The LuxMob Info Tags

Trying to decide what college you want to go to, what degree you want to get, and what career you want to pursue can all be overwhelming decisions to make, particularly if you are just graduating high school or deciding to go to college for the first time. There are a lot of different career choices you can make and who is to say which is the best one for you know — let alone 20 years down the road?

If you feel like you are really struggling with these decisions, there is help to be found. If you are a high school student, your guidance counselor may be able to provide aptitude tests and career information that will help you narrow down your choices. If you are just going back to school after years of working and supporting yourself, most colleges have advisors who can help provide you with the information you need to make a decision. Sometimes all it takes is to find out a little more information, and the right choice for you will suddenly become much more obvious.

The Internet also has lots of information about college degrees and careers, such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook. Additionally, the Internet may hold the key to the perfect college degree for you: Online degrees are being offered by traditional four-year universities and campus-based career colleges, as well as by 100 percent online colleges.

In general, when you’re having a hard time making a decision, the best thing to do is to find out as much information as possible about your possible choices. Often the information will make what feels like an impossible decision suddenly become brilliantly clear.

You can expect to receive a high income as a diesel mechanic or service technician. The majority of jobs in the U.S. are located in densely populated cities which trucking companies, bus lines, and other fleet owners have large operations in place, although positions are available in all areas of the U.S. These companies work closely with the school to place graduates in the job trade.

Diesel Mechanic students are able to learn online while continuing to work at their jobs.

An online Diesel Mechanic School will certify you to work on large equipment vehicles, buses, and trucks, in a well-paid profession. You will learn how to fix diesel fuel and ignition systems as well as automotive engines through a distance-learning program. Diesel Mechanic students can expect their curriculum to contain coursework in hydromechanical diesel fuel injection, truck/bus system computerization, emissions, powertrains, brake/transmission systems, and much more.

Each school is different and the length of degrees can vary, but for the most part you can expect to attend school anywhere from half a year upwards to two years. Those that complete the programs are rewarded with certificates, diplomas or degrees as Diesel Mechanics, Diesel Service Technicians, Diesel Truck Service Technicians or Auto-Diesel Mechanic. Certified Diesel Mechanics have the qualifications necessary to apply for employment at automotive repair shops. And a Diesel Mechanic can gain the skills and the confidence they need to start their own business with only a few additional years of hands-on experience!

Whether you are considering a teacher for yourself or your
child, a music teacher needs to have the right balance of
likeability and strictness. This is crucial. Friendly teachers
without firmness or insistence lack the ability to push students
in the right direction with the benevolent detachment that is
required. And stern teachers with no ability to show a friendly
side can make the learning experience too intimidating.

If the instructor you are searching for is intended for your son
or daughter, you need to be aware of how your child works with
different types of personalities. While adults can often respect
a person they don’t care much for, some children find it hard to
make that distinction. They respect whom they like, and they
like whom they respect. If they find a tutor to be unlikable as
a person, they will have difficulty learning from that
individual. I have witnessed over the years many students who
have struggled with their private teacher. And with children,
the results of a bad student-teacher relationship can be
disastrous. I know students, some with promising careers ahead
of them, who gave up their instrument because they didn’t like
their teacher. They didn’t just give up the teacher - they gave
up everything to do with music! So it is very important to
choose a private teacher wisely.

Private instructors who are accepting students usually make
their availability known through bulletin boards in malls and at
local schools, by word of mouth, or by advertisement in a
newspaper. In larger towns or cities, the choices are numerous.
How can you filter through all of the ads to find the right
teacher? There are some guidelines:

* References - Never choose a teacher without getting a list of
references. If a teacher does not offer to provide references,
avoid that one. Be sure to call at least two references.

- Ask the reference about the teacher’s rapport with their son
or daughter, strictness (strictness is good, but must be
tempered with kindness) and reliability (does the teacher make a
habit of canceling lessons, etc.)

* Program - Ask the teacher about the program of study. It is
important that a teacher be at least somewhat interested in the
student’s interests. But at the same time, a good teacher will
insist that certain techniques will need to be mastered no
matter what style the student eventually specializes in. (Rock &
roll pianists need to learn their scales as much as classical
pianists.) Teachers who are too accommodating (”Oh, I’ll teach
whatever you want me to teach…”) should be avoided.

- An instructor should show interest, and have some expertise,
in a student’s particular stylistic concentration. If you are
interested in jazz, but your teacher knows nothing about it,
look for a different teacher.

* Policy regarding missed lessons. - If the TEACHER misses a
lesson: Most teachers who miss lessons will offer to make them
up at a later date. A good teacher will minimize this
circumstance. If the teacher is a busy performer/ clinician,
they need to be upfront regarding the possibility of missed
lessons. This is something you can discuss with the teacher and
ask references about as well.

- If the STUDENT misses a lesson: You need to expect that a good
teacher will be (and should be) intolerant of habitual
absenteeism. If you are finding a teacher for yourself, ensure
that you have made these lessons a priority, and that you have
set aside the agreed lesson time. If your child is the student,
a good teacher will guard that lesson time jealously. It is not
usually acceptable to cancel lessons because of a birthday
party, sporting event or other social activity. Hiring a private
instructor means devoting time to that weekly lesson and keeping
absenteeism to a bare minimum.

Some other bits of advice: While it is possible to “interview” a
potential teacher over the phone, I would recommend arranging to
meet if possible. You will get a better handle on their
personality and demeanor, and this is so important.

You will need to discuss price. There tends to be a “going rate”
for private instructors, and this will vary from one area to
another. Perhaps you know of others who are studying privately;
you might be able to contact them to get a ballpark figure.
Teachers will usually offer half hour, forty-five minute, or
full hour lessons. For very young children a half hour is
sufficient. Forty-five minutes is great for middle school-aged
children (12 - 15 years of age), and hour-long lessons are a
good choice for older students.

Some teachers will request payment in advance while others will
accept payment per lesson. Though most have developed a payment
policy over the years, some can be somewhat flexible, so don’t
be afraid to discuss it with them openly. There are many
instructors who have been “burned” in the past by students who
have forgotten to pay, so you can expect such teachers to have
fairly exacting payment terms.

People hire private instructors because they want to go further
than they might go in a class situation. If you aren’t ready to
commit to the time to practice (at least forty-five minutes per
day, or more for some instruments), private lessons may be a
waste of time and money. Students preparing for university study
in music should certainly be considering private instruction for
at least the year prior to the audition. The private teacher can
ensure that students know what is expected of them on a
university-level playing test, and can suggest appropriate
repertoire for the audition. And you will love the advancement
that comes with private instruction.

The most important part of the college selection process is the initial identification of colleges and universities which are most appropriate for you. Soliciting recommendations from your school counselor is a good starting point, but there are many other valuable resources you should utilize.

Most guidance offices and public libraries have a collection of “generic” college guides with general information about individual colleges and helpful indexes enabling readers to quickly locate colleges offering particular majors, programs, and/or activities of interest. In addition, guidance offices and libraries are frequently well stocked with college catalogues, college viewbooks, and videos. Spend some time reviewing them.

There is even more, easier to access information on the internet. One of my websites (http://www.college-scholarships.com), for instance, includes a list of colleges by state with links to their websites and online applications, their toll free telephone numbers and email addresses, and more than thirty free online scholarship searches. Other sites let you search for colleges by major, location, and other criteria.

There are a number of magazines and college guides which “rank” colleges. Check them out, but do so with a grain of salt, as most knowledgeable educators consider their rankings and or evaluative methodology to be suspect.

In addition, there are at least a half dozen free publications which are mailed directly to students or distributed to guidance offices. While such magazines may be helpful in introducing you to colleges, bear in mind that they are supported by the colleges described therein, and even those that appear to “articles” about colleges are generally, in reality, advertisements written by the colleges or agencies compensated by them.

When you take the SAT or ACT - and I suggest you take them both as a high school junior - you will be asked questions about your high school grades and academic interests. If you indicate your willingness to allow the testing agency to release your name and address to colleges interested in students with your profile, you will probably receive a good deal of mail from colleges. Although there are no guarantees, particularly from the most highly select colleges, your chances of being admitted to the colleges which initiate contact with you tend to range from good to excellent. Students who review only the information sent to them by colleges with which they are already familiar miss an excellent potential opportunity to learn about institutions which may be a good “fit” for them.

Similarly, if you meet only with college admissions counselors (at your high school and at college fairs) from colleges and universities already on your list, you might miss out on some great colleges.

Dan Rosenfield is a university dean who creates websites on college admission, college scholarships, and online degrees and distance education, including www.college-scholarships.com and www.online-degrees-and-scholarships.com, and www.guaranteed-scholarships.com in his spare time. Contact Dan at aegc@earthlink.net.

After having worked with dreams over the past 15 years, there is
little doubt in my mind of the ability to cause change as a
result of your dreams.

One lady, in particular, who attended one of my dream classes
was haunted by a recurring dream of people being mutilated. This
really was virtually a nightly occurrence for her. In my dream
class I teach that people, and things, in your dreams represent
aspects of you. It is important as well to understand that
dreams are a reflection of one’s thinking. In her case, the
mutilation-type thinking was something on a conscious level that
she was experiencing, in her everyday waking state.

I came to the conclusion that she must be hard on herself, that
she would beat herself up, “mutilate” herself, if you will, on a
mental and emotional level. Interestingly, her friend had
accompanied her to the dream class. When I said to the woman
having the dream “You must be very hard on yourself!”, her
friend shook her head in the affirmative. She knew exactly what
I was talking about. Sometimes our friends can see us more
objectively that we can.

This woman’s dream was prompting her to change, as all recurring
dreams do. Once she understood that her dream was a result of
type of thinking, she knew what to do. Instead of belittling
herself, she began having more respect for herself.

Several months later, I met up with this woman again at another
dream class I was holding. She told me that the mutilation
dreams had virtually stopped. And now, when a dream presented a
message to her, she sought to understand it. She sought to be an
agent of change for herself.

We do create our reality through our thoughts and attitudes. Our
dreams exist to make us more aware of how we are creating our
lives through our thoughts. They allow us the opportunity to
cause change in ourselves. If we are in a rut, our dreams will
let us know about it. And the recurring dream is telling us that
we are definitely in a rut.

Life is about change. There is a saying that if you change your
thoughts, you change your life…and your dreams as well. Dreams
are a wonderful barometer of where we are at on the path of
life. Whether we are in harmony or anguish, the inner self will
alert you to this through your dreams.

The power to change is within every individual. When you tap
into the power of your dreams, it is like tapping into a best
friend that tells you like it is. The ability to understand your
dreams can alleviate years of heartache and misunderstanding.
Had this woman not come to my dream class, she might still be
having the recurring dreams. We are our own best “psychic.” No
one knows us better than our inner self. Each morning upon
arising, reflect upon your dreams. Were they pleasant or
disturbing? That alone will alert you to what is going on within
you. Your dreams only reveal truth about you. There is such
power in that.

Strive to understand the universal meaning of your dreams and
your will make great strides in gaining self-understanding.

Use your dreams for all they’re worth!

Students appreciate teachers that can show them how the material they teach can be applied to the real world.

Dr. Richard Riley, an accounting professor at West Virginia University’s College of Business and Economics, goes beyond relating his material to the real world for his students.

He puts them in it.

Graduate students that enroll in Riley’s Accounting and Business Consultation course run a complex simulated business, compete with their classmates, sell a portion of the company to venture capital investors and prepare and deliver a performance report to those same VC investors.

“There is a certain element of pride involved in that program,” Riley said. “The fact students are in competition with their classmates and have to deal with real world people give them extra incentive to embrace the activity.”

“My background is well suited towards students maximizing their potential once they graduate,” Riley said. He entered the academic world in 1998 after nine years of professional experience as a CPA and CFO. “I try to make a very strong connection between what I am doing in the classroom and what they will be doing when they graduate in the real world.” He also incorporates simulated real world-like activities in his fraud and forensic classes.

Riley became motivated to teach after realizing that students often graduate with plenty of knowledge, but little experience in putting that knowledge to work in the classroom.

“I always focus on students getting hands-on experiences in my classes,” Riley said. “The more I can get students’ assignments to emulate what they’ll be doing in the real world, the better off they will be for themselves and their employer.”

Because of his blackboard-to-boardroom approach to teaching, Riley was awarded Outstanding Faculty Member by Beta Alpha Psi in 2000 and in the fall of 2005, he will be awarded Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the College of B&E.

“Students are going through many life experiences as undergrads or grad students,” Riley said. “With so many things going on besides my class, I need to make sure they are prepared when they go to the real world. Students will understand everything I have taught them once they get out there, but providing for that connection is my most important job.”

Jonathan is a starving, struggling writer who aspires to work in public relations when he graduates from West Virginia University. He has worked in marketing with Advanced Internet, is a PR/Communications intern with WVU’s College of Business and Economics, and moonlights as a Sports Communications rep for the West Virginia WHAM! He is also a stringer for the Associated Press and loves pizza.

We have all seen the ads in magazines offering online degrees
from some vague and mysterious “universities”. Even if their
name as the University of Sing Sing doesn’t immediately put us
offer, their offers of not attending any classes should cause us
to pause for a moment.

Other signs of an online degree scam include a “school” that
doesn’t care about your academic record but wants your
MasterCard or Visa number for their records. Their only
admission requirement is that you fax or mail them a copy of
your c.v. or resume for their review. Another indication that
there might be a lack of legitimacy is that they promise you a
degree in 30 days. What the heck are you going to learn in 30
days? Nothing. But that is what your online degree will be worth
as well from this “institution” of higher learning.

Warning bells should go off as well if the online degree is
priced at an extremely low cost or for a lump sum of a couple of
thousand dollars. First of all you know that even an
undergraduate degree at any regular university will cost you at
least $30,000 to $50,000 a year so what exactly do you think you
will get for a few grand? In addition colleges or universities
seldom offer flat rate fees. They normally charge a set fee per
course or credit plus any associated costs.

Don’t settle for less when you can get and deserve more much
more. Reputable online degree programs offer you the real
opportunity to learn in your subject area of choice and at the
end of the day you want you and your family to benefit from your
studies. Avoid the online degree con artists and choose a school
and a program that will give you an accredited online degree
that you cannot only hang on the wall but take to the bank as
well.

Take advantage of the online opportunities to improve yourself
and your earning power. The United States Bureau of Labor
estimates that you will have the opportunity to dramatically
improve your salary by acquiring an online degree through a
distance learning program, up to $10,000 a year for people who
complete an online MBA program.

Online learning is a great way to gain new skills and improve
your future. Just make sure that the program you enter will be
of maximum benefit to you and not just to some paper degree
granter sitting in their parent’s basement. Be informed and get
the education and online degree that will fulfill your dreams.

There is a big adjustment coming in terms of our Human and Spiritual evolution, where Mythology and Parables will again play a vital role in the process. As mentioned in part 1, when our usual systems of information discernment fail us - you - we - I - will turn back to something familiar and old.

Myths are as old as the dawn of man. They predate human history because the latter is only a recent event. Recorded history began just a few thousand years ago and there are at least 100,000 Earth years with human civilization involved yet to be accounted for. All of them as rich, I believe, as those we can currently look into through our history books. Prior to that, it was the Oral Tradition that kept subsequent generations informed. Oddly enough, some of those Oral Traditions are still alive today in certain cultures (Egypt for example) where this missing 100,000 years of human history is available.

So where is this all taking us, this excursion into Myths and Parables? To where we stand right now, at the doorstep of this new era, the dawn of another epoch, the launching point of the new Millennium. At present we can only guess at what is coming next, and how fast it is moving toward us. But it is a fact; change is on the way. Some would argue that it is already here. Right now! Because Change, transition and transformation are endless cycles. They beat their way to our doorstep and march through our lives. They are as inevitable as the seasons. In relation to repeating cycles of change for us humans, we are in one now. The Millennium has already begun.

And what is more important during such turbulent times than Faith? Faith, Spirituality and Self-Confidence are tested during such times. If we’ve only been flirting with the advancing new knowledge and subsequent changes making their way toward us, then we’d better get on board quickly because we’re in for the ride of our life. One that we could not anticipate before.

Now that we’re on the doorstep of this Change, this Great Leap Forward, why bring up a tired old subject like Mythology and its companion, Parables? And that is a very good question. Why should we reach back into the mists of time, of pre-history, for something that is supposed to help us leap forward into this new Century and Millennium? Why indeed?

As mentioned earlier, historically, in times of turmoil and chaos, Myths were called upon to help explain events, to provide a forum for discussion, to advance the idea that we, the human race, were indeed ready for the advancing change. And here is the “Mucker” in all of this. The fact is: “We bring change upon ourselves.” Then we scramble about to try and make sense of it. Yes, We, the human Race, drive change! And long before we formally understood this process, we had Myths and Parables about it. We always had Myths announcing and/or standing, at the vanguard of a New Era. They were and still are the “gatekeepers” and “shepherds” for the future. They told us what was coming over the next horizon and what we needed to do to get through this inevitable challenge. Myths and Parables not only helped us prepare, they helped us execute the changes and adjustments that are always necessary to the success of such a process.

How are we to prepare for this rapidly advancing Millennium and the Changes we are bringing upon ourselves? We have to reach into our Souls now for the sustenance that we need. There, hidden inside, behind all those roles, addictions and fears we show the world, is the Energy, the Vitality, and the Inspiration that is to take us through our great leap forward. There inside is the “Heart” that rings the “Bell” that awakens us to our true destiny. It is no accident that we are here now, at this time in our history. And it is no accident that a great variety of warning “Bells” are sounding. It’s up to each and every one of us to tie into our Individual Myths and activate them for the coming Millennium. We are at that doorstep now. It falls to each of us to step on through.

So, how do we apply Mythology and Parables to our modern life? Is there a formula or pattern to follow?

Jesus Christ, among others, implored us to listen to ourselves inside our “Hearts.” Plato and a number of his fellow Greek philosophers advised: “Know Thyself.” Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet: “To Thine Own Self be True.” And over the years of our recorded history, many other prophets and teachers repeated the same advice. This very guidance comes to us again through modern day psychologists, psychiatrists, artists and spiritual advisors.

But even before the above mentioned proponents had their say, Mythology was there promoting the very same advisement. In fact, many modern day proponents of “getting to know your self” refer back to certain Myths to underline their point. Freud did it. So did Carl Jung, along with numerous others over the last century. Myths are still guideposts to the Modern Era. They’re just not so visible anymore and they’ve suffered from the bad press of being a synonym for fiction.

Joseph Campbell, an anthropological researcher from the latter part of the 20th century showed us how Myths and Parables crossed cultural boundaries and were recycled through succeeding generations. He pointed out, for example, how the Hero Myth appeared in most ancient cultures and has survived through untold generations into the present, to be recycled again. Where do we find them today? In our movies for starters, television, comics, books, and music.

Carl Jung spoke of the “Collective Unconscious,” which in mythical lore was related to “Psyche,” a Goddess, whose function it was to inform humans on their condition and plight. She too was instrumental in teaching us how to “know ourselves” better. Hence, modern Psychology is derived from this source and owes its very name to a Mythical Goddess from Antiquity!

Psychology, which is my field, is about getting to “know yourself,” using the tools of the trade - testing - psychotherapy - counseling - clinical investigations - and so on. Pop Psychology is about getting to “know yourself” for $15.95 over a weekend - Nuff said! Getting to “know ourselves” isn’t going to happen that easily or economically. My own experience, both personal and professional, is that this process is a lifetime commitment with every step having its own challenges and rewards.

Back to the bigger picture now, what we are witnessing here, as this new Millennium gets rolling, is “transformation” or “getting to know ourselves” on a grand scale. Already we are being told about it. Economic structures, Social structures, Religious structures and therefore, Personal structures are going to change dramatically. Like it or not, it’s already underway. The New Age sections of bookstores are full of such references; and these also cross over into Pop Psychology, Para-Psychology, Philosophy and Religion. Just check out your favorite bookstore.

Looking at all of these sections in today’s bookstores begs the question: “Why is such a plethora of mythically based reference material being thrown at us right now? To announce the advance of the New Era is the answer! It is here and we’ve got to deal with it. Like it or not, our current structures won’t accommodate it. We need different reference points to guide us through this transitional period. Guideposts that can override the limits of modern terminology; that can trace their roots back through the mists time and can consistently be relied upon like the needle in a magnetic compass; always pointing in the same direction - towards the Self, the True North and Center of our Personality.

It is “To Thine Own Self be True” over and over again. Right here, right now, that is the Sine Qua Non of our Era. We cannot move forward as individuals and a species without this most important central resource. Our Self is our guide to our personal creativity, our life purpose and the Divine. And this True Self will take us to the very core of our Being - Our Soul! That is where we are headed and what defines the current challenge.

Maurice Turmel PHD is an Author, Speaker and Performing Songwriter. His site features Self-Help books, Inspiring Music, Stories, Reflections and Poetry that can help YOU discover how truly great YOU are. The WebSite is dedicated to that end. It also features his collection of articles, reflections and stories as teaching tools, and his latest Ebook, “The Voice,” a Spiritual Sci-Fi novel. It will introduce YOU to all the basic concepts that characterize The Healthy Life, both Spiritually and Psychologically.
http://www.mauriceturmel.com

Drawing a face isn’t as hard as it looks. To draw a realistic human face, it takes mapping out the face correctly before you fill in the finer detail. If you would like to get the most out of this article, I recommend sitting down with a pad and paper and drawing each step as you read it.

To begin, start with an egg shaped oval. Draw a line down the center of this egg. This line will give you a midpoint for measuring eye separation, nose width, etc.

Next, separate the egg shape into 3 equal portions (horizontal lines) with 2 lines. The top of the egg will be be the top of the hairline and the bottom of that segment will be the eyebrows. The second segment goes from the eyebrows to the bottom of the nose. The third segment goes from the bottom of the nose to the bottom of the chin.

Two of these segments turned sideways will give you the measurement sideways from cheek to cheek.

The measurement of one eye should be equal to the distance between the two eyes. The corner of each eye should line up with the wings of the nose.

If you divide the third segment (under the nose) in half, with a horizontal line, you have the line for the bottom of the bottom lip. The corners of the mouth should line up with the middle of the pupil of the eye.

The ears should be visible from a front view as they do not sit flat on the side of your head. These points can be found by finding the middle segment from the eyebrow to the bottom of the nose. The ears should only stick out about as far as from the center line of the head to the wing of the nose.

The hair can be drawn by drawing the hair from the edge of the ear up. The top of the hair is of one of the segment lengths up from the hair line.

This is only a basic face layout. A lot of the shapes on the human face are defined by underlying bones and musculature. In order to learn how to draw a face more accurately, it is necessary to understand some of the anatomy. The eye, the nose and mouth are the main structures that must be more closely examined in order to draw a face correctly.

Adam Reeder has been an artist for 15 years. He has been a professional portrait artist and sculptor for the last seven years. His work is well respected and has compiled great techniques to help artists create lifelike work. He maintains a website, Learn To Draw Like A
Pro, where a downloadable step-by-step human figure drawing guide is available.

There are many reasons why you might want to consider taking a college course online. By far the greatest advantage of taking a college course online is convenience. You can take a college course online from anywhere that has an internet connection. These days, with many wireless notebooks you can connect to the internet from almost anywhere which makes taking an online college course even more accessible. No more sitting in classes or being cooped up indoors. You can access your college course online from anywhere you want to.

Many people don’t think that they can find the time to fit in getting a college qualification with their other commitments. Taking a college course online can be the answer to this problem. You don’t have the same fixed schedule to attend classes when you take a college course online. You get to study at your own pace and at a time that suits you. It doesn’t matter if you want to do all of your college work in the evenings or at weekends, with a college course online you can do exactly what you want.

Many of the institutes that offer a college course online do not set any time limits for you to complete the course in. This means that you can take as long as you need. If you find that you are unable to study for a few days, weeks or even months there is no problem when you are studying your college course online. You simply start studying again whenever you are ready.

Another benefit of taking a college course online is that a large number of them do not have a formal exam that you have to sit at the end of it. Many of the courses are awarded based on the marks gained in assignments throughout the course. However, if the particular course that you want to take does require that you take a supervised exam to qualify then you will be offered a time and place to suit you.

There are no age limits for people who want top take a college course online. This is ideal for more mature students who don’t relish the thought of going back to college and being surrounded by students who are half their age. So if you are 18 or 80 you can take a college course online and obtain the qualification that you have always wanted. You are allocated a personal tutor who is available to help you with questions and help you work through your assignments and will mark your college course online or by post if you prefer. Some courses also have facilities for students to chat to others taking the college course online to exchange ideas and offer support.

Tawee Subsomboon writes extensively on online education for anyone wanting to further their education, His knowledge and invaluable resources fill his comprehensive website with information, resources links and advice. www.onlinecollege4u.com