to the 1850's near the city center. Provo Real Estate values range form $77,000 to $4.3 million. Several investment properties exist around the university for student housing, while further away is more owner occupied.

DAVIS COUNTY

LAYTON, UT

Located in Davis County, 24 miles from Salt Lake City Center, Layton City was established in 1920 and currently resides over 67,000 residents. Layton has immediate access to I-15, Utah's main interstate.

Layton has several retail, shopping and entertainment areas. A large portion of Hill Air Force Base resides in Layton with entrances and gates in Layton.

Layton homes stretch from mid valley up to the mountain benches. Layton Real Estate values can range from $60,000 to $4.7 million.

WEBER COUNTY

OGDEN, UT

Ogden is the county seat for Weber County with 83,000 residents. Most famous for its history as a railroad hub and its historic downtown. Even Eleanor Roosevelt visited Ogden's famous 25th street early on. Still today, Ogden is uses as a major railroad hub.

Ogden has several recreations options including Ogden Canyon and several hiking trails, while its nighttime entertainment is very active. Ogden also has Weber State University, a major University in Utah.

Most homes near city center are Victorian style, while 1950 bungalows surround. Ogden Real Estate values range from $30,000 to $1.1 million.

College Dating 101: Getting a Perfect Date

College will never be complete without having experienced dating. It is popular nowadays that senior high school students have their own way of getting a girlfriend or a boyfriend. But it is not the same with college. A lot of students are busy studying or making their thesis or research papers. Everyone is just not into meeting a dating partner since they are too busy building their career.

College is the preparation of getting into the dangerous real world outside the four corners of an academy or university. College students are too preoccupied with getting good grades that will serve as their passport in landing a good job in the future. But as one popular quote says, "All work, no play makes Jack a dull boy."

Dating is a part of growing up. With a fair chance of meeting different people while staying in a university, it is possible to find the perfect dating partner for you. Dating in college is a lot different from dating in high school. Everything seems to be pretty serious during college rather than their high school years. So here are some of the tricks of getting a date in college:

1. Give out mixed signals. Giving out a mixed signal is very simple yet effective. It is whenever a girl cannot figure out whether you like her or not. It sounds a little obvious but most of the college guys do not know how to correctly give off mixed signals to the girl that they like. Adding unsure words at the end of every sentence that you say while conversing with a girl is the best way to start messing with a girl's brain.

2. Break college girl stereotypes. There is a vast majority of college students being named with stereotypes. It is important that you break this and avoid fitting in with their style just to keep up with them. Being unique is one of the things that will give you an edge in dating college girls or boys.

3. Speak out and never be afraid. Most college guys approach a girl that they like in a drunken state. Although it is a bit turn off to most girls at first, boys can keep up by giving out sweet gestures like giving flowers, cards or serenading them. It is quite old fashioned but most girls love this.

4. Never give up. There will be nothing to be ashamed of when courting a girl for a date. Yes. College schedules are too hectic and sometimes, you may find yourself nearly getting drowned with university works. Being persistent is one of the keys of dating. Constantly ask the girl that you like for their schedule to make things in place for a good timing for dinner dates.

5. Never waste a time when you are together. Assure her that every moment with you is the best time of her life. This will give them more memories to cherish and never forget you in the long run.

College dating is one of the fun moments of college. Never waste your time and have fun. You may also join college dating websites which can be easily found in most search engines.

How To Dress To Impress Without Breaking The Bank!

Have you ever wished that you could dress to impress without breaking the bank? What about that absolutely stunning dress you saw downtown in a store window that you know would be perfect for that upcoming date, party, or even that wedding you dread attending because you will be the only single girl there without a date? You know that this dress would be the one that everyone would still be talking about even weeks after the event. The only problem? The price tag... the dress is from Badgley Mischka and the price is way out of your simple budget and unlike anything you already own in your closet space. You know you could splurge a little on the shoes to match, but you simply can't afford the whole outfit! We all know the problem well, however, over the last few years there has been an emergence of companies who offer rentals on designer fashion for a fraction of the price.

These companies can offer you the ability to rent the dress of your dreams for any event of your choosing, even if it's just that first date with the new significant other! With this new trend, dress rental companies allow you to browse their online stores for the type of dress you want, then select it for rental and wear it at a fraction of the cost you would have to spend to buy the real deal that the designer created. That Badgley Mischka gown you spied in the window for a fortune can now be rented for a fraction of its actual value.

With an online dress rental service you can have some of the top designer bridal dresses too. Many companies offer services that can be sent to you on the same day or the following day. If your event is over a month or two away they also offer the ability to reserve in advance. This can cut the stress and hassle out of shopping last minute. Some companies can even provide you with the size you want as well as a backup size - so you can be sure of the proper fit. Normally once you're rental period is up, you return the item by mail envelope that was sent along with it when it arrived. This means that while people will still be talking about your traffic-stopping look for days and even weeks after the event, you will have already returned your rental and be sitting pretty and realising that online dress rental is a great way to save money on one-time designer wearing.

Finding Ways to Purchasing Vet Tech Scrubs Online

Are you one of those people working in the medical profession who is becoming sick and tired of wearing the same uniform to work? It is quite obvious that the routine a doctor, veterinarian, or nurse takes each and every single day at work can actually become very boring and dull. However, that comes in as a normal consequence because you've done the same thing for perhaps more than a decade already. But what's unacceptable is the fact that wearing the same uniforms your entire career.

For some, there is a great and a dire need of improving their clothing while at work, and this is especially true for medical and veterinary scrubs. We have come to think of scrubs as one of the oldest and most common uniforms related and connected to those working in clinics and hospitals. However, the unfortunate thing is that the way they are worn is becoming dull and uninteresting. It seems like there is a large room intended to change.

Veterinarians and those who work in the veterinary field for instance need something to cheer up their personalities and sense of style in their uniforms. In fact, it's not just about wearing something comfortable anymore. What they need is something that is comfortable, durable, and stylish at the same time.

If this is the case, what these people should be looking out for are a vet tech scrubs. One of the most practical benefits of wearing vet tech scrubs is that you get to erase the problem of choosing what to wear for work each and every day. Instead, what you get is a set of uniform that has the style and fashion sense equal to casual getups and clothing you wear every day. It is no longer true that med and vet scrubs are plain old whites with no sense of style at all.

Put in mind that you can always look for attractive looking vet tech scrubs online and the amount or number of options you have is almost unlimited. It means that you no longer have to settle for local stores and mall supplies that are either outdated or lacking. The best thing about purchasing vet and med scrubs online is that you get the most reasonable and practical deals with low and inexpensive prices. Not only that, you also get to choose many different types and designs.

Now finding ways to purchase vet tech scrubs online is plain and simple. All you have to do is search online for the product you're planning to shop; in this case, vet tech scrubs. By pushing the search button, you will be amazed at how many sellers and dealers are thriving online. Each of them provides a distinctive offer that is mostly and likely better and more reasonable than what you would normally get in local stores and malls.

But always remember that in purchasing vet tech scrubs, choose the right color and design for your company's preference. Never intend to get too fancy or pick colors that do not complement well with your own personality or style.

Create Unique And Permanent Ceramic Images With Digital Ceramic Wall Tiles

With the help of innovative printing technology, manufacturers are able to mimic the surfaces of wood and stone on ceramic. The latest trend in the tiling industry is to use the digitally printed permanent ceramic images on ceramic wall tiles. From the last one or two years, manufacturers are producing wall tiles with permanent images with amazing textures and sparkle. Realistic images are produced by these manufacturers, which results in a designer space on the walls of our living rooms, dining rooms etc. These images are produced with any desired finish according to the design ideas of homeowners. These unique tiles are also known as digital ceramic tiles. These tiles are surpassing the sales of glass, stone or metal finish wall tiles.

As the use of large format tiles is fashionable today, manufacturers are creating images on large tiles with clean and sophisticated images with desirable finishes. Large format tiles look good on floors too, which means that ceramic digital images look great on large floors. Create focal points with these images at the centre of the floors for an amazing look. Ultra-thin tiles are also in vogue now. These reduce costs during installation and transport. They are easier to manage than the thicker counterparts as they cut easily and are lighter in weight.

Ceramic wall tiles are manufactured in many complex shapes like waves, circles, uneven shapes, etc. You also will find the normal geometrical shapes like the pentagon, octagon, hexagon, rectangle and square. Digital images are printed on all these shapes for unique patterns on walls. The present day grouting technology is producing special effects on the tiles. The new techniques of grout reflect glitter and bold hues for a higher visual impact.

Another newer version of tiling technology on ceramic tiles is the nano polish. These special materials are formulated with nano particles that are linked into a silicon matrix. These particles form an invisible layer on the tiles, which gives them excellent dust and water repellent properties. As they do not attract any dust, these do not harbour any bacteria and thus are hygienic. Such surfaces do not get spoiled by spills of food, beverages and any other liquids. They are very easy to clean and stay new for a very long time.

Digital ceramic wall tiles and the nano polished surfaces are the best options for modern homes, where people are pressed for time. These surfaces look amazingly stylish and are very easy to maintain. Create images of modern landscapes or effects of modern paintings with varied textures on the walls of your home.

How to Find a Good Travel Agent That Specializes in Cruises

Booking a cruise is much more complicated than buying a plane ticket or calling a hotel for a room. As with any vacation, there are many decisions you must make. It is important to find a cruise agent professional who has lots of experience in cruising. For first timers, a local cruise agent you can sit down with is personally is best option. However, with the days of Social Marketing you can now easily speak with a travel agent via Skype. If you are unsure how to use video calling it's easy to use with a free download. You simply add the travel agents Skype name and ring them via video conference call. This beats sitting in a travel agents office waiting for them to become available. If you are unsure if they have a Skype account simply send them an email requesting their Skype name and you can be up and speaking with a cruiseagent in a matter of minutes.

CLIA affiliated agencies take advantages of many CLIA programs in order to better serve their cruising customers. CLIA agents receive up to the minute training from CLIA and the cruise line industry. Cruise Lines International Association agents will also have this as part of their affiliations listed on their site.

Cruise agents can serve as advisers, planners, and negotiators with the cruise line to help you get the best deal available. They also tend to purchase large amounts of cruises at certain times of the year and resell them to their customers at a low rate due to their bulk purchase. Groups looking to plan a vacation for a cruise can possibly save thousands when traveling with a cruise agent who has these berths already purchased at last year's price. Therefore sometimes it pays the cruise customer to take the time to speak with a travel agent directly before booking through a search engine online. Also, many of the online travel sites will not take group bookings and you are required to speak with a cruise agent directly to make all the necessary arrangements without a lot of stress and wasted time. When you book in this fashion you also will on many occasions get certain perks that the travel agent is giving their customers who are traveling as part of a group. This could include onboard credits, bottle of wine, and other incentive items not always provided to cruise travelers booking online.

Rory McIlroy And The Changing Landscape Of Golf

For the second time in as many years, Rory McIlroy blistered the field in one of golf's major championships in route to winning in record setting fashion. This performance by the 23-year-old from Northern Ireland leads further credence to the idea that he will be the new face of the game for the foreseeable future.

When Tiger Woods was in his dominant form pre-fire hydrant, it was often said that if he was playing up to his capabilities that it didn't matter how anyone else in the field was performing on that particular day; his best was just simply that much better than every other player on tour. Though it's still only a small sample size, it is looking more and more like the same can be said for Rory McIlroy. This past weekend at the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island he was been able to put it all together and peak at the right time, winning by a record eight shots.

With the win, Rors was able to salvage what had been an up and down year. Greatness had long been predicted for the golf prodigy, and after winning the 2011 U.S. Open by a record score of 16-under par it was presumed he was well on his way. His 2012 season started off good with a win at the Honda Classic, but after missing numerous cuts and uneven performances in the year's first three majors, you started hearing stories come out questioning Rory's commitment level. Had his head had gotten too big after winning his first major? Was his relationship with Caroline Wozniacki negatively impacting his work ethic and limiting his practice time?

Rory left little doubt about the state of his game following his dominant performance at The Ocean Course. He turned Kiawah Island into his personal playground, pummeling balls off of the tee and throwing them in close for countless birdie opportunities. Rory had the bounce and swagger back in his step, and by the weekend the CBS announce team was talking about him (and his golf game) with the same kind of reverence they used to routinely heap on Tiger back in the day.

Much like a year ago, following this resounding performance Rory will once again be labeled as "The Next Big Thing (Brock Lesnar ™) in golf and the man poised to litter his trophy case with major championship trophies. This could very well be the case, but if the last few years have proved anything it's that the level of competition in golf is absurd right now; in any given week any player can emerge victorious. Up until Rory's victory yesterday there had been 16 different victors in golf's last 16 majors, a clear demonstration of the level of parity on Tour these days.

If you take a glance at the golfers who have yet to win a major, you will see a number of great players still vying to win the big one-players such as Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Steve Stricker, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Jason Dufner, and Rickie Fowler. Westwood in particular has been knocking on the door for years now at the majors with no luck to date. Odds are that eventually a few of these players will come through with a Darren Clarke/Bubba Watson type of breakthrough, making it increasingly difficult for any one player to string together major victory after major victory.

Then there are the young players who have already won a major championship that have the kind of golf games that will keep them relevant in upcoming tournaments. Graeme McDowell is a bulldog on the course and always seems to be near the top of the leaderboard in majors. Louis Oosthuizen and Bubba both hit the ball a country mile, and there down to the wire finish at the Masters this past April was one of the highlights of the golf season. Keegan Bradley came out of nowhere to win the 2011 PGA Championship, and only a year later is the twelfth ranked player in the world and one of the game's brightest young stars.

Of course, we can't forget the old guard of Tiger, Ernie Els, and Phil Mickelson. The sheer number of outstanding players on tour right now might put the kibosh on Tiger's aspirations to one day pass Jack's total of eighteen majors, but his game is coming around to the extent that it isn't unreasonable to think he will notch a few more. Ernie Els won the British Open in July following a memorable back nine, proving that the "Big Easy" still has the length and game to remain viable against the younger generation of players. And while Lefty has had a down year by his lofty standards, I get the sense that like Freddie Couples he will be a factor at Augusta National well into his fifties.

Where does this all leave Rory? The golf world appears ready for him to be the sport's next transcendent player, this generation's "Tiger". He has all the requisite tools necessary to be the game's best player for a long time, but the level of talent across the board will continue to be his primary obstacle. There is an eclectic mix of old, young, and up and coming players filling out the ranks these days, and I can only envision the skill of players on tour growing as Rory's career progresses.

T-minus eight months and counting until the Masters...

Using the Functional Movement Screen With Teams

If you are reading this post, you probably know what the FMS is and how to perform the screen.

Using the FMS on individual clients is relatively straightforward. Screen them, score them, apply the correctives, train, a few weeks later screen them again, then send them home. What if you are training a team? The idea of the functional movement screen is that everyone is different, each person has developed their own compensation or poor movement pattern over time in some fashion, and doing the same things with everyone won't be effective.

But there are strategies you can use to help your team, especially with limited resources. First, you need to thoroughly screen the entire team, and remember: when in doubt, score low. Second, you need to track the entire teams FMS scores, both individually and averages for the team. You need to do this for multiple reasons:

First, it shows individuals who are at extreme risk for injury, and should be medically cleared before activity, especially if they have multiple zeros (pain when performing the movement).

Second, it shows individuals whose total score is low, especially if multiple 1s or discrepancies between right and left side were observed. If you have the time and resources, you can individually apply correctives to these people to get their number to that magic 14.

Third, and this is where most coaches can find a huge benefit in applying the FMS to their programming, you can see team trends and averages. Knowing that the team collectively scored poorly on, say, Shoulder Mobility, you can plan in corrective exercise for these movements into your programming. These correctives can be addressed as a part of a warmup, or as active recovery between their main training movements.

So how do you keep track of the correctives you are applying? Simple, first make the series of corrections you want to use, it can be as simple as 1 or 2 exercises designed to help the movement. Be sure to use a logical progression of correctives, and always go too slow rather than too fast with progressions.

Training time is very valuable, in both collegiate and private settings because the time you have is limited with your athletes. Once you have applied a series of corrections, in this case to the Shoulder Mobility, there is no need to re-screen every athlete for every test, simply test a small sample of athletes with the screen you have been applying correctives to. If you have increased the average score to an acceptable level, you can then move on to the next series of correctives for a different screen.

For more information on the tools we have made to help you use the FMS with your team, go to http://www.exceltrainingdesigns.com today.

All About Customer Service Jobs

Customer service jobs involve the maintenance of the relationship between a company and the people it serves. It is a broad career field that's now more essential than ever in every business. The more industries turn global, the more they need this service. It has also become a trend in the past few years that these work opportunities are concentrated in Asia - where the education rating is high, but wages are low. Companies in the US, Australia, and Europe even outsource them to this region since a few years ago. However, some of these opportunities still need to remain locally.

Depending on the company's business and culture, these jobs range from fashion store attendants to call center agents. Even the latter can have varying responsibilities. He or she can be tasked to taking inbound calls, making outbound calls, or both. The representative can also be responsible for sending and replying e-mails, text messages, and other related business support activities.

Because of the vast coverage of these jobs, training and education requirements also vary according to the tasks assigned. Most companies require a high school diploma, while others want to hire only those with college degrees. But the strictest requirement for all is excellence in communication - in English and, at times, in another language that's widely used in business like Mandarin, Nihongo, Korean, and Spanish, among others. Since almost all businesses today use computerized systems, those who are in this type of position also need to know basic computer operations and should at least be a fast learner of special programs used in whatever industry the company is in. For instance, airline and travel agency booking staff should know Abacus, Amadeus, Navitaire, or whichever reservations software their establishment is using. Some boutique consultants are expected to know or study the store's cashier and inventory system.

The environment of customer service jobs really differ depending on the nature of the company's business. A museum docent or a tour guide also falls under this category and they do their customer relationship tasks face to face, while sharing their knowledge and experience about the exhibits or places that they're showcasing. A call center agent, on the other hand, sits behind a desk, but has to handle all the stress of responding to buyers' feedback, mostly complaints.

If you're interested in handling a job like any of these, the basics here are things that you should think about. If you believe you have the skills and attitude for it, the field promises great opportunities as many companies puts emphasis on it these days.

5 Simple Rules For Successful Forex Trading Strategy

If you are ready for a change of path and life, forex is the way. Forex market now trades as of vicinity of 3 trillion dollars daily. Three trillion is a lot of money more than any other market, including the stock market. With this kind of liquidity comes a lot of volatility and that's where the profit is made. To make money with FOREX we need the price to move rapidly and in trends. Forex provides plenty of opportunities to do that.

Like any good Forex trading strategy your strategy should be based on sound money management.

The first real lesson I learned about Forex is that money management is the most important part of a successful forex trading system. You need to really understand that. Tell yourself that every day if you have to manage your money properly and you will be a successful Forex trader.

5 Simple Rules to Successful Forex Trading

Rule 1: Never enter a single position larger than 1% of your account size. I calculate 1% as the total amount of my open position at 100 pips. So for instance, assuming I'm using 100:1 leverage and I have an account balance of $10,000.

$10,000 / 1% = $100. I can open one 10K position. At 100 pips, this position will equal 1% of my total account balance.

Rule 2: Only close losing positions when your total drawdown is over 12%

So if you have an account balance of $10,000 you would not close any losing positions unless your total drawdown is $1200 or greater.

I enter all my trades without setting a stop loss. That's where the next rule comes in.

Rule 3: Buy low, Sell high

This is where long term analysis comes in. Look at your charts on a daily, weekly and monthly time frame. Look for major levels of resistance and support.

NEVER go long (BUY) near a daily, weekly or monthly high.

NEVER go short (SELL) near a daily, weekly, or monthly low.

SELL if price approaches a daily, weekly or monthly high.

BUY if price approaches a daily, weekly or monthly low.

I'm not talking about only trading on daily or weekly charts. I just want you to be clear that when dealing with really major levels of support and resistance you never want to trade against them.

That is one of the key elements of this forex trading strategy.

Rule 4: Hedge when necessary using high correlation pairs.

Hedging is simply a way of managing your risk. By opening a trade on a different currency pair that moves in a similar (or opposite) fashion to the pair you're currently trading you can manage your risk.

Rule 5: Take Profit When YOU Want

Remember, we are not using any stop losses. We can however use limits (take profits). I generally set my limit at around 50 pips.

I aim for 50 pips each and every day!

If I make 100 pips in a day, I will close the trading account for the remainder of the day and take a break. Remember, 100 pips is equal to 1% of your TOTAL account balance assuming you're risking 1% of your account for each position.

If you can make even 50 pips a day that's over 20% a month!

On a $10,000 account that's $2000/month consistent profits, only risking 1% in each single trade. And that's without compounding!

Patience is key

I've had positions against me over 2000 pips! While those positions were losing, I was hedging and making profits.

Sure enough, weeks or months later those same positions that were over 2000 pips against me came back. Because I had patience I was able to close those trades for a profit.

So don't panic if a position goes against you. See if there is a possibility to hedge. If there is, great. If there isn't, wait it out.

You can still make other trades while you're waiting. That's the beauty of only risking 1% per trade.

Olympic Payments: Cash Takes Gold

Today the I'd like to take a look at the role Mobile Payments played in the 2012 London Olympic Games. Visa, the Official Payment Provider of the Olympics, pushed for M-commerce Technology as a safe and convenient payment option for consumers throughout the London games. Jim McCarthy, Head of Products at Visa Inc., said "This summer we will be demonstrating the future of payments in London - a future where most consumers will rely on mobile devices, tablets and PCs to manage their daily financial lives."

As a part of Visa's Olympics marketing push for the future of M-commerce, a limited edition Samsung Galaxy S III was provided to some Visa sponsored athletes and those lucky enough to be chosen for the trial run. The device featured an Olympic-branded version of Visa's mobile payment application, Visa payWave. To make purchases, consumers simply needed to select the Visa icon on the Samsung device and hold the phone to a contactless payment terminal to pay.

It seemed as though Visa had all the pieces in place to make this Olympics a mobile payments success; a dominant payment network, including Visa only ATMs positioned throughout the games, NFC -enabled vendors able to take the mobile payments, and spectators with smart phones who could pay via mobile. The only problem was competing against an Olympic veteran of every games, cash.

During Great Britain's Men's Soccer match versus the United Arab Emirates, spectators were unable to pay for food and drinks at Wembley Stadium by credit card or mobile payment after terminals went down. Many ticket holders described the lines that subsequently built up as ridiculous and said a lack of cash machines at the west London ground added to the problem.

A spokesman for Visa was quick to point the finger at Wembley officials, placing the blame firmly on the stadium's network infrastructure saying, "We understand that Wembley's systems failed and therefore they were only accepting cash at the food and beverage kiosks."

Twitter was bombarded with thousands of angry posts from people who found it completely unacceptable that they couldn't feed themselves. This was due to the fact that the only available way to pay was with old-fashioned cash and coins, a means of payments Visa wanted to push away from with its mobile payment implementation.

In these games, mobile payments did not expand as much as Visa had anticipated. Add that to the complete network failure at Wembley Stadium and it would seem that the effort was a flop at this year's Olympic Games. The silver lining however, is that m-commerce did have a huge presence at the games. And the uproar caused by the network failure seems to prove that we are quickly moving away from cash as a society. Just a few years ago, credit card terminals going down at the Olympics might not have been such a big story, let alone a trending topic on Twitter. It seems for the London Olympic Games, cash took the gold medal yet again in payments, but with the recent doubling of mobile payments users here in the U.S. and the increase globally; cash may soon be unseated.

How To Get The Right Haircut

The perfect haircut can make all the difference to not only how we look but also how we feel about ourselves. Getting our haircut makes us feel pampered and gives our self esteem a boost, especially when the compliments start rolling in.

So what is the key to getting the right cut for you?

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle will play a big part in the type of style you choose. Generally longer hair requires more care and attention that shorter style. If you have a busy schedule a style that you can pull back, or put into a ponytail may suit you. If you play a lot of sport or exercise regularly, having a style that you can 'wash and wear' would be a great option.

Ability

If you aren't blessed with the 'style your own hair' gene, a simple cut that doesn't require much work will suit you best. Your hairdresser will be able to offer some tips that will help you make your style look great and will be able to show you how to use styling tools to help you make the most of your cut.

Face Shape

Different face shapes suit different cuts. The most common face shapes are oval, round, square, heart, triangular, diamond, oblong, to figure out what your face shape is, pull your hair away from your face, look into a mirror and then trace around your face using lipstick, or an eye pencil, onto the mirror, when you step away you'll be able to see what your shape is.

Inspiration

There are plenty of sources for finding inspiration for your haircut. There are great online resources including sites such as Pinterest. Magazines have always been a staple source of haircut inspiration, and you'll find these at your hairdressers or you can buy style and fashion magazines. Film and television, or style icons have always been a place to spot trends.

Hairdressers

Your stylist will also be able to offer you great advice about your haircut and will take into consideration all of the above to ensure that your cut not only suits your face shape, but also your lifestyle and the time you have to dedicate to your daily hair routine.

Your haircut should be one that you can easily manage, that suits you and makes you feel good, and that you love to wear. If you are getting compliments about your hair you know you got it right.

A Funded Proposal Will Grow Your MLM Business

You're probably asking yourself, "What is a funded proposal?" It is a very powerful tool to help with your MLM sponsoring. The basics of a funded proposal work like this: You create a capture page that promotes a very inexpensive product. It can either be something you create, like an instructional eBook, or an affiliate product of someone else. The whole idea is to build your list while making some money at the same time to help cover your advertising costs. While you're growing your list and selling low cost products to these people, you are also building a relationship with them as well.

Once your funded proposal has brought these new leads in, it is then your job to continue the relationship building, to show them that you are a leader that is very knowledgeable and can provide them with MLM help. Once they get to know, like and trust you, they will be approaching you to join your primary (higher priced) primary MLM business. This is known in the industry as attraction marketing. It is something that every top Internet Marketer uses.

It is almost impossible to have MLM success going any other route. It is necessary that you use some type of funded proposal. Most MLM businesses are priced rather high. They can cost anywhere from $300 up to $1,500 or more to join. Approaching and advertising your expensive primary business to strangers is a recipe for failure. Sadly this is the old-fashioned approach that most network marketing companies teach.

Imagine if a stranger on the street approached you and asked you to join his MLM business which cost $1,000. Would you be willing to trust this individual and invest a large amount of money in his business? I'm sure the answer is no! Even if he tells you that he will be sponsoring you and guiding you ever step of the way to ensure your success, you still won't do it. This is because you have no idea who this guy is, if he has any knowledge and if he can bring you any MLM help at all.

Now if the same situation happened but it was Donald Trump approaching you, you would give him $1,000 with no questions asked. You wouldn't even care what his MLM business is. You would join regardless because you already know who Donald Trump is and you know that he is a brilliant businessman. You trust that what ever business he is involved with is a good one. You know he a very knowledgeable person and with his guidance, you will have a great chance at being successful. This is exactly what attraction marketing is. Donald Trump doesn't have to go and seek out others to invest large amounts of money with him. They come to him instead. A funded proposal will have the same effect on your MLM sponsoring.

So in conclusion, if you want to ensure your MLM success, you need to have a funded proposal. Once you have one in place, you will notice that the percentage of your leads that sign up in your primary MLM business will drastically increase and you will make some additional money along the way!

Power of Personal Branding

One of the most powerful and readily available tools to market your company is personal branding. Actors and actresses learned long ago that publicity designed to create a certain image in the public's mind would lead them to greater success in the entertainment industry. Stars with highly recognized personal brands soon became commercial spokespeople for services and products. Companies quickly recognized that when the public likes and admires the person advocating a product, they are more likely to purchase the product.

Within the past several decades, savvy businessmen and women have created their own celebrity status to help ensure their companies' success. Colonel Sanders made Kentucky Fried Chicken a household name through TV advertisements, as did his protégé Dave Thomas of Wendy's Old Fashion Hamburgers. Lee Iacocca's sincerity boosted Chrysler's sales when nothing else could, and media darling Donald Trump continues to draw investors and buyers to his various real estate ventures.

When it comes to our local community, it makes smart business sense for Birmingham's leaders to utilize personal branding not only to inspire confidence in themselves, but also in the organizations they represent. When we see or hear positive things about leaders at charitable events, in the newspaper, or on television, we are more inclined to support the causes they support or buy the products and services their companies offer. Conversely, when a leader has a negative brand, our view of the organizations they represent is negatively affected.

But you do not have to be a company leader to benefit from developing a personal brand. A positive brand will assist in the advancement of your personal career or the company you lead. No matter whom you are, your brand is created through a combination of the following:

• Reputation
• Appearance
• Personality
• Expertise
• Credentials

Simply put, everything we do that is witnessed by others is a reflection of personal branding. Smart business leaders do not take chances with their personal brand. Instead, they take charge, putting their best foot forward at all times. This means managing their personal and business reputation at networking events, gracefully sharing their achievements in the media and spreading their good news online. It also means making sure their company offers quality products and/or services because a company's performance is a reflection on the leader and all employees.

Leaders must continuously build their personal brands over time. Like a garden that takes persistent sowing, your brand must continually be maintained and nurtured. Be true to yourself and your moral principles. As I have always said, "If you want to be admired, become an admirable person."

Mobile Apps For Business - The Power Is in the PUSH

Thinking about launching a Mobile App for your business? If not now, when?

Now is the time to ride this wave of opportunity.

We all know as Entrepreneurs and Business Owners that in order to stay competitive in today's marketplace, you need to position your business to take advantage of emerging trends. Mobile Marketing is NOT in the future, it's NOW!

Did you know that statistics show mobile consumers have their phone or mobile devices within 3 feet of them 23 hours a day? Just think about the opportunity you have before you to have YOUR business on your clients or prospects mobile device 23 hours a day / 365 days out of the year? Now that my friends is what I call OPPORTUNITY! I don't know any other marketing medium that has the same power to instantly get the attention for your target market.

What do you think the average response or open rate is today with email marketing? Unless you have a super responsive and active list, you will only see 4% - 9% open rates within the first 24-48 hours of you pushing the send button. Mobile push or text messages are seen and opened 97% of the time within the first 4 minutes. Now that is impressive! Just think about your own mobile behavior, or heck just look around you.

Consumer expectation is that every "Brand" has an app they can download and access on their mobile device.

We are often asked the question, "Why should I have a mobile app?" Here are just a few reasons why you should have one:

  • Builds customer loyalty. Everyone likes to feel included in something special, so make customers feel like VIPs by offering discounts, coupons, and promotions just for using and downloading the app.
  • Creates a viral buzz. Encourage customers to use the mobile app to quickly tell all of their friends about the business using the built-in sharing capabilities of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, your blog, SMS, and Email.
  • Grow customer lists. A mobile app can gather names and email addresses from directly within the app and easily export them into the top email marketing campaign services to be used in additional emails.
  • Get instant feedback. Mobile apps allow customers to leave feedback on fan walls, share photos, and send comments in a variety of ways.

What is an App? An App is an application that has to be downloaded and installed on a mobile device, rather than being rendered within a browser. Users visit device-specific portals such as Apple's App Store, and the Android Google Play Market in order to find and download apps for a given operating system. An app provides an interactive engagement with users and works more like a computer program than a website.

The app may pull content and data from the Internet, in similar fashion to a website, or it may download the content so that it can be accessed without an Internet connection.

It is expected that by mid-2012 more people will be accessing the internet on their mobile devices than on PC's. With that in mind, it cannot be emphasized enough the importance of having one's business or service seen properly across all the different mobile platforms otherwise you will lose business.

What better way for your business to stay in touch with your customers than with your own customized mobile application!

Do you have clients and customers that you want to communicate and stay in touch with? If so, what is the best way to do that and get responsive results? The clear choice is through Mobile Apps.

I've put together my top ten tips to ensure your app success:

1. Determine your Objective

Are you looking for sales, brand awareness, social media engagement or to stay in constant contact and in front of your clients and prospects?

As Entrepreneurs and Business Owners it's easy for us to get distracted and become overwhelmed with all our responsibilities and otherwise great ideas. Be sure when developing your mobile marketing strategy that it aligns with your core message, and resonates with your viewing audience.

2. Integrate Social Sharing Features

We all know and understand the power of social engagement, and social sharing features of our information. All of your social sites can be integrated into your Mobile App which will insure and increase your brand awareness.

3. Keep Your App and its content up to date

Just as important as updating a blog, your app must be updated with relevant and engaging content. You need to keep the end user engaged, or just as quickly as they downloaded your app, they can remove it.

4. Integrate interactive and events features

Provide up-to-date information about all of your business events and specials by creating an events calendar. Whether you conduct live events or virtual events online, you will want to keep your new users engaged and in-the-know of what you're doing, where you're doing it, and how they can participate. We are social creatures by nature, and want this information available at our fingertips..literally!

5. Create Loyalty / VIP Programs

You will want to incentivize your subscribers, and give them a reason not only to download your app, but to also keep it on their mobile device. It's very simple to create Loyalty or VIP programs, and your clients and prospects will LOVE you for it.

6. Develop an effective Mobile Marketing Strategy

It's not if you build it they will come... You need to prepare your marketing plan prior to the launch of your new App in the App Stores. This will include, but is definitely not limited to:

  • Be sure to send an email notification to your subscribers with URL links to the Apple and Android (Google Play) Marketplaces. So they can download it. Don't forget to incentivize them in some way for doing so!
  • Create QR Codes that link directly to your App (QR Codes are 2-dimensional black and white squares that contains a url or specially coded message that your phone's camera along with QR Scanner Software will decode for you.)
  • Social Network promotions... oh this can be a great tool!!!
  • Keyword research for your App is just as important as for your website. As you build your App, or have a developer do it for you, determine what your keywords will be as well as the description for your App. These are both extremely important as they are two of the more permanent features of your App and will immediately assist you in generating new clients and leads when done correctly.

7. Create Raving Fans

It's very important to create an opportunity for your App users to feel as though they are part of your community. Remember the Social Sharing feature? Well this is just as important. What if at your next event, you gave your App users the ability to upload their photos from the event, or even write on your App fan wall? We have seen it time and time again on Social Networks how important this is, in fact it's a must!

8. Track your progress with in-App Analytics

You want to be sure you have a way to track the downloads of your App in the App Stores/Markets. Tracking the number of downloads is important as you prepare for future promotions, as well as revenue streams from advertising opportunities. The more downloads you have, the more valuable you are to advertising partners. This is a great way to help monetize your app!

9. YES... The Power IS in the PUSH!!!!

Here's the most important feature of all... PUSH Notifications! This is very similar to sending out an email notification, but is much more effective. Remember you will have a 97% open rate within the first few minutes of sending it. You can send out notices immediately, or schedule them to go out on a particular day, and time you set.

The push notification will show up on a mobile device just like a text message would. These are delivered to everyone who has downloaded your app on their mobile device. They are displayed on smartphones and iPads/Tablets. The message will be displayed on the home screen of the phone or tablet literally the moment you press "Send".

One word of caution though... Do NOT over use the Push Notification feature. This can be interpreted at SPAM, so please don't abuse it. Treat your new App Subscribers just like you would your email list and provide value first, then create the hunger and desire for your products and services and the sales will naturally follow.

10. Promote, Promote, Promote!

Once your App is completed and published in the App Stores, you will need to get busy promoting your new marketing tool! Your app will not download itself to other mobile devices, so you will need to be proactive in the marketing and promotion of your new App. Now is the time to get in front of potential clients and customers.

Enroll the help of marketing partners to promote your new App, and yes even your friends and family, and most importantly don't forget about your existing client base. They are already your RAVING FANS!

In order for your App to be successful and provide you a great new way to market to your audience, you must be willing to follow the steps listed above.

Don't forget the golden rule of marketing: People buy from People, and those they Know, Like and Trust! Having a mobile app for your business will help expand your "Brand!"

Isn't it time to share your expertise and reach your mobile consumers before your competition? It's your responsibility to make it easy for them to connect with you!

The possibilities for your Mobile App are endless.

Become Your Own Aesthetician

A recent Canadian study indicates that women spend 600 dollars annually on daily facial beauty cosmetic products and treatments. And that's just on the face! Imagine what that total amount would look like if it included the cost of hair, manicures, pedicures, and waxing. How is it possible that women are not taking on extra part-time jobs just to cover the cost of all this stuff?

Before we jump in on the details of a fool-proof way any woman can save money on beauty costs, let me first assure you that I am not criticizing the female tendency towards beautification. We all want to feel great, and taking care of our body is a part of that. If it so happens that polished nails or a fresh haircut makes you feel good, then more power to you. But, there is a difference between grooming to feel good and being overly-obsessive about how you appear to others. Be wary of how much time and focus you put on your appearance. Looks only matter as much as you let them.

Now, back to the part about saving money. The easiest way to cut back your spending on aesthetics is to do as much of it as you can on your own. That is not to say that you should be handling piping hot wax right off the bat. Like any other practiced trade, the aesthetics field involves specialized skills that take many years of experience to perfect. To jump start your knowledge of the craft (or potential career path), you may want to enroll in a continuing education program in Aesthetics. Here is a quick look at the types of courses you can enroll in:

- Skin Care
- Body Massage and Treatments
- Colour Theory for Make Up and Fashion Co-ordination
- Business and Marketing for the Cosmetics Industry
- Manicure and Pedicure Techniques
- Waxing
- Make up; Bridal, Glamour, Runway
- Hot Stone Massage

Because aesthetics is a very hands-on trade, most colleges will not be able to offer the related courses through their distance education programs. Whether you want to find ways to save money or are thinking about starting your own beauty salon, taking aesthetics courses is the first step you need to take.

And remember, even when you do become a money-saving, self-beautifying aesthetics expert, you can still drop some coin to indulge in the occasional trip to the spa.

Two Must See Places in New Zealand

New Zealand is a land of diversity, with rugged snow capped mountains, rolling green pastures, stunning weather carved coastline and wild geothermal fields. If you only have a short time to visit, in my opinion, there are two places in New Zealand that shouldn't be missed, and will show you two completely different sides to the land of the long white cloud. The first town, Rotorua on the North Island, is probably the best known and is famous for its bubbling pools of mud and shooting geysers, but has much more to offer. The second, Kaikoura on the South Island boasts the stunning combination of snow capped mountains overlooking the quaint seaside town along with the stunning rocky coastline.

The town of Rotorua is most well known for its active geothermal fields, and for good reason. People have been visiting Rotorua since the 1800s to experience the living, breathing geothermal activity and bathe in the naturally occurring hot mineral springs. There are a number of geothermal parks in the area, all with their own unique features. Hell's Gate has the reputation as being the fiercest of the geothermal areas in Rotorua with the largest active mud volcano, the largest boiling whirlpool in New Zealand, the largest hot waterfall in the southern hemisphere, hot mineral foot pools, hot spraying pools, a water and steam vent geyser and in contrast, tame native birds. The extremely fine geothermal mud from the area is used in facial masks and cosmetics and visitors to the park can immerse themselves in its healing powers in the sublime mud spa complex. Tours to the parks can be arranged from most hotels in Rotorua, or for those with their own transport there is plenty of car parking available. With the geothermal fields as a draw card, Rotorua's tourist appeal has grown greatly over the years and consequently attracted a great range of activities designed to enhance your holiday experience. The spectacular natural surroundings make the area a veritable playground for nature lovers, with numerous opportunities to explore the surroundings including extensive mountain biking trails, excellent trout fishing and myriad of forest walking tracks. Adventure seekers are equally as well catered for with a great range of thrilling activities like white water rafting, sky diving and jet boating, just to name a few. After a day full of action, take some time out to enjoy one of the many pleasures at one of the luxury day spas located throughout Rotorua. Rotorua is also the heartland of Maori culture, with a third of the local population having Maori heritage. There are historic villages to explore, native arts and crafts and traditional singing, dancing and games to take part in. The healthy tourism industry in Rotorua has seen the development of a huge range of Rotorua accommodation ranging from back packers and hostels to resorts and luxury hotels in Rotorua and surrounds.

Kaikoura, tucked on the rugged east coast of New Zealand's South Island, offers a completely different holiday experience to that of Rotorua. Its unique mountain and seaside location boasts a range of activities and sights found in few places in the world. The picturesque coastline provides the perfect backdrop for whale watching, coastal walks, diving and snorkelling, and even swimming with the dolphins and seals, while the surrounding mountains and forests are a haven for eco activities. Bird watching, rafting, kayaking, horse riding, fishing and even llama trekking are all on offer, or you can choose something a little more adventurous like scenic flights, quad biking, 4 wheel drive tours or even a caving tour. Food and wine buffs will enjoy the excellent local produce at the cafes and restaurants and sampling the locally made wines at cellar doors. Your Kaikoura accommodation should be able to organise tours for you including cultural tours with hands on activities such as weaving and forest walks explaining the traditional use of trees in Maori medicine. Photographers will fall in love with Kaikoura and its many unparalleled photo opportunities. Field based photography tuition workshops are available for all levels of photographers, providing the local expertise needed to catch that magic shot. Kaikoura hosts a number of festivals and events from the Longboard Pro Am Surfing Competition, to the Recycled Trash Fashion Show and Seafest, the annual food and wine show held on the first Saturday in October. Accommodation in Kaikoura is plentiful and varied, although if you are planning on visiting during one of the events or festivals, you may need to book well in advance to make sure you get your preferred accommodation. Kaikoura accommodation caters for all budgets from back packers through to those looking for luxury accommodation and everything in between.

If you only see two places in New Zealand, Rotorua and Kaikoura will give you a good feel for New Zealand as a whole, while giving you a varied and unique holiday. To add to the diversity of your holiday, consider staying in one of the luxury hotels in Rotorua then choose some eco accommodation in Kaikoura.

Spend the Festive Season in Bristol

Some people like to stay at home for Christmas, while others like to visit relatives abroad, or go away for a few weeks with their partner or children. For most people, however, the thought of making plans for Christmas is decidedly unappealing. Where to go? What to do? What to make for Christmas dinner? But this year, why not try something a little different by choosing to visit Bristol, situated in the heart of the south west of England?

But why Bristol? While many people prefer to visit bigger cities that are located further south, such as Brighton, London or Portsmouth, Bristol has a lot to offer every visitor - especially at Christmas. The city is very, very famous for it's vibrant cultural scenes - especially in the music and film industries, but other disciplines, such as art, are also very popular all year round - Bristol is even home to a few pieces of work by the street artist, Banksy.

While Bristol is a vibrant city all year round, it's especially delightful in from November - December, as this is when the city comes alive with not one, but two very different Christmas markets. The first is the famous German market, which arrives in the city on the 9th of November and stays there until the 29th of December, and is home to all sorts of festive favourites, such as the Bavarian Beer Garden, 40 wooden Christmas chalets each selling wonderful things, such as gifts, food, drink and other mementos and a Christmas tree and a carousel for the children.

The second market is the Bristol Local Christmas Market, which opens on the 6th of December. This market sells a fantastic selection of gifts and other items made by local artists and producers, such as unique handmade jewellery, lanterns, Christmas decorations, photographs and musical instruments. Food and drink is also readily available, as the market also boasts a selection of local cider, fashionable craft beer, cheeses, jams, chutneys, chestnuts and much, much more.

When it comes to accommodation, there are a number of hotels located in the very heart of Bristol, in the city's vibrant city centre, where visitors can stay, sleep and eat surrounded by some of Bristol's most famous sites and surroundings. Finding a Bristol city centre hotel can also be much easier than you think, as there is a fantastic selection of hotels, hostels or even B&Bs in the city, which means that there is somewhere for everyone to stay, because the prices can suit any budget - especially if the hotel is doing special Christmas discounts.

So, why not do something totally different - head to Bristol for Christmas this year and experience everything the city has to offer, from fine Christmas food, to beautiful and unique handmade gifts to staying in a Bristol city centre hotel that suits your budget and your needs. It could be the best decision you make all winter.

Plastic Surgery to Tweak Your Own Efforts

There is a large misconception that majority of the people who request plastic surgery have put little to no effort into improving their bodies the old fashioned way. This refers to the cosmetic procedures that contribute to sculpting or the appearance of toning or weight loss. The fact is there are a variety of people with a variety of backgrounds that opt for the advent of these cosmetic procedures. They have backgrounds as diverse and unique as the bodies they walk into the doctor's office with. They range in age from their twenties to their sixties and seventies for major to minor procedures. They are former athletes, they are mothers, they are divorcee's looking to reenter the dating scene, they are men and women who were formerly overweight and now could just use a little tweaking in order to enhance the workouts and diets that have contributed to most of the work already. They have longed for their bodies back or their ideal form for so long and they can finally afford the cost of the procedure and the time for recovery to have this moment in their lives right now. Plastic surgery isn't, for everyone, an easy way out of effort; it is never a quick fix, regardless of one's intensions, so for those men and women working their butts off, they use cosmetic alterations as that finally step in their full body transformation.

As you know, plastic surgery can include procedures for the entire body: hair transplants, eyelid surgery, face lifts for the many quadrants of the face, liposuction from the neck to the legs, fat transfer from the neck to the feet and hands, implantation from the cheeks to the breasts to the buttocks to the calves, tummy tuck, excess skin removal and body re-envisioning after massive weight loss are the names of most of the separate body procedures. But the trend for body tweaking patients is to have several procedures performed at once, under one anesthesia dosage; it will extend the time one spends under the drug, however, it's worth it to many of them. Or they opt for one procedure that can impact multiple areas, such as liposuction to one's self-declared problem areas such as the abdomen, back, upper arms, hips, thighs to facilitate the appearance of weight loss along with the fact of one's work.

To reiterate, liposuction isn't a weight loss procedure, it only removes some of the subcutaneous fat from beneath the skin, but the sculpting and smoothing effects of tighter skin is undeniable. So as these men and women continue to strive for their health why not try out the benefits of plastic surgery, the results will only improve as a result of the work of the patient. The better their internal health and the condition of the skin is as a result of the diet and exercise regime they have been on for months or years; they deserve the body they've worked hard for.

Is It Worth It To Re-Finance?

This is the question many property owners might have when they are thinking about re-financing their house. The fact is that the answer for this question is a rather complicated one and the correct answer is never exactly the same. There are a few normal situations where a house owner might look into the possibility of re-financing. These situations include when rates of interest decrease, when the homeowner's credit rating improves and when the property owner has a major improvement in their finances. While a re-finance might not necessarily be warranted in all of these situations, it is definitely worth looking into.

Drops in interest rates usually send house owners rushing to re-finance. However the property owner should consider the rate drop prior to deciding to re-finance. It is essential to note that a house owner will pay closing costs every time they re-finance. These closing costs can include application fees, origination fees, appraisal charges and a wide variety of other costs and can add up very quickly. Because of this fee, every house owner should very carefully review their finances to figure out whether or not the re-financing will be worth it. Generally the closing costs should not go beyond the overall savings and the time period the house owner is expected to keep the home to recoup these expenses should not be longer than the property owner plans to keep the house.

When the homeowner's credit ratings improve, considering re-financing is warranted. Loan companies are in the business of making money and will probably offer good rates to people with good credit more likely than they are to offer these rates to people with bad credit. Because of this, individuals with bad credit is usually offered terms such as high rates of interest or adjustable rate mortgages. Property owners who are dealing with these situations might look into re-financing as their credit improves. The best thing about credit ratings is errors and blemishes are at some point removed from the record. Therefore, home owners who make a genuine effort to correct their credit by making payments in a timely fashion might find themselves in a position of much better credit down the road.

Homeowners must also think about re-financing when there is a substantial improvement in their finances. This might include a big raise along with the loss of a job or a general change in careers causing a significant decrease of pay. Either way, re-financing can be a worthwhile option. Property owners who are making much more money might think about re-financing to repay their debts. On the other hand, people who are not able to meet their monthly financial obligations might turn to re-financing as a method of extending the debt which will reduce the monthly installments. This could lead to the owner of a house paying more cash over time since they are extending their debt over a longer time period but it might be required when you're in trouble. When this happens a reduced monthly payment will be worth paying over time.

Ideas for Choosing a Perfect Prom Dress

Prom! It's one of those high school events that you will never forget. You can make your prom night a beautiful memory of high school.

To look beautiful on this much awaited night you have to wear a special dress. What to wear to a prom night depends on what kind of a person you are. You got to choose the right prom gown that compliments your best features.

You cannot buy a prom gown at a go. You need to start your search for a prom outfit well before your prom night. Best way to see what's in is to check fashion magazines or watch the celebrities at the latest red carpet events. This will give you an idea of what's in trend.

Plan your budget to get a prom outfit. Start saving much before for your prom outfit, your shoes, accessories and make up. Gone are the days when prom wears were affordable only by celebs. You can now get a huge array of cheap prom dresses online which you can easily afford. This definitely does not mean that these cheap prom dresses would be low on your style quotient. However, after wearing, it would give you a sense of completeness.

Prom dresses are available in various colors, styles and fabrics. You need to try different styles to check what suits you the best. Prom dresses come in a variety of cuts like A-line long prom gowns which goes really well on women with a curvy body. We also get sheath style prom outfits which look best on slim figures. If you are short, look for a short dress as this will be long for you and fit better.

Once you have decided on the style, check for fabrics and colors. Coral red, purple, electric orange or midnight blue will surely be attention getter.

Dance away the prom night; wear an exquisite off shoulder black long prom gown and this will surely turn all eye balls to you.

Buy shoes and accessories that compliment your prom wear. Buy your prom wear few weeks before your prom. If there are any alterations needed you will get enough time to get it done. Few days before the prom night, try your glamorous long prom gown with the shoes and accessories you have got. It's always better to try the complete attire and see the way you look well before the event.

Construction Safety Essentials

When construction personnel work on a new structure, they make it look easy. In reality, the work they do pose danger to their lives. The unpredictable nature of the construction industry adds up to the hazards if the employee or the company does not follow safety measures. Here are some guidelines you can follow in keeping the workplace safe.

Assess and Evaluate

Take the time to visit the site and check for some damages. This is the perfect way to know if everything is in good working condition. Write every hazardous thing you see, from slippery floors to hanging electrical wires. These minor things need proper care and attention or can turn into something worse.

If you happen to come across hazardous material, label them for future disposal. You may need special safety equipment before handling these toxic substances. Also, look at the equipment and check for any signs of malfunction or degrading. While heavy-duty machinery does not require constant maintenance, it is still necessary to check it frequently.

If you have a manual for occupational safety, now is the time to read and understand it to get more ideas like acquiring tool hire services.

Appropriate Equipment

One important factor in observing safety in the work place is the use of the appropriate safety equipment and gear. Below are some of the most basic tools you need:
- Safety Helmets: Construction veterans also call these safety headgears as Hardhats. It works to protect the head from any injury caused by falling debris, weather, or electric shock. Inside the headgear is a suspension that can spread the weight of anything that falls on it. Some of these helmets have reinforced ridges that fully protect the skull.

- Work Boots: This footwear boasts of high durability than of a normal shoe. It also possesses the steel-toe mechanism that protects the feet and toes from injury. Most of these boots also have plating inserted between the soles to protect from punctures from below. Some of them today also work as fashionable footwear.

- Gloves: The dangers of burns and cuts are inevitable at a construction site. Employees can protect themselves by wearing safety gloves usually made of thick leather. Some manufacturers insert specialized chainmail into the weaving for added protection.

Hazardous Materials

Many toxic materials can pose different health risks to employees. It can be from asbestos that can bring about lung problems or lead that can poison the body. You also have to be on the lookout for dangerous substances that may start fires or cause corrosion.

Focus on decontaminating the exposed sites from these poisonous materials. Bear in mind, however, that you need to use top grade safety materials to ensure the proper removal of toxic wastes. You can hire the services of companies that offer excavation and dumping services. This can make sure that the area will be good as new after the waste removal.

Brazil Butt Lift: The Change Behind American Fitness

What is common between samba dancers, ballerinas and people who perform capoiera, Afro-Brazilian fighting style? They all boast of a rear that is toned and firm, yet round, though not flabby. There must be something that keeps their bums perked up. That "something" is Brazil butt lift workouts.

Traditional Brazilian moves are known to flex the rear muscles. This is the reason the famous Brazilian butt lift program includes dance-themed classes, which make the workout more fun and exciting.

Exercise with a difference

Whether it's the Amazonian Rhythms or Tummy Tuck, you can get a taste of the Brazilian moves and grooves that have become a global trend today. Right from celebrities to the person next door, the wave of butt lifting exercises along with some "samba-n-ramba" have become a smashing hit and we don't know what's gonna happen next!

The rise and rise of the Brazil butt lift program

Switch on your TV for the morning fitness segment on WB11 or flip the pages of famous fashion magazines, you would notice features on Brazilian fitness classes and how they have created a storm in the fitness world. They have sent a strong wave of hope to women with bulky or sagging butts, flat butts or butts marked with cellulite.

The workouts with a combination of capoeira styles, ballet moves, butt-shaking exercises and intense cardio movements have shocked Americans and foreigners with its quick and desired rear transformation results.

For Americans, who have been dodging under the excuses of having no time to exercise, suddenly are able to squeeze a few minutes from their hectic schedule to attend the booty-shaking classes or bring home the phenomenal DVDs of Brazil butt lift programs.

The beauty of these workouts is that they are short and thrilling. Some of the workouts last not more than five minutes. This makes them the perfect exercise regime for busy people and those looking for excitement in their lives.

Start with standard squats and plies, then move on to advanced and intense movements, such as dance moves, cardio and plyometrics, and end with a freestyle Brazilian shake. You will feel your heart beat run faster and your fat burn at a better rate.

Look who made this happen!

Leandro Carvalho, a renowned dancer and fitness expert in the Big Apple, provides a pulsating atmosphere in his fitness club, as people groove to the tunes of samba and work towards a fit body.

Voted as the top fitness club in the city by Time Out New York, it is no regular workout club or a gym. The difference lies in the stunning results that Leandro's workout programs provide. The workouts are designed to give you not only a perfect butt, though also a good time while experiencing the Brazilian moves.

This is what happens when a professional ballet dancer from Brazil comes to New York to perform and ends up establishing Brazil butt lift workout classes that win millions of applauds!

How A Finance Blog Can Improve Your Finances Through Online Marketing

You don't have to be a financial adviser to start a finance blog. All you really need to do from the beginning is to have a passion or vested interest in it and share your views about finance. Better yet, if you have any tips or methods to improve your finances, then your blog will grow popular very quickly if you have a lot of value to offer.

But how can you actually make money with a finance blog though? It's really simple although there are several ways and variations of them.

The most obvious way to make money with a finance blog is of course, selling your own services. If you are already a financial adviser or financial planner, then all you need to do is post some sort of content on your blog that showcases your credibility in the field. A lot of financial advisers or brokers offer consultations through their content as they get found easily through different channels online.

This puts you at a huge advantage since the online world is vast and large which means plenty of opportunity to explore different segments of the market.

There are other ways to make money through a finance blog even if you're not a financial expert of any kind. You can post content and sell a course or a service offered by someone else and get paid some referral bonuses or commissions. This is the concept of affiliate marketing and is often used with other blogs in different industries such as food, fashion or even travel.

You can even partner up or joint venture with a financial adviser and post content promoting them, while you take a commission from their referrals. It is just a simple concept really.

Another very popular ways to make money from a finance blog is advertising. Ever wonder how a lot of magazine, TV or any other press or media entities make a lot of money? Well they simple get a lot of audiences to see their material while have a bit of advertising and commercials on the side. You can do the same with a finance blog if you have ads everywhere related to your niche.

Google Adsense is such a method that is based on this concept. You basically allow Google to load up your blog with ads and then you get paid a little bit every time someone clicks on them. All you really need to do is drive traffic to your finance blog.

You don't even have to write your own content. You can always hire writers who are financial experts or at least knowledgeable in that area to write for your finance blog while driving traffic to your site and services. You can just as easily set up a simple WordPress blog and start posting content and promoting it via social media or search engine traffic.

Once you have these things in place, all you need to do is get people to see your content and build a list through your finance blog and you're well on your way to improve your finances at the same time!

Knowing Your Area Rugs

The idea of using accent rugs for interior décor is one of the hottest in the design industry nowadays. Everywhere in the world, people are buying various types of rugs to spruce up their homes or to improve on their fashion sense. This is all well and good, but it beats the purpose if you buy an item just because it is a fad. The truth is that a huge percentage of people buy rugs without knowing the first thing about them, what they are made of or how they are made. Knowing the type of effort that goes into a rug you want to purchase helps you make a conscious decision about whether or not it is worth the investment. Here are a few key good-to-know rug types that every rug lover should know.

For the wool rug lovers

Any rug expert who knows the first thing about rugs will tell you that wool is the mother of them all. Wool rugs are perhaps the most popular and the most enduring through the brutal techno-years the world has gone through. These are comfort items that are not only classy, but also very immersed in tradition. They are one hundred percent natural, yet they offer comforts that even the best technology has not been able to produce in synthetic rugs. Woollen rugs do not only provide a soft and cozy surface, but also a strong rug that you will use for several years with zero depreciation.

Transitional rug lovers

If you are not a conformist, then these are just the rugs for you. Like the name suggests, they are a type that falls in between two other types of rugs i.e. oriental or traditional rugs and new-age contemporary rugs. By buying transitional rugs, one not only enjoys class and finesse, but also the best of both the old and new worlds. These rugs merge patterns, colours and ideas from these two important times in history to come up with highly elegant rugs for your home. The best examples of transitional rugs are the hodgepodge design that has gained so much popularity that it is now a collectable item.

For throw rug lovers

Of all the types of rugs available, throw rugs are perhaps the most versatile of all. They are very stylish and easy to use whether you want to spend a lot of money or just a little to spruce up a small section on your home on a budget. These rugs are great for protecting high traffic sections in your home, but they can also be used in main areas such as the dining room or sitting room to add a pleasant surprise of colour and intrigue. Sometimes it becomes impractical to use huge floor rugs, especially if the room is very small or too cluttered. In such cases a throw rug can work wonders for your home.

For colourful rug lovers

Different people like different styles of décor. While some will go for the laid back, serious looks achieved using tertiary colours and block designs; others will prefer the colourful and more playful bright colours with interesting designs. The best types of area rugs for this kind of taste are the Persian rugs. The greatest fact about them is that they become more elegant and more valuable with age, so the longer you have them the better it gets, just like fine wine.

Vintage Style Dresses: The 1920s Flapper Dress

For any fan of vintage clothing, the Flapper Dress is one of the most revered and sought after styles. Originating in the roaring 20s Jazz Age as a style the ladies could dance all over the city in, they conjure up luxurious ideas of grand excess in a time of innovation and artistic development. It also helps that they're incredibly gorgeous.

The allure of the Flapper is the sheer amount of detail they exhibit. Embellished with sequins, tassels and feathers, they reflected the brash, outgoing nature of the new woman. With their sleek bobs, vibrant lipstick and witty conversation, the Flapper Girls ushered in an age of relative independence and rebellion on the part of the fairer sex. No longer confined to the background, these women became the life and soul of the party, dancing and drinking the night away. Who wouldn't want to reference such a fun attitude? Even today the Flapper dress is a symbol of joyful partying, of being different and comfortable with yourself.

For these reasons, the Flapper style has experienced something of a revival in recent years. Various versions of the flapper dress have appeared sporadically on the high street and the catwalk, and TV dramas such as Boardwalk Empire have introduced a whole new generation to the Golden Age. The long awaited release of The Great Gatsby movie in 2013 has also provided ample inspiration, with Miuccia Prada working with the film's costume department to bring archived Prada dresses into the wardrobe of Daisy Buchanan, portrayed by the stunning Carey Mulligan. The practicality of the dress cut, combined with the opulence of the embellishments mean that it is a style that brings together comfort with stunning aesthetics.

The flapper dress is best suited for a less curvy figure, similar to the 60s shift. The straight up and down cut suits an athletic frame most, although you are likely to find dresses that will work with any body in the high street stores now, as body conventions have certainly changed in 90 years! Keep this in mind, however, if you go for a vintage piece. Sizing will be a lot smaller and the construction of the garments will be less flexible, since manmade stretchy fibres were not available at the time of their design. It may be easier then, to opt for a contemporary product when dipping your toe into the flapper trend; find a piece you love easily, get used to the style, and then if you fall hard for the Flapper girl identity, you can go thrifting and eventually find your perfectly unique vintage outfit.

The majority of flapper dresses are sleeveless or have subtle cap sleeves that don't provide much more coverage. If you want to wear your flapper in the colder months you will therefore want to find a complementary bolero, perhaps in lace or sequined; alternatively you can make a contrast with a grungy biker jacket for a unique take on a classic style. The 1920s was also a time when more women began to experiment with heels. Naturally, they were a lot shorter than the majority of styles currently around. Good news, however; the block heel is coming back into fashion for autumn/winter 2012, with many stores stocking one or two inch heels to help you keep dancing until morning.