The LuxMob Info Tags

Being raised in a household without a mother or a father can be traumatic for a young girl. If no one cares enough about you to come into your life to “finish” or offer guidance where your parent(s) left off, you are a lost soul.

As I mentioned in my story Zenobia’s Life Lessons, my mother passed away when I was a young girl of twelve and unfortunately, I never knew my dad. My mother knew that her illness was terminal therefore, given the time that she had left, she would explain everything there was for my sister and I to know about life with thorough exactitude and detail. As a result, I grew up accustomed to having a situation or a “let-me-tell-you-what-just-happened-to-me” story clarified in the same manner. I wanted stories or incidences re-told to me from beginning to end. One could leave nothing to the imagination. If you did leave something out you could bet your bottom dollar, I’d query you about it in the middle of your storytelling and you’d have no choice but to go back and repeat the story EXACTLY as it unfolded.

Shortly after my mom passed my sister began her first dating relationship with a guy who lived across the street. She was in love and had little to no time to spend with an annoying gawky younger sister. So I felt not only had I lost my mom, I also lost my sister. During this time, I became very observant and gathered my own opinions and summations about life and situations as best I could.

My sister and I lived with our aunt. She worked during the nights and when she was not working, she was sleeping during the day while I was at school. Our schedules didn’t allow lots of time for her to parent. Not having my mother or sister around to answer questions or explain “life” circumstances to me was a hard pill for me to swallow, but eventually I was able to force it down.

I was about 16-years old and I always felt as though an “Angel” was watching over me. I remember once, while my mother prepared my sister and I for her death she told us “if I could come back I would never hurt either of you”. Hence, I always felt as though she was somewhere keeping an eye, sort of guiding me during my times of confusion and uncertainty as I matured.

Unbeknownst to me there was an “Angel” watching me and giving me tutelage and empowering me to always look at my situations as an optimist as oppose to the pessimist. My “Angel” taught me the importance of having a good education and the significance of learning a skill. He taught me the weight of exhausting all of MY resources FIRST, before I rummaged around for help from those who cared not. MY Angel never let me drift too far away from him to the point of becoming defiant to the knowledge that he was trying to enlighten upon me.

When I’d come in the house after “hanging out” for the better part of an evening, as teenagers often do, he would always somehow draw me into a conversation of substance. I could not just waltz into the house, say my hellos, and mosey into my room.

“How was your day?” he’d ask me while I was in mid-step, or “tell me what you’ve been doing all evening”, or (this one was my favorite), “who were you hanging out with all day?”

I realized when I became a parent that these questions were pertinent in order to establish an interpersonal relationship with your child. The more we know in terms of what our children are doing when they are away from home, the less likely our children are to get involved in troublesome situations. It was true then and I am sure it is truer now.

Countless times my “Angel” and I would sit in the kitchen at my aunt’s house and he would share with me definitive stories about HIS life and experiences. He would give me a scenario that would prompt me to think and relate his story to MY given situation.

It always amazed me how this man who seemingly on the outside gave the appearance of being a quiet laid back gent, came alive where I was concerned. He somehow must’ve known that I was basically detached with no one to guide me. He decided that he was going to be the person that was going to continue where my mom left off. Invariably he kept me reeled in.

To this day he has never admitted to me that he decided to complete the job that my mom started. I really do not think that he is aware of what he did for me and how his storytelling impacted my life. I thought he came to this conclusion because he was consistently available for me. He always had time to listen to whatever issue I was going through. If I had a bad experience in school, we would never just “talk” about it, we would unravel the incident in earnest detail. Afterward, I would leave him feeling as though I was sharper or keen because he always gave me food for thought. These discussions with my “Angel” gave me a different angle in which to view my situation and life.

As an adult I spent many years enthralled with my life and I did not call as often as I should. However, whenever I did call upon him to share an emotionally traumatic situation that I endured, true to form, he convinced me that I should come away from that incident stronger and mindful. When I would doubt myself, he did not want to hear or see that. He never told me that he didn’t want to hear or see it, but based upon his dialogue with me, my suspicions were confirmed.

He would not settle for ME compromising less for MYSELF. His communications were ALWAYS encouraging, motivating, positive and inspiring. I could NEVER have a talk with my “Angel”, leave the discussion, and view that circumstance the same EVER!

There were times when I wanted to beat up on myself; told him the negativism that I felt about myself, or even shared the dissenting remarks others would opine about me. He would always take me back to the core of who I was as a young woman, reminding me what really mattered. He told me that I should never let another’s inference of me dictate how I viewed myself. My “Angel” was the first, no not the first, the ONLY person who taught me the true meaning of SELF-IMAGE and how important will be for the rest of my life.

For so many years I yearned for a brother. Always felt that if I had one, no one would hurt me because I could run to him and he would somehow make any situation tolerable. Due to the numerous stories my “Angel” shared with me while sitting around my aunt’s kitchen table, I became empowered to handle my own situations. No longer did I yearn for a brother. No longer did I feel as though I needed SOMEONE ELSE to make my life better. My “Angel” as a result of his outwardly meaningless, innocent stories, handed me self-worth while showing me how to gallantly grasp my aspirations and exceed them. Aspirations that are unyielding as I write this story!

My “Angel” never gave me money nor did he buy fancy clothes for me. NEVER! But what he gave me was/is worth more than all the money in Fort Knox. HE GAVE OF HIMSELF!! Unselfishly, chivalrously, offering the commitment and closeness that I desperately needed during my formative years.

God rarely gives us what we WANT, but he ALWAYS gives us what we NEED. Isn’t it peculiar how one can ask for, or want something so badly, when often times all that you really NEED is right before you? I became so engrossed with my life, so absorbed with trying to find a resolution to my problems. I became so bogged down from the weight of my thrashes with my existence that my range of vision became obscured. Sometimes the obvious is never obvious enough. Everything I needed in terms of guidance, support, love and trust, was there for me to embrace in one package. What an impact one person can make!!

The nerve of me to want a brother!! All of this time, ALL of these long, long, long years, I already had EXCTLLY what was needed in HIM. My brother, my cousin, and my “Angel”. Moreover, my FRIEND. I just had to open my eyes wide enough to envision what I had/have in him.

Because of my cousin and the stories that he shared, coupled with the support that he’s given me, today I can say my life is good. I know it has taken me quite awhile to notice what he has done for me, but better late than never right? YOU empowered me. My heart is burden free and my soul smiles!

F-I-N-A-L-L-Y my life is premium, relaxed and nonviolent. One person CAN make a difference and the difference is/was you.

Thanks Cuz! This is long overdue. I LOVE YOU….!!

(c) 2005 by C. V. Harris. All rights reserved.

C.V. Harris is a writer living in New Jersey who’s passion for expressing the sentiments of love, grief and triumph can be both entertaining as well as motivating. Ms. Harris is currently working on her Memoir. Visit her Blog at http://www.onewriterwriting.blogspot.com, or e-mail her at onewriterwriting@hotmail.com.

The world of weight loss and fitness is certainly vast, and the
American consumer can absolutely get lost in the thousands of
easy effortless and ostly useless ads if not careful. With my
books and research I want to clear the air about the various
myths and false statements regarding our health and fitness that
have clearly muddied the waters for many Americans.

What I want to stress in particular is that there is no magic
answer, potion, or diet pill that is going to make everything
better. The ad on TV where the pretty lady says “it’s easy.
you’ll love it”, is appealing to our need for instant
gratification with no effort. We don’t want to hear the facts so
we continue to look for the instant solution. If there was a
magic diet pill, or diet plan, over 60% of Americans wouldn’t be
overweight, in spite of spending over $35 billion annually on
diet products.

Achieving weight loss and fitness requires a commitment on your
part to strive for a healthier you. What you will get in return
for all of your hard work and dedication is a fit body, a
renewed clarity of mind, better quality sleep, and perhaps even
a pronounced increase in your libido. I have found that through
the positive changes I have made in my own life regarding weight
loss and fitness, all areas of my life are exponentially better.

I wake up energized, I feel excited about my day and my
interactions with people, my body feels strong and capable, and
my entire outlook on life has improved significantly.

The Weight Loss and Fitness Commitment show that claims that
teach you shortcuts on how to drop 30 pounds in 30 days are
improbable at best and unhelathy at worst.

That claim is water loss pure and simple. You do the math: 1
pound of fat = about 3500 calories 30 pounds of fat = 105,000
calories. To lose 30 pounds of fat in 30 days you would need to
reduce caloric intake by about 105,000 calories or about 3500
per day. If you are eating 3,000 calories a day now, that might
be tough. OK you say I’ll exercise it off. 1 hour on a
stationary bicycle running at an average over 20 miles an hour
burns about 400 calories. Meaning to burn 3,500 calories a day
on the bike, you’d need to ride it for about 9 hours.

If you are looking for a quick fix, you will continue to be
frustrated about health and fitness.

However, if you are tired of feeling fatigued and know for sure
that you are ready to make a solid commitment to your own health
and mind, Living to Be Younger can act as a guide. It is my
hope that you will read each page with an open mind and a
willingness to make some changes that will enable you to break
out of your rut.

First, lose the idea that there is a magic diet pill or
supplement that will transform your body to a svelte shape.
Losing weight requires that you expend more calories than you
ingest—plain and simple. This means that you must get up and
moving at least three to five days per week, for at least 30
minutes each session. If you were considerably overweight, it
would be ideal to aim for at least five workout sessions per
week. Always consult with your physician before embarking on
any new exercise plan. Second, take a good look at what you are
putting in your mouth on a daily basis. Aim for natural foods
that are high in vitamins and minerals, fiber, protein, and
complex carbohydrates. Limit your intake of foods high in
saturated fats, sodium, refined sugars, and preservatives.

When
you take the Living to Be Younger Challenge, you will find that
your zest for life isn’t gone—it’s just been hiding.
Congratulations on taking this first step towards a healthier
you.

To learn more real world facts about fitness, weight loss & wellness
visit our website at: http://www.livingtobeyounger.com

Creating wooden keepsake boxes, children’s jewelry boxes, inlaid music boxes, and other types of musical movements can be a joy, especially when one is doing it himself or herself. However, there is an important step to consider when putting the music box together; it is choosing the movement accessories. These accessories include shafts/extenders, animation, turntables, winding keys, accessory shaft washers, cranks, rocking action, and musical mobile holder cases.

Shaft and Extenders

Left-handed shafts typically are placed into a special accessory hole on the side of an 18-note key-wind musical movement. When used, it becomes permanent. The key extenders extend the length of the winding key.

Animation

The 18-note key-wind musical movement can be fitted with several animation accessories. For example, the waggie shaft, covered with an accordion sleeve, allows it to rotate inside the sleeve instead of inside the figure, while the circular motion rod can be easily bent to create a neat orbital flying motion. There is a flat pad on the rod’s tip where figurines can be glued.

Turntables

Turntables typically come in clear plastic, opaque plastic, and metal. The left-handed turntable can be used to fit the left-handed shaft or shaft extender. Turntable can be used as winding keys as well when figurines are glued to them.

Winding Keys

All music boxes that are created must have a winding key unless a turntable is used in its place. Winding keys typically are in brass or nickel plated finish and come in different sizes. Typical winding keys include the T-bar, Triangle, and Miniature. There even is a childproof safety winding key that when installed becomes a permanent part of the music box. If one has a child who will have access to the music box, this would be a good fixture to have.

Accessory Shaft Washers

These washers are placed on the outside of the music movement housing. This would be a good thing to utilize if one uses plush toys or dolls as part of the music box. It helps prevent fibers from being caught in the accessory hole and getting wrapped around the shaft.

Cranks

A crank is a music accessory that produces motions such as swinging, pumping, sawing, rocking, and up and down motions.

Rocking Action

If one were looking into making music boxes with figurines such as rocking horses and chairs, this would be the perfect music movement accessory.

Musical Mobile Holder Cases

The musical mobile holder cases would be just right for a musical mobile for a baby’s crib. These movements and holder cases usually are not sold together, but separately. This holder case would work well using an 18-note key-wind musical movement.

Creating music boxes takes special care and also are fun to do. Whether it is a wooden keepsake box, children’s jewelry box, or any other type of whimsical box, why not create your first one today?

Copyright 2006 Monique Hawkins

Established in May of 2005, http://www.My-Music-Box.com is a music box gift store specializing in products such as inlaid ballerina music boxes for ballerina rooms décor, whimsical carousel music boxes, and musical jewelry boxes. The company provides interesting information for music lovers of all ages. Owner Monique Hawkins is also the author of the blog “What You Never Knew About Music” http://whatyouneverknewaboutmusic.blogspot.com , and owner of the eBay store “Monique’s Music Box” at: http://stores.ebay.com/Moniques-Music-Box Monique can be contacted at (540) 858-2885.

Lower Your Taxes on the Phone

Disturbed by how much you pay in taxes?

When trying to reduce their taxes, most people focus on their
federal and state taxes.

While that is a good idea, there is another way to stop paying
many taxes- a way that has nothing to do with the IRS or April
15.

Have you ever considered all the taxes you’re forced to pay on
utiltiy and phone bills?

Check out your recent phone or cell phone bill- look at all the
taxes! The city, state and federal government all feel they have
a right to make you pay them for having a phone. If you have a
second phone line for data purposes, the taxes likely exceed the
cost of the line.

Most people merely sigh and unhappily pay these taxes, thinking
there is nothing that they can do about them.

Remember that you are paying those taxes with hard-earned money
that you have already been taxed on once. This is essentially
double taxation!

Add up those cumulative taxes, month after month, year after
year. You are unnecessarily paying is a lot of money!
Eliminating all those taxes could save you several hundreds, if
not thousands of dollars over time.

Now, you can eliminate virtually all those taxes on your phone
bill.

The answer is digital phone service or VoIP (Voice Over Internet
Protocol). This is using a broadband (high-speed) Internet
connection for the regular phones in your home. You don’t have
to sit at the computer with a headset on. You use the phones you
now have. The difference is that the signal is now carried over
the Internet to the other person’s phone.

This also eliminates need for the regular phone company.

The good news and savings is that the Internet is not taxed.
There are usually just a few ($2-3) dollars a month taxes on
VoIP service, but it is far less than what you are paying on
your traditional phone service. You’ll also save because most
VoIP services cost much less than regular phone service. They
also include free almost every feature imaginable that the other
phone companies charge you separately for as add-ons.

You will also have free long distance with VoIP.

89% of U.S. households are broadband capable, so they could
easily try VoIP. Even if you upgraded your Internet from dial-up
to broadband to try VoIP phone service, you would still be ahead
on savings. The cost of the broadband plus VoIP service likely
will be less than you are now paying for your old phone service.
This way you would gain high speed Internet for essentially free.

A few VoIP providers also have the added capability of using a
video phone on their service. Imagine actually seeing your loved
ones or business associates when you talk to them on the phone.
You can have all this for less cost than traditional phone
service.

For more information about how you can save on your taxes, and
learn about selecting a VoIP carrier, please visit our site at:

http://www.video-phone-home.com/voip-service-provider.html

If you are looking for a new exercise program, either because
you are in a rut with your old routine, or you are just starting
out, you might want to consider joining a martial arts class.
Martial arts is a fun, challenging work out that you can enjoy
alone, with a friend or with your children. The obvious reason
that many people chose to learn martial arts is self defense.
This sport will teach you how to defend yourself for any time
you might be attacked. In addition to self defense, martial arts
will help raise your self esteem and confidence by toning your
body, and making you feel in control over situations.

Fitness is also a good reason to take up any sport, as in the
21st century obesity and disease due to sedentary life styles
are on the rise. If you find yourself bored or unmotivated with
the routine of lifting weights or running on the treadmill, martial
arts might be right for you. It’s a fun work out, so you
will be enjoying yourself while burning a large amount of
calories.

Martial arts can also teach a person tremendous mental and
physical determination, as it not only focuses on the body, but
also mind control. Many people who are involved in martial arts
say that the courage, and mental willpower that the sport taught
them is the best thing they have received from the art. More
than ever, people need to start focusing on the well being of
their body’s through diet and exercise. If you find yourself
more apt to sit on the couch than go for a walk, joining a martial arts
class might be an excellent change of pace for you.

The teaching and training of dog tricks while not a necessary part of a dog’s education, is an achievement that offer dog owners and his friends a great deal of amusement and adds materially to the value of a dog.

Training your dog tricks can be difficult and frustrating if you cannot achieve the results you want. However, unlike house and potty training which are vital education for any dog, I feel that the end-results is not the most significant element in trick training, to me the most important part is that both of you enjoy the training process and have fun along the way.

Listed in this article are 3 interesting dog tricks that you can teach your dog:

Dead Dog

Place a dog on his back or side or in any position you may select, threaten him with your forefinger and say “dead” or any word that you may select to associate with this trick, use both hands to help him stay in that position when you first begin training. Praise him and offer treats if he can stay in position.

With regular practice, he should be able to stay in the position in which you have placed him, it is only a question of practice when you can call to him and say “dead,” and he will lie down and stretch out in the position that you have accustomed him to taking.

Sneezing

With careful and patient training, most dogs can be taught to sneeze. This is accomplished by tickling the nose - with a feather. At first he will snap at it, and under normal circumstances, most dogs will start to sneeze; he will not like the feather very well and in course of time his imagination will foreshadow its effects and he will begin to sneeze as soon as it is pointed in close proximity to his nose. When he sneezes, use a command like “Sneeze”, to associate with this trick. As usual, praise and treat when he gets it right.

By repeating this operation at odd times the dog can be taught to sneeze very creditably when you point your finger at his nose and give him the word “Sneeze,” and finally will do so simply at command.

This trick can be fun and entertaining but not easily achievable especially with dominant dogs. If your dog get irritated and turn aggressive toward you when you tickle his nose, you should stop training immediately.

Bringing His Tail

During play, dogs frequently grasp their tails in their mouths. If you haven’t notice, if you take hold of your dog tail while playing with him, he will probably seize your hand, but if you skillfully slip his tail in his mouth he will grab it – Interesting!

These facts suggested the trick of “Bringing his tail.” It is a rather difficult feat to accomplish, but it is possible for any amateur to teach it to his dog providing the dog has a long enough tail and the trainer sufficient patience - Sorry to dog owners with short tails!

Anyway, this trick is very amusing, for when the dog has his tail in his mouth he can only advance crab-fashion or sideways, with a tendency to go around in a circle without making much advance.

The first step in teaching this trick is to praise the dog when he first gets his tail in his mouth, and after he has held it for a few moments bid him to let go and reward him.

Should he give up his hold before you order him to do so, speak sharply to him and begin all over again. When he learns to hold his tail until ordered to relinquish it the first part of the trick has been taught, and you can begin to teach him to bring it to you. To do this, step back a few feet from the dog in the direction he can most easily advance, and call him.

If he releases his hold of his tail to come to you, ignore him and replace the tail in his mouth again, but when he comes without letting go he should be rewarded gradually increase the distance you require him to carry his tail, but this task is so difficult that he should not be asked to go more than ten or twelve feet.

In beginning the trick, when you place his tail in his mouth say “Bring me your tail,” so as to accustom him to the command. In time you will not have to place his tail in his mouth, but merely hold it for him to grasp, and after still further practice he will seize it at the word without your assisting him.

Enjoy training your dog new tricks, and most importantly enjoy the process and have a great deal of fun and laughter!

About the Author

Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of DogsObedienceTraining.com – The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

The number of advertisements on the internet and the magazines regarding calling cards today have made the decision making process a trifle confusing and complicated. Prepaid calling phone cards are designed to be used while you are out of your home city or town on a vacation or a business trip. They are made to facilitate calling from most phones easier and affordable by cutting down on stupendous charges or surcharges levied by hoteliers and other gamut of tourist attractions. Most times, the prepaid phone card calling rates are comparable to those imposed by Sprint, AT&T or MCI WorldCom. These companies charge anywhere between 69 to 89 cents a minute for long distance along with a surcharge, if not renewed monthly.

However, paying a monthly subscription cuts costs. A monthly fee of $1 to AT&T will cut the calling-card rate down to 25 cents a minute; a monthly fee of $2 to MCI will bring it down to 15 cents a minute. Sprint is offering dime-a-minute calling-card-calls for a monthly subscription of an extravagant $10.95. This is the main reason why prepaid phone-calling-cards with rates like a penny a minute are getting more and more popular by the day.

There are too many calling card companies that offer cheap rates owing to the deregulated environment. Moreover, since the industry is extremely competitive, many companies use marketing tricks for attracting customers. One need to be careful while choosing a phone card. The major challenge that is faced by people today is to choose the right card. Calculating the final cost of a call is the challenge and making a choice based on it is further across the ridge. A lowest call cost can get obliterated by surcharges most of the time.

The “con” of using a prepaid phone calling card is that, before you dial your destination, you need to dial a special 1-800 number and a long “PIN”. Despite this minor inconvenience, phone calling cards are very popular among international callers, owing to their low cost. So, in the next five minutes, let’s learn the three basic things you must know about phone cards before you start using them: Many card come with a standard fee for per call connection, in addition to the penny or nickel per minute charges. Making long calls from such cards is more advisable, since the longer the call, the lesser per minute cost, due to fixed connection cost which normally is 49c. Whenever you make a call from these cards, a computer advises you about the status of your card – how much money or how many minutes are still available.

Always make sure that you pick up cards of value needed, and not the big bang cards. You can never be sure, if the provider is still in business after a few months.

Buy Quality and low rate International prepaid phone cards & prepaid international phone cards to call from USA to anywhere in the world. Your # 1 choice!

So you’re thinking about going country? It’s time to abandon the frenzy of city life, drop the ‘G’ from the end of your verbs and trade your Gucci for goats. You long to be in a place where business is done on a handshake, where your backyard is bountiful and where folks welcome you with warm apple pie and a smile. You want the simple life.

Over 1.6 million people moved to rural communities during the first five years of this decade. Several stayed. This migration continues – reinforced by dozens of national and regional periodicals presenting sanitized ‘country chic’ to millions of armchair rednecks. Having read a myriad of books and magazines about goin’ county, you are convinced it is for you. Why not?

Editorials immerse you with prose of serenity found. You are infatuated by the ideal of carvin’ your own nitch in the wilderness, collectin’ the morning eggs and whittlin’ on the porch swing each evening. Throughout the country, gentlemen greet women with the tip of a hat and a polite, “Howdy Mam.” You long to raise your children in a community where graciousness abounds while folks commune with nature in perfect harmony. With each flip of the page of County Cool Magazine you feel your stress level dip.

Before you lapse completely into a coma, bear a few things in mind. Full-page glossies of family reunions held beneath towering, shabby-chic barns make for better magazine copy than centerfolds of locals trying to avoid making eye contact with your U-Haul. Stylized black and whites of cowboys branding in the parched mid-day sun sell better than snapshots of the Mayor’s dead horses being left to rot all summer long, directly in the center of town. Furthermore, triumphant tales of battling the elements flow better than ancient country septic lines. No one knows why the media doesn’t ‘glam-up’ peeing in your barn. It must just be a fickle public.

Fickle indeed. I for one moved my son from our life long home in San Diego to my birth state of South Dakota three times before it stuck. Each time I recoiled in under a year. Best friends, scores of humanities, the Pacific surf and Thai food are a lot to give up at one time. Harder still was the shattering of my rose colored glasses.

The secret to a successful relocation is knowing what to honestly expect so you can laugh cathartically when the inevitable bizarre scenarios emerge. Sudden disillusionment is rarely a knee-slapper. Nonetheless, once adjusted, country life is closer to Nirvana than most get here on Earth. Thus, while everyone else pumps pure country sunshine straight up your knickers, I consider it my obligation to provide balance to the Universe.

Almost daily I question my reasons for living in the hinterland. For these moments of apprehension, I maintain lists in my mind. My lists remind me both what drove me out of California and why I cannot abandon country life. A hardy dose of big city burn out definitely came into play. For starters, I realized I was so sick of commuting I‘d rather endure seven months per year in an icebox with no sunlight than sit in another traffic jam. With that thought alone I was ready to pull up my roots. I also decided to move.

In fact, developing a loathing of the Urban Jungle was vital to my eventual ‘success’ in relocating. In retrospect, my twig was definitely about to snap. Of course, so many city folk run around with fully bent twigs, we never realize the contorted conditions of our existence. That many people living in close proximity, under the confines of excessive regulations, is the proverbial pressure cooker.

Urbanites and recent country converts wondering if your view on life may be intensely contorted are welcome refer to my lists. They provide perspective. For example: Signs of how ‘screwed-up’ you may be would include the following.

You’re having your morning coffee, a cow walks through the front yard. You don’t own a cow. You freak out, hit 911 and sue the Meat Packers of America.

You believe shoes matching your nail polish is in any way a daily priority.

You don’t recognize that it is morally bankrupt to apply for a permit from a homeowners association to put out a lawn ornament.

You carry more electronic gadgets on your person than Radio Shack inventories.

You drive to work past ‘that same old group of homeless people.’

You smile and say, “Hi,” to strangers only because you know it screws with their minds.

Your horse board expenses equal the Gross National Product of Guatemala

You’re convinced you are invisible and need two years of plastic surgery just so city gentlemen won’t let the C-Store door spring back in your face.

You pitch a fit when your favorite salad bar serves cheese made with non-vegetarian rennet, then drive the kids to Burgers Burgers Burgers.

Your children spend more time in the TV den than in treetops and you think that’s acceptable.

You get a building permit and three estimates to hang a painting.

Any chimes ringing? If so, remove yourself form Urbania immediately! Your twig is at maximum contortion! Give the country three years and you will stay. Transition is difficult, but once your up-tight attitude is vanquished, your twig unbends. These are the indicators you are settling in to the ‘Simple Life.’

You’re having your morning coffee. A cow walks through the front yard. You don’t own a cow. You sit down and drink your coffee.

Shoes’ matching each other is low on the list of daily priorities.

Your outhouse is not just a chic lawn ornament.

You save getting the chickens drunk for when you have houseguests.

You have no idea where your cell phone went, but the Border Collie is wearing your pager.

You drive to work past ‘that same old herd of buffalo’.

Your bird feeder expenses are equivalent to the Gross National Product of Canada.

Elk mounts ordain the walls of your favorite salad bar.

Your children spend more time in the their tree house than in school.

Yes, these are definitely telltale signs, you have lost that city pace. Although you can never voluntarily raise your stress level back to match city slickers, you have not lost yourself completely. Search the little places. Vestiges of your past will appear. These are the traits of an American Hybrid.
While having your morning cappuccino, a cow walks through the front yard. You don’t own a cow. You toss it a biscotti.

You can’t decide whether to paint the walls of the outhouse in a contemporary or impressionistic motif.

You use the word motif in the same sentence with outhouse.

You actually make homemade preserves – wild chokecherries with a boisterous zinfandel you picked up in Napa last season.

Mascara before milking.

You winter in the gulf of Siam. You summer in bib overalls.

You smile and say, “Hi,” to strangers only because you know it screws with their minds.

You could never shoot a deer, but you can dress that sucker out in under two hours.

You fence in a sarong and thongs. (This one gets the neighbors talking.)

You frequently run to town for Hawaiian Tofu and Goat Chow.

You have a different pair of hiking boots for every occasion.

Egyptian cotton sheets and a commissioned replica of Picasso’s Woman with Three Breasts enclose the baby chickens being reared in your bedroom closet.

It’s true, every day more and more of us are getting too screwed up to ever return to the city. Still, for all our differences country folk and city slickers posses one commonality. Neither group thinks twice about the US Government’s Food Pyramid. I guess we have to start somewhere.

Rural Relocation – Considerations and Adjustments is an excerpt from the satire Bitch Unleashed: The Harsh Realities of Goin’ Country available through your favorite bookstore. A free e-book copy of Bitch Unleashed is available on Nola Kelsey’s web site at www.NolaKelsey.com.

Choosing the right broker or agent is as important as choosing the right annuity contract. You either can get a really good person or a really bad person. The person you choose has to take your interest, concerns and suitability into account. This means he or she has to ask you many questions and get to know you and your situation, after they find out your needs, they can then make an appropriate recommendation for you.

To immediately find out if your agent or broker has an ethics problem, you can visit the NASD web site at nasd.com and check out their public record. All you need is their name and the brokerage firm they are with. If there is or might have been a complaint about them, it will be listed under the disclosure tab.

Now, if the advisor had a complaint, is it the end of the world? No. With the market going down, clients might complain if they lost money. What you need to worry about is a pattern of behavior. If the advisor has had several complaints, walk away from them. It simply is not worth it no matter what they say. You will also want to ask the advisor about the complaint to see what they say.

I will tell you they will be very uncomfortable discussing it. This is important though, as it gives you an advantage. It shows the advisor that you are astute with your money and they know they can pull no punches.
Remember, you are interviewing this person to manage your money, and you must be 100% comfortable with this person.

The place where and typically find the most inept advisors is banks. Usually bank brokers are lazy sell only annuities. They are very poorly trained and they are there for (and I quote a former colleague) “the low hanging fruit” meaning the less astute investor. Bank advisors typically have quotas they have to meet to keep their job and they are also very limited in products they can offer. If banks are so great, why do they offer such limited products? Simple really. Number one is money. The smaller the “approved” list is, the more money they can ask from the companies they do business with. Number two, with advisors who are not the brightest bulbs on the tree, keeping it simple is important. Afterall, do we really want to confuse these experts? This is not always the case. There are good bank advisors and bank programs out there, but they are few and far between. In over a decade, I have met literally a handful of good bank advisors. Also, it is important for you to realize that most of the senior management at banks do not even use their own financial advisors.

Should you go to a big firm and buy an annuity, for example Morgan Stanley? I would say this is not your best answer. Their “approved” list is usually extremely limited and they usually contain their proprietary funds. This is not always bad, it just does not seem right. As far as being educated on annuities, they are not the firms first priority, so they may not be as up-to-date on the products in the market place. They also may not offer the best products available. So I would not recommend going to big firms to buy an annuity.

This leaves insurance agents and independent brokers.
Insurance agent without question are experts in life insurance, but when it comes to annuities they are usually very restricted in what they can offer. They are usually only allowed to sell the parent company’s annuity and this is something that is slowly changing, but not fast enough. The proprietary annuity is, generally speaking, not as competitive as other annuities in the market place. With a captive sales force it does not matter. They will sell the company’s annuities because they have to. We do not recommend this option.

Finally we have independent brokers. I have found this group to be the best to buy annuities from. They can usually sell any company’s annuity they want. They do have “preferred” lists but they have the ability to shop for the consumer and that is where most other options failed. Now, there are some cautions when buying from an independent agent.

Money is often a motivating factor, generally speaking, since they have to work harder to get clients. They tend to sell higher commissioned products and there is always the risk that “soft” money plays a role in their decision process. Soft money is marketing money given to agents for marketing support and the consumer generally cannot find out if an agent accepts this soft money. Even though this soft money is legal it should not be. It is a fancy way of saying if you give us your annuity business we will take care of you, wink, wink. Even with this in the mix, as far as selection and competence level we find independent brokers to be the best option for annuity consumers.

You should always do your own investment research as well. To research variable annuities go to www.annuityiq.com.

Scott DeMonte is a widely respected expert in variable annuities. Scott has worked as both a financial advisor and as an executive for 2 of the best selling variable annuity contracts sold in America.

With over 12 years experience in the financial services industry, Scott decide to start his own company, http://www.annuityiq.com. Through his expertise he evaluates and rates variable annuity contracts.

By educating both brokers and consumers, Scott’s goal is clear: Get the right information, the first time.

Top jobs are like a lottery; you have to be “In it” to win it. “In it” means you have to be a player with a right degree, masters or PhD to be in the game of top jobs. But if you don’t have it you will not be able to join the game of top jobs. It’s just simple as that. Luckily online universities and colleges have made it possible for anyone to become a player.

Most people would like to be in the game but unfortunately they search and read the rules again and again without any outcome. Today there are 100s of online universities and colleges that offer numerous online degree and diploma courses and therefore, leave you with no excuse about a degree that you never had a chance to acquire.

The only problem is that you have so many different universities, colleges, courses etc that it is difficult to choose one. The first thing you would need to decide about is your criteria, what course you want to do? Can you afford it? Have you got the time and are you ready to make a commitment to give time to your studies? Are you self-motivated? If the answer is yes then bingo you have got it all.

After that the only thing you need to do is to pick one of the 100s of universities and colleges and enroll in a course. It’s easy, isn’t it? Or may be not so easy.

The things to consider about choosing a university or college would obviously starts from the cost. Some universities and colleges are expensive so might not be within your budget, but most of them are relatively cheaper than traditional one. Don’t forget you will be saving on traveling, outfits etc anyway doesn’t matter whichever you choose.

Convenience is also another great advantage of online courses. In most universities you can enroll in anytime of the year. You can carry on with your life and still manage to log in when you have time and continue with your studies. The question to consider is how many days you need to log in and study in a week? Some Universities require you to log in about 4 days a week, while others are not so strict.

The accreditation is another important aspect, which you must consider. Universities and colleges are normally regulated and supervised by the regional authorities. There were some fake universities and colleges around but luckily these types don’t last that long and normally disappear quickly. You can find some good and reputable universities and colleges.

Another thing, which is important, is the duration of the course, some universities or colleges requires a commitment of at least 2 years while others, which are also accredited institutes, may issue you a degree based upon your previous work experiences. You can find them as well on the above website address.

Now its up to you to either get into the game and become a player or continue with your life and your search for a better future.

Saad Saleem writes on a variety of subjects including online education. All his articles may be reproduced provided that an active link is included to http://www.friends4study.com and/or http://www.schoolsearch.be