Decorating the Guest Bathroom

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The guest bathroom is more important than you might initially think. While the bedroom reserved for overnight visitors is frequently made warm and inviting, the bath they'll be using is often neglected. It doesn't take a lot of time or money, though, to create a welcoming bathroom for guests. But it helps to have some design concepts in mind and to put yourself in the place of a visitor.

What you need to know about design

When you're exploring modern bathroom designs, you'll want to focus on the idea of simplicity--partly for the sake of practicality. By choosing a simple bathroom aesthetic, you'll be able to create a timeless look that can be updated easily. Choose clean lines for your bathroom vanities and a neutral mirror and faucets. This way, you'll be left with something that's easy to modernize with just a new shower curtain or towels rather than a complete remodeling

What you need to know about vanities

Bathroom vanities are a great way to welcome your guests without saying a word. Many vanity styles have storage under the sink in the form of drawers and open or closed shelving There, you can leave any necessities your guests might need: no one, after all, appreciates having to ask their host for shampoo, soap, or toilet paper. Be sure to include basic cleaning supplies too (e.g., sponges and cleansers) for everyone's convenience. Another nice touch is a countertop basket filled with toiletries that you can replenish as needed.

Other things to do for your guests

Guests will also need a clear idea of where to put their towels once they're dirty. This is where a hamper comes in handy. Today's marketplace offers such a wide range of styles and price points that you shouldn't have trouble finding one that matches the look of your bathroom. Just be sure you have enough space for it without cluttering up the room.

And if you want to take that extra step, create a small gift basket filled with bath and shower goodies, candles, and even personal mementos that your guests can carry home with them as a memory of their visit. Besides being fun to put together, it's a lovely way to acknowledge the bonds between you. The guest bathroom is truly a reflection of the care and respect you have for your guests. By putting special effort into it, you can make sure that no guest ever feels out of place, or doubts your hospitality and interest in their comfort.

Solitary Confinement - Married Yet Alone

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Marriage - members of the opposite sex, merging together with singleness of purpose - harmoniously sharing the same namesake and dwelling place. Marriage - a place of conception where dynasties and empires are born, producing little descendants to carry on the family legacy for generations to come. Marriage-a corporate merger - the intermingling of ideas, goals, dreams, and resources; the formulation of intellectual proprietorship! Marriage- the sharing of intimacy- the fulfillment of sexual ecstasy and pleasure; the consummate rhythm of two bodies creating a melodious symphony of love!

The Bible even describes it as "two flesh becoming one "bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh". If marriage signifies a bond of unity and intimacy, how is it possible for married couples to live under the same roof and yet be so far apart? How is it possible for married couples to sleep in separate bedrooms, denying the sexual intimacy that makes love explode with excitement? How is it possible for two people who confessed their undying love before God and loved ones to walk around for days on end after a heated argument without speaking to one another? What causes a love that used to sizzle, dazzle, and created a spark of "fire and desire" to fizzle in a heap of cold ashes? What happens when the only communication between husband and wife is the closing of doors as they exit for their various workplaces in the morning and returning to retreat into their separate sleeping quarters at night?

What happens when marriage becomes a matter of convenience based on salary assessments and material investments? What transpires when parents stay together for the sake of the children but forget the intimacy once shared to create the children? How did the joyful expression of love and marital bliss become encased in a wall of stone cold silence? What happens when marriage seems more like a prison sentence carried out in the solitary confinement of an dark, isolated, and cemented penitentiary cell? Can anyone relate? I spent many hours trying to figure this out as I gripped my tear-soaked pillow in the middle of the night as my then husband slept in the basement of our house. I agonized over what I could have done differently to make his heart turn back to me. Right now I hear Earth, Wind, and Fire's song "After The Love Is Gone" ringing in my ear. After The Love Is Gone! What used to be right is wrong!

Can love which is lost be found? Something happened along the way, what used to be happy is sad!" And then my most favorite balladeer, the late great Luther Vandross penned a song entitled "A House Is Not A Home" that said: "A room is a still a room, even when there's nothin' there but gloom. But a room is not a house and a house is not a home; when the two of us are far apart. And one of us has a broken heart. Obviously, these songwriters at some point of their lives experienced solitary confinement also. Solitary Confinement - the loss of communication in a marriage. Once the communication is lost, then the other elements of marriage (trust, respect, intimacy, etc.) begin to die also! Solitary confinement in a marriage can only lead to "a broken heart".

Ladies, when it comes to a marriage, "silence is not golden" in fact it is a deadly killer to the cohesiveness of your relationship. Silence creates a "mudslide" that puts a crack in the rock solid structure of your marriage; it puts "asunder"! I often wondered about the meaning of the statement that the preacher says at the end of a marriage ceremony "What God has joined together; let no man put asunder!" It was unclear to me what the word "asunder" meant. Upon research, it simple means "to tear apart". That is the effect of silence/the lack of communication; it tears a marriage apart. Subsequently, it is sad when you are the man or woman that put your own marriage "asunder".

The root cause of silence in a marriage is pride, stubbornness, and selfishness. No one wants to take the blame for whatever situation caused the disruption of communication. But I want you to know that the "blame game" does not work when it comes to relationships. In my opinion, taking the blame does not render you inferior; in fact it makes you the bigger person. Why not take the blame for the fact that you are having a misunderstanding, or take the blame for the sake of saving the marriage? What is more important being right or being united? Wow, all of this is coming from a person that relish being right and will go out of my way to prove a point. But a wise person once told me to pick and choose your battles, some are not worth fighting. Furthermore, the Bible says in Proverbs 14:1 "Every wise woman builds her house but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands." Ladies, consider the outcome; will the winning be worth it? Will it promote strong relationships or will it derail it? In some cases, if you pursue your own righteousness; there are no winners, even the winner loses (Ponder that!)!

Now, I must interject that there are some cases that are beyond your control and the silence and break down of communication is generated from an external source. Therefore, no matter what course of action you initiate - you cannot fix the erosion of the marriage. For instance, my ex-husband was having an extramarital affair and his silence was due to the fact that his heart was somewhere else. As the O'Jays so plainly summed it up, "Your body's here with me but your mind is on the other side of town, you're messin' me around." At this point, the "asunder" ball is in his court because he has broken the marriage covenant and now adultery has cracked the liberty bell of unity. In this case, do not take ownership for his immoral behavior; it is not your fault and do not let anyone try to shift the "blame game" to your side of the fence.

There is nothing like a dose of infidelity to deliver a blow to your self esteem. It (infidelity) sends your emotional rollercoaster colliding into avalanches of confusions and spiraling down into valleys of resentments. Some days you are walking a tight rope - the tension is fierce and you feel that you are doing a balancing act on the edge of a cliff. One day you are angry and the next you are sorrowful. Another day you are shooting bullets of bitterness, while the next day you are drowning in the sea of depression. At some point you begin to look for a reason or reasons to blame yourself for this breach in covenant. You question you womanhood and your sexuality. Your mate may take this occasion to shift the blame off of him by taking you on an unmerited "guilt trip" with statements like: "You are not a good housekeeper!" (This was the number one "blame caster" on the television judge show, Divorce Court.) Or, "If you were handling your business (in the bedroom), then I would not have to go elsewhere!" Or simply, "You changed after we got married!" This is what Psalm 36:2-4 has to say about his actions:

2) For in his own eyes he flatters himself

too much to detect or hate his sin.

3) The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful;

he has ceased to be wise and to do good.

4) Even on his bed he plots evil;

he commits himself to a sinful course

and does not reject what is wrong.

Once again, I caution you, do not let him make you feel guilty for the division he created by tearing apart (putting asunder) and breaking spiritual covenant with you and God by illegally joining himself with an outside force, placing the marriage in a state of solitary confinement.
In conclusion, I believe that if your marriage is in the early stages of "solitary confinement", it may be salvageable; seek counseling right away! Make sure the counselor is spiritually-sound and he/she understand that you are in crisis mode and need prompt assistance. Restore the breach, make every effort to "turn this house back into a home" - honor the marriage vows and "let no man put asunder!"

Silence creates a "mudslide" that puts a crack in the rock solid structure of your marriage; it puts "asunder"! Vickie L. Evans

For His Name's Sake

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Because of who He is not because of who we are we can receive God's best in our everyday lives. He is a promise keeper from everlasting to everlasting. His integrity is unsurpassed. His written word must be carried out as it is sealed with His Spirit. Jesus carried out and fulfilled all that was written about Him as He lived here on earth.

For HIS NAME'S Sake He will not forsake us.
For His NAME'S sake He will lead us in paths of righteousness.
For His NAME'S sake He saves us.
For His NAME'S sake He shall appear to our joy.
For His NAME'S sake our sins are forgiven.
And for His NAME'S sake we go forth taking nothing from unbelievers.

See these written in the wonderful word of God in the King James Bible.

1 Samuel 12:22
For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

1 Samuel 12:21-23 (in Context) 1 Samuel 12 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 23:3
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Psalm 23:2-4 (in Context) Psalm 23 (Whole Chapter)

Psalm 106:8
Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.

Psalm 106:7-9 (in Context) Psalm 106 (Whole Chapter)

Isaiah 66:5
Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.

Isaiah 66:4-6 (in Context) Isaiah 66 (Whole Chapter)

1 John 2:12
I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

1 John 2:11-13 (in Context) 1 John 2 (Whole Chapter)

3 John 1:7
Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

3 John 1:6-8 (in Context) 3 John 1 (Whole Chapter)

I love that God will do all that He promised and wrote about. I love the Lord for the surety it brings to my spirit knowing that it all depends on His Name's sake and our believing that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Anniversary Gifts by Year

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It's that day again...Happy Anniversary! If you're visiting this site, you probably just remembered. Are you frantically typing away in Google searching for gifts? Are you searching phrases like, "Anniversary gifts by year"... or "10 year anniversary gift" ...or maybe even "50th wedding anniversary gifts", only to find mundane, traditional wedding anniversary gifts, and nothing truly unique?

Avoiding traditional wedding anniversary gifts, such as a dozen roses (Boring), or a box of chocolates (fattening), can seem daunting, but is actually simple. Whether you're looking for a 10 year anniversary gift or 50th anniversary gifts, you're going to be pleased you found this article. This article is going to share some secrets to finding a truly unique gift.

For the sake of convenience, we're going to use "she" - but this works just as well for males or females.

== Step 1. Cut Out The Traditional Wedding Anniversary Gifts. ===

Or if you don't cut them out, at least make them an 'add on' to the main gift. Stay away from the roses, chocolates, etc as the main gift. Boring! No thought or creativity is put into these gifts. It's basically a way to show her you didn't forget so she wont stop talking to you for the next week.

A great idea is to have something personalized. Lets say its a 10 year anniversary gift you're looking for. Jewelry is nice-jewelry with a photo in it, and an engraving that reads, "Thank you for the 10 best years of my life" is...WOW! It doesn't have to cost a fortune either.

== Step 2. Don't Buy Something Because You Like It ==

One of the traps you have to watch out for is buying what YOU like. If you're searching for a 10 year anniversary gift, make it special-that's a big milestone. Make sure you get her something she really likes. Does she pore over the jewelry catalogs, or is she a huge sports fan?

== Step 3. Think Outside the Square ==

Now that you have your list of what she does and doesn't like (you are making a list, aren't you?) it's time to get really creative. Here are a few examples:

She likes the outdoor life and exercise: Here is a very unique anniversary gift-have you heard of Trikke Carving Vehicles? These things are so cool! I can't even explain it, you have to check them out for yourself. If she's into rollerblading or biking, then she will definitely dig this gift.

She likes hi-tech toys:- Can you add a special song to a new MP3 Player? Or present her with a new DVD Player plus a romantic movie as a bonus? Or even better, if you have a digital camera, you could make a movie, with you as the star, telling her how special she is to you.

Are we getting the creative juices flowing yet?

She likes Jewelry: Check out online jewelry auction sites, where you can bid on jewelry. Most are not as popular as Ebay yet, so the prices are very good. Here's a tip-don't buy jewelry retail! It's much less expensive online.

== Step 4. The Anniversary Day Follow Up ==

True love is all about thinking of others ALL the time, not just on one day of the year. Happy marriages are all about keep things fresh. It's so easy in a marriage to just get used to the other person. If you really want to enhance your marriage why not surprise her and show her how much she means to you more than just a few times a year? There are some great resources for this, just do a Google search. You can find tons of new and interesting ways to make her feel special.

Do you think she won't be telling the world how wonderful you are? You better believe it!

Immigration For Iranian Children and Youth

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In the Persian poetry, human development has an analogy with seed plants, which with care, will grow to trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, and vines.

Flower life is considered short; yet, the beauty creates a deep impact and it depends on a good soil. To raise this tall, stable and flowering tree, it needs a nurturing soil and a caring gardener while nature has to provide for the sufficient amount of sun shine and water.

In raising an independent, happy, and healthy child, we do follow the same concept. However, there are always exceptions depending on the existence of that "good soil."

Considering human development, our child needs a sense of belonging to their communities, plenty of love, attention, and hope that comes with sun shine of good parenting.

It is obvious that our children need stable adults too. With combination of many factors our children will be able to cope with the constant changes in any given environment. We are hopeful that our children will become responsible adults that will help their communities in their unique ways.

The comparison between human life and the green life tells us about the role of the parent and the gardener.

However this beautiful formulation does not match our Iranian reality. Our families are on the run all the time. We are immigrating. We are moving, searching, seeking, reaching out, hiding, fleeing, changing, asking, and arguing all the time. We are dealing with huge number of issues concerning our home country, our identity, our hopes and dreams for a safe future, and the human right issues back home. We are connected and disconnected. Stability, safety, and connection to the nurturing soil are out of reach for many of our families. Immigration has become an integral part of our Iranian life. Our families back home are constantly worked against to raise those hopeful and creative children that they dream for. For newcomers sake, it is important to realize the cultural baggage that each family carry with.

Our children and youth see all this ambiguity, anxiety, and rapid changes. Our children and youth are with us when we are doing all these things and when all these things happening to us. Immigration hit us hard at times, without knowing.

Despite all the odds, our Iranian families are resilient, strong, and brave to offer their best in helping their children become something they never were.

When it comes to parenting, it is clear that our children are impacted by our Iranian life that is constantly influenced by horrible situation we are facing right now.

For that reason we have to appreciate our children more and let them find their ways in life more independently. We have to remember that our immigration, although it is being done for the sake of children, still we parents are making the decisions. Do not put that on your children shoulder saying that it was because of them you made all these sacrifices. You had a say and children did not, in most cases at least.

For that reason we should be concerned of our thousands of young children who are leaving our home country Iran, that nurturing soil that is for now contaminated, with the reasons that are unknown to them, yet known to us as adults.

With the recent wave of families fleeing Iran, because of the worsening human conditions, there is this huge concern about the broken attachments that will lead to much pain and suffering.

Children deserve and need explanations in everything that is happening around them. Knowing will alleviate unnecessary pain.

Developing Effective Communication Skills - Don't Interrupt

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So many times I see frustration on faces of people being interrupted.

I hear potentially useful channels of communication being shut down. All for the sake of getting a point across.

Don't interrupt - again so simple and so obvious. We have all seen the couple who finish each others sentences because they are in tune. This is not what I am talking about.

Sometimes I hear people interrupt another's sentence simply because the words sparked another thought which was so front of mind it just had to be spoken out loud. When we are truly listening to another person, we are showing so much interest in them that we only hear what they have to say, not the clamouring of our own over heated egos. We don't interrupt.

Next time you are in a conversation and listening to someone, practise putting the tip of your tongue to the top of your mouth just where your front teeth meet the upper gum. Now hold your tongue there as if you are holding a crumb of bread in position until the other person has stopped talking. You won't be able to interrupt. And in making sure your tongue is still, you will also quieten down the inner voice that is competing with the other person to be heard. Try it and let me know the difference it makes to your conversations

One of the biggest interruptions I hear is "yes BUT..."

Use AND instead of BUT. In our workshops we have a NO BUTS agreement. We even put the NO BUTS logo on the wall. When we are Butting on another person we immediately tell them that their opinion, thoughts and comments are not worthy of consideration. By default the underlying message is that if their input has no value, and then neither do they. Powerful stuff from one little word. Consider how you felt the last time you were Butted on, it wasn't pretty was it?

So instead of Butting on someone, now practice Anding on them instead.

For example; "I hear what you are saying, AND if I were to add my thoughts to yours, my perspective is......" "You have an interesting point to make there, AND my experience/views on it are......"

By using AND you use more words; respectful words; thoughtful words; words that defuse instead of escalating; words that add and honour the other persons point of view; (which might just be more valid than yours, or mine).

Practice AND-ing on your colleagues, partners and family, see what a difference it makes to the response you get.

When you have practiced it out loud a little - try saying it to yourself for your own self talk as well. Now see what a difference it makes to you!

What Will We do Without Fossil Fuels?

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Let's for the sake of argument say that the Global Alarmists are real and we really have a huge problem with Global Warming. Well in that case it is truly essential that we cut down on greenhouse gas emissions and CO2 industrial pollution. Of course everyone must live a carbon free life too. But have you ever considered what on Earth we would do without fossil fuels?

It will not be easy, but luckily humans are a rather tough species in that regard so they would have to; Improvise and Adapt, evolve and get with the new innovations and technologies; basically what mankind always does in crisis. Why do you ask?

Because I am wondering how I will get to work, pick up the kids from soccer, how the electric power plants will run and I am worried said the citizen. What will mankind do?

Soon with clean coal technologies and all the new innovations put into the market mix, that is not truly an issue of great concern and we will still be able to run our power plants. Of course the more gradual the change over the better as it provides a smoother transition and less disruption for large industrialized economies like the United States.

But if we are to take the Global Warming Alarmists at their word, this will not be an easy change no matter how you look at it. I certainly hope this article is of interest and that is has propelled thought. The goal is simple; to help you in your quest to be the best in 2007. I thank you for reading my many articles on diverse subjects, which interest you.

Missing Someone?

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Longing to be with Mom? Longing to be with your kids yet circumstance, distance or other factors come in to play which may not afford you this luxury?

No problem. Longing isn't "bad" nor does it need to be sad. It just means we are fond of the time we have spent with our favored friends or family from the past.

Here's what I do. I think of what they liked best or what we liked to do best when we were together. Then I recreate it in my own way as a kind of tribute!

My Mom is the one I'll use as an example since tomorrow is Mother's Day. This used to be a time of depression for me. Not any more. Now, I make something by knitting (something she showed me how to do), I do a crossword puzzle (our favorite time together) or make her favorite foods (list is too long, LOL!). I bring out all the things that remind me of her. Touch them and have a laugh the way we used to: big, loud and hearty. If I want to cry, I do. Believe you me, she hangs around here ALL THE TIME, anyway. So what's to miss? You just need to tune in.

It is what it is. Times change, people pass, situations evolve and time marches on. I took a break from life to let the changes in my life circumstances sink in and allow me the time I needed to readjust and regroup, but now I engage. Re-engage.

Why not? What the heck? Now... it's better for me this way. Before, it was better for me to disengage and I don't regret that. Times change, people change, subsequently, I changed.

I now know that there is nothing to hide from. There is nothing that is going to change by me not engaging in life. I am not sad, mad, bitter or think that life is unfair. Life is what it is, it unfolds in perfect time, and it is perfectly beautiful. Take a look without expectations, demands, or judgments. I don't pretend to understand it all, but I don't need to. And to me, it is as it should be. Very, very good.

Losing a Loved One - Why You Should Move On

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It is really not easy when you lose a love one. May the separation be caused by death, a misunderstanding, or a third party, being left behind is not really a very enviable situation that anyone would want to be into.

Yes, you are allowed to stop, cry, savor the pain and the longing, alienate yourself from the rest of the world... wallow in self-pity if you may. You believe that no matter others may say or do to try to console and sympathize with you, they do not really understand what you are going to.

Perhaps you are right, maybe they really do not understand the pain because they really cannot feel it, do they?

So you have every right to be in misery. Go ahead... cry, if you need to.

But please, do not stay in there for too long.

Because no matter how bad you have been hurt, no matter how painful it seems to be, the world will not stop and wait for you recuperate.

The world will continue rotating on its axis... people will continue to go on living... with or without you.

Now, do not even think that the whole world is made up of insensitive souls, it is not. Because no matter how much your friends and family, and the rest of the world, would like to stay and mourn with you, they cannot.

Their lives need to continue... they need to go on living.... and guess what? So do you.

After your tears have dried up, you should realize that you still have a life to live.

Lift your head up, look forward to a brand new day. There's a whole bunch of tomorrow waiting just for you.

Life is a cycle of night and day, of rain and sun, of joys and pains... it all goes around... and you should too.

Do not live in the past. Learn from the lessons it brings, but do not wallow in it. Do not miss the chance to enjoy the gift of today... yes, today is a gift, that is why it is called the "present."

So open that door, come out... the whole world is waiting for you!

Moving on is not just an option, it is a must... for the sake of all the people who love, and for your own sake too.

Always remember, when you lose someone, it could just be because you need to have more space for someone who might come along.

Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted For Righteousness Sake - Matthew 5:10

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In the West it is quite hard for people to be persecuted for their faith and righteousness. If you truly want to serve God and obey Jesus commands than you can have a bit of a hard time with religious Christians. Read on...

OUR TEXT

Matthew 5:10

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

How would you like to experience the Kingdom of God on earth? How would you like to live such a devoted life to Jesus that angels and Jesus visit you on earth and it seems that you are really mixing with heaven on earth? This is something that is awesome. But you must chose who you tell about these experiences as the wrong people will mock you and tell others that you are out of your mind. This is a form of persecution.

Also when you actively obey the teachings of Jesus and build your house on the rock and share with others what they have to do also, the people that have built their life on the sand will mock you. They will want to tear you to pieces with gossip and slander.

To follow this Sermon on the Mount and practice it in your life makes you a fool. As scripture says the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world and this can include carnal Christians. As you live a devoted life, they want to bring you back to their way of life and will try and argue with you.

The Christians in the underground church in China suffer in a very cruel way. They live righteous lives and practice their faith even when that can lead to being put away in jail. One pastor that was visiting from the USA asked one of the apostles in China if they wanted the West to pray that the suffering and persecution would stop in China. The Chinese apostle said that by no means do they want the persecution to stop as that was what was growing the church in revival. He told the pastor that the Chinese Christians biggest fear was that their country would change in government and that they would stop persecuting them and that they would become lukewarm like the West in their faith. That was a sobering message to hear.

Be of good cheer, if your devotion to Jesus leads to persecution in your life, rest assured that the Kingdom of Heaven will be yours.

Be Blessed

Pros and Cons of Teeth Whitening

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Everybody wants a whiter and brighter smile. Who doesn't? And a person who longs to achieve a perfect smile is willing to spend thousands of dollars and endure the treatment for the sake of a whiter and brighter smile. The rewards are great. You become more attractive. Your gain more confidence. You develop more healthy oral hygienic habits. But there are also disadvantages like high costs and it is always wise to discuss the several advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

To improve appearance. This is the main goal of every person who wants to get his or her teeth whitened. Always associated with beauty and healthy lifestyle, a whiter and brighter set of teeth is highly coveted in this image-conscious world. If you have whiter teeth, you tend to smile more often because you have more confidence.

Also, a whiter smile takes away the attention from any facial wrinkles or imperfection you might have and to that winning smile.
And not but certainly not the least, a set of whiter teeth gives you a friendlier appearance than when your teeth were discolored or stained.

Disadvantages:

Tooth whitening procedures are very effective but there are also disadvantages like sore teeth or gums resulting from the bleaching treatment. This is only short term because when bleaching is discontinued, the sore disappears. This happens to patients who are sensitive to the bleaching chemical. Ask your dentist for any alternative bleaching solution that you are not allergic to.

Clinical studies have shown that tooth whitening is effective to more than 78 percent of all patients who have undergone a certain procedure. But for those that bleaching did not work because of a more serious discoloration condition, other options maybe more potent. A good choice, albeit more expensive, are veneers or crowns.

There are also patients who experience discomfort wearing the mouth-ray in a custom-fit tray bleaching procedure. This usually happens when the tray is not perfectly aligned with the teeth. You need to call your dentist and have him or her create adjustments to the mold so it will hold your teeth firmly and comfortably.
Custom-Fit Tray Bleaching

There is an at-home teeth whitening procedure in which a tray is custom-fitted to your teeth. A teeth impression is taken from your mouth like you would when getting dentures and a custom-fit tray is created for you to take home and worn for a certain period of time. Before being worn, the tray is filled with bleaching gel. The length of time the tray is worn depends upon the gel's potency and your whitening needs. Because this procedure is more convenient and costs less, this is the preferred procedure of most people.

Results are noticeable in a couple of days but the full effects of teeth whitening takes about 1 to 2 weeks. Custom-fir tray bleaching is more often used together with an in-office laser teeth whitening especially for people who have severe teeth discoloration.

Why You Must Have a Will For the Sake of Your Children

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I have a confession to make. Until a few weeks ago, when I decided to write this article, I had not updated my will in almost ten years. I had a hundred reasons why, but none of the reasons were worth enough to pay the toll on the Garden State Parkway. They were all just poor excuses. Many people never get around to preparing their will or updating it as circumstances change. Oftentimes, the excuse we hear from our clients for not having a current will is the perceived cost in time and money to have an attorney draft one. I also believe there is a fear of confronting our individual mortality that causes many of us to put off this necessary task. Not writing your will and failing to do even the most basic estate planning can have a disastrous effect on your loved ones and their survivors.

A will is a legal declaration giving instructions as to what person(s) or organizations(s) are to receive your property after your death. This declaration names the executor or personal representative who will be responsible for settling your estate. If you die without a will you are said to die intestate and this means the state is forced to determine the rightful heirs of your estate and distribute your assets to those heirs through the state's probate process. Your will is the only way you can nominate who will be responsible for the care of your minor children. There can be no more important a decision than determining who will care for your children in the event that you and your spouse die prematurely. In the worst possible scenario, in which both you and your spouse die in a common accident, the probate court will appoint a guardian for your children, in the absence of any written will designating a guardian. This guardian may be someone you might never have permitted even as a babysitter for your children, let alone someone who now holds the future of your children in their hands. Not only will your children be recoiling from the shock of the loss of their beloved parents, but also their situation will be made even worse by having to be raised by an individual that may not share your common values and beliefs. This guardian could also be designated as the custodian, by the state, of your assets that are passed down to your children in the event of your untimely demise, further compounding the matter.

The solution is to draft a separate written will for both you and your spouse. In order for a will to be valid it should be in writing, signed by you and two witnesses in the presence of a Notary Public. To best insure that your minor children are adequately cared for upon your death the will should include the following:

1. The establishment of a custodial account or a minor trust, in which the assets of your estate are transferred for the benefit of your children

2. The designation of a custodian for the custodial account or a trustee for the minor trust

3. The designation of an appropriate guardian to care for your children

4. Designating an executor to your estate who you believe will put your children's interest first

You need to secure a competent attorney who is well versed in Estate law and the Probate process. The cost of creating a very basic will can range in price. My experience has been that attorneys typically charge anywhere from a minimum of $125 an hour and up for drafting a will. Depending on the complexity of your will it may take a few hours or more for an attorney to draft. If after reading the above you are not immediately agitated enough to pick up the phone to schedule an appointment with an attorney, while we don't recommend this as a long term solution, you can purchase one of many "Draft your own will" software programs available in the marketplace. It should take you no more than two hours to craft a very simple, standard will. Keep in mind that what you get is a basic will that may not be sufficient to protect the rights and welfare of your children or other beneficiaries. You should have two witnesses sign each of six copies of the will in the presence of one another. One copy will go into a secure place within your home, one will go into a safe deposit box at your local bank, one will go to the designated guardian, one will go to the custodian or trustee of the minor trust and one will go to the executor of your estate. The sixth copy will go to the attorney you will run to to have a proper will drafted, as soon as possible.

Do You Know What Butterfly Tattoos Mean?

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Why do people make tattoos?

Before making a tattoo, you should be aware of the image that you desire to "wear" on your skin for the rest of your life (of course, I'm speaking about permanent, but not temporary tattoos). Why do people choose this or that image of tattoo? The answer will be individual for each person. For some individuals tattoo images have special meaning, for instance, symbolize their life principles and main ideas of the existence. Some people make tattoos in order to memorize some remarkable events in their life, such as a birth of a kid or something like that. Some people claim that they make tattoos for the sake of their relatives or other close ones. In such a case we can speak about tattoos that represent names of people's near and dear. And finally, some individuals make tattoos quite regardless of the potential meaning of the image; they state that the meaning of the picture doesn't matter for them, they make tattoos for the sake the beautiful image and that is all.

Tattoos' meanings

Still if you refer yourself to the group of curious people, for whom it is significant what meaning the tattoo has, this article is written specially for you. Nowadays butterfly tattoos become more and more popular. The question 'why do so many people choose this type of tattoos?' requires an investigation into the meaning that people put into them. After asking several people with butterfly tattoos what the tattoo means for them, I can make certain conclusions.

Meanings of butterfly tattoos

As I've already said, the meaning is strictly individual. The butterfly is a symbol of transformation or change, love and joy. The tattoo represents beauty, changes, taking flight, simplicity and peace. In paintings, particularly Dutch Renaissance butterflies stand for fleeting love. It symbolizes both life and death, with its three stages is symbolizes the ages of mankind, it symbolizes reincarnation, it also symbolizes progress and self-completion throughout life, it symbolizes femininity and fragility. Traditionally butterflies are pretty and so many people want them as mere decoration. In a deeper sense butterflies represent rebirth or transformation from the caterpillar to the beautiful butterfly. There have been even some very original versions like: a purple butterfly symbolizes the fight against Lupus (a type of disease) or a woman's vagina.

How to Be a Strong Woman

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Many women want to learn how to be a strong woman. Many already actually are strong women, but oftentimes need a reinforcement to remind them and empower them. Others are only a step away from being strong; they just need a boost to propel them to strengthen their feminine qualities. Here's how to be a strong woman:

1. Take Control/Take Action!

Unfortunately it can be very easy for women to fall into the role of feeling the need to get permission for everything or be advised on nearly all decisions. The role of a strong woman should be that of taking control and taking action. This doesn't mean blindly making choices for the sake of making choices solely on one's own. It means listening and processing the advice and direction others provide, taking it all under advisement, but ultimately making the decision based primarily on your own wants, needs, and personal feelings.

2. Embrace your femininity!

All too often one who tries to be a strong women, tries to simply mimic male behavior. This is not how to be a strong woman. This is just being a woman, but acting like a man in order to appear superior or strong. Faking it basically. Being a strong woman means embracing your femininity, flaunting it and never hiding it, yet at the same time taking control, taking action, getting things done and being yourself.

3. Have a Plan!

Women are excellent at planning, but sometimes we only limit our planning skills to everything but our own lives, our own passions, and our own goals. Always have a plan for your life. It makes taking control and taking action easy and effective. I follow motivational plans all the time. 6 week take action plans where I fulfill my goals and desires, and my time lines for getting there. These are incredibly fun, motivating and productive. A strong woman has a plan, and follows through!

Women's Ed Hardy T-Shirts - Long and Short Sleeve

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When shopping for Women's Ed Hardy T-Shirts, it's not likely that one would be searching for a "Plain Jane" look - or a "normal t-shirt" price tag.  These T-Shirts for women are neither ordinary or ordinarily priced.

But they're gorgeous, and many women shoppers might consider them worth almost any price.  (Fortunately there are place where they can be bought for discount prices.)

About Women's Ed Hardy T-Shirts - Long Sleeve:  These have a look unlike any other long sleeve t-shirt available in the world of fashion.  Not only is each shirt richly ornamented and bearing a striking look, but they are form fitted to really set off a woman's figure.  Many of the long sleeve t's have the famous "Ed Hardy" signature stretched across the front of the shirt - sometimes the back as well.  Many of the prints are specially placed to accent a woman's curves.  Rhinestones also grace many of the styles, along with some skulls, ribbons, roses and - wow! 

By the sound of it, a woman might as well be wearing a flashing neon sign - but it's actually not so.  I'm not sure how the designer does it, but Christian Audigier pulls it off - these long-sleeve t-shirts from the Ed Hardy line are nothing short of gorgeous, and in no way are gaudy or tacky in appearance - although they can get women very noticed.

Short Sleeve Women's Ed Hardy T-Shirts:  These have more varieties of prints and colors than I have found in the long-sleeve line, and also generally bear a lower price tag.  Some of the most popular designs include the "Beautiful Ghost" (head of skull with red flowering and flowing hair on the front), the Multi-Print T with the famous "Love Kills Slowly" design across the front - there are many more and in fact too many to mention between the prints and the colors available.

Shopping Information:  Women's Ed Hardy Short Sleeve T-Shirts are (generally speaking) priced between $70 and $100.  They are available for less from various merchants who offer markdown sale prices and free shipping, while there are some other resources where they can be found for consistently lower prices.

Tallying Your Glycemic Load For the Sake of Your Health, Weight and Longevity

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Use of the glycemic index is an excellent way to choose healthier food however it doesn't give the complete picture. If you are serious about using this powerful and effective tool for health and weight loss you also need to know about the glycemic load.

The way GI (glycemic index) was determined is that took an amount that had 50g of carbohydrates and then determined how rapidly it raised the blood sugar. But the problem with this is every food has a different percentage of carbohydrate content. For example a corn tortilla is about half carbohydrate, 48% to be precise. So it would take about a hundred grams (very slightly higher) to get the 50g of carbohydrate out of corn tortillas.

On the other hand watermelon being very high water content only has 5% carbohydrate. So now you are going to need a whopping 1000grams of watermelon just to get the same 50grams of carbohydrate.

In other words you need almost 10 times as much watermelon as you do corn tortillas to get the same 50g of carbos. So choosing foods by glycemic index alone is a little misleading which is why they came up with the glycemic LOAD.

The glycemic load is more realistic because it counts the carbs in a usual and customary portion size (rather then how rapidly 50g will raise blood sugar). So to figure out the glycemic load of a serving of food you divide the glycemic index of that food by 100 and then multiply by the grams of carbos in that serving.

To demonstrate let's go back to our watermelon example. You take the glycemic index of the food, with watermelon it's 72 and you divide by 100. That gives you .72. Now let's say you have a 100g slice of watermelon that would mean there is only 5g of carbohydrate (remember watermelon is 5% carbohydrates). So you multiply the .72 by the 5g (of actual carbos) and you get a glycemic load of only 3.6.

If you run the same calculation on corn tortillas you would get a whopping glycemic load of 25 which is vastly greater then the measly 3.6 of watermelon.

And yet watermelon has a higher glycemic index (GI of 72) then corn tortillas at 52. Corn tortillas are considered to have a LOW glycemic index (anything 55 or less is low) and watermelon is considered to have a HIGH glycemic index (anything 70 or above is high). Yet it's just the opposite when you look at the glycemic load.

Just like there is a scale for the glycemic index so there is a scale for the glycemic load which is as follows: 10 or less is low. Medium is 11 - 19 and 20 or more is high.

Gender Discrimination in Pakistan

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Women in Pakistan, to the social and cultural conditions, are more disadvantaged than the women in modern western democratic societies. Educated and professional women in urban areas who are from upper class of the society, enjoy much better status and rights than illiterate women in rural areas. In rural areas, women are discouraged in attaining higher education just for the sake of avoiding the time when women can lead man while in urban areas, women are encouraged to get educated, so girls energetically join the technical courses but after getting technically or professionally qualified they are not granted permission to work, this is the reason we don't find girls at offices as much as we find men.

This is a major drawback as it leads a nation towards economic disaster as half the nation in the form of girls if won't participate then economic will diminish. They are not allowed to participate in economic activities and hence their professional qualification goes in the bin. The story of social and economic injustice with reference to gender discrimination is very long. As it exists in almost all the societies. Girls excel in academics so more girls avail admissions in medical colleges. After getting qualified as M.B.B.S, majority girls do not practice due to our social factors.

In villages, girls are usually not asked whom do they want to marry; parents just fix wedding dates of their daughters to the groom of their choice. Such injustice discourage females at higher level. This is a point of sorry. Male should accept the existence of females and should help them to work like them.

Motorcycle Maintenance - A Basic Guide

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Here we have a few things you should check on your motorcycle on a regular basis. I assume you have a handbook with the specs for your bike, if not, go get one. You may be able to find some data for your particular motorcycle on the net. You can also pick up workshop manuals for various models on eBay in PDF or CD form for little money.

Whereas with a four wheeled vehicle you may get away with being lax with things like tire pressures etc, this is not the case with a motorcycle. You should not risk compromising the safety and stability of your motorcycle, for the sake of a bit of routine maintenance.

Pre-ride checks

Tires – check condition and for foreign objects in the tread.
Tire pressures – it is vitally important to keep your motorcycles tire pressures either on spec or very close to it.
Oil level – always check with the bike on level ground.
Coolant level – only if your bike’s liquid cooled, obviously.
Chain – check the tension and make sure it’s well lubed.
Brakes – check they work and that they feel good.
Lights – check all your lights, especially the brake light, you don’t want to get rear ended, do you?
Visual inspection – self explanatory.
All ok – hit the road.
Periodical checks

Check battery – see that the connections are tight; I dropped a bike once because of a loose battery connection, strange but true. Also check the electrolyte level on some batteries, a lot of newer batteries are gel filled, sealed for life types, so no need with these.
Carb balance – if your bike is multi carbed get yourself a Morgan carbtune or similar. It can be a little tricky the first time you balance them, but when you’ve done it once, the second time will be easy.
Ignition timing – only necessary on some bikes, most newer models have electronic ignition which does not need touching, normally.
Valve clearances – unless you’re a good home mechanic, take it to a dealer.
Wheel bearings – grab each wheel with it off the ground and see if there is any sideways play. There should be none or maybe a trace at most.
Steering head bearings – with the front end off the ground, grab the forks and push and pull. There should be no play.
Swinging arm bearings – with the back wheel off the ground, check for any sideways movement in the swingarm, there should be none.
Brakes – check fluid levels, brake hoses for deterioration, and pads/shoes for thickness.
Cables and levers – should operate smoothly. Get some grease on lever/pedal pivot points, and get some lube down the cables, if you can. A cable oiler is a handy tool.
Nut and bolts – go all round the motorcycle with your spanners and check that all nuts/ bolts/screws are nice and tight.
Well, that’s about it for some basic maintenance, obviously, unless you’re a good home mechanic, any bigger jobs will have to go to a dealer. The problem can be finding a good one with skilled mechanics you can trust. I manage to keep my Yamaha Fazer 1000 running sweet just using the steps listed above. It does help that this model only needs the valve clearances checking every 26,000 miles.

Simple C# Page Hit Counter

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If you have or are interested in developing your own website, there probably will come a time when you want to get a general idea of how many times your website is being visited. There are more elaborate ways to do this of course, some developers refer you to reading the server logs, others will suggest using a third party product and implementing it's code within your own website.

For the rest of you who would rather just get a general idea if your personal website is getting roughly 10 hits per day or 1000, this little code snippet will help get you on your way. I have developed elaborate site analysis applications that provide statistics on what pages are being viewed, how long the visitor remains at that specific page, what browser they are using, who referred them to the website to begin with as well as what their I.P address is and the list goes on. For the sake of this article though, we'll be using the k.i.s.s method.

The level of this code requires only a minimal amount of knowledge of the .NET environment, and of course your website should be hosted on a windows server with the .NET environment.

This code can be copied and pasted in the footer area of any .aspx file in your website. Generally, you would put it in the footer of the home page, or at least that's a good place to start.

The first thing you'll want to do is create an empty text file, call it counter.txt and save it to your root directory. The next step is even easier, copy and paste the code below into your .aspx file and save it. Be sure to import the system.IO class into your page something like this

public string counter()
{

StreamReader re = File.OpenText(Server.MapPath("counter.txt"));
string input = null;
string mycounter = "";

while ((input = re.ReadLine()) != null)
{
mycounter = mycounter + input;
}

re.Close();

int myInt = int.Parse(mycounter);
myInt = myInt + 1;

TextWriter tw = new StreamWriter(Server.MapPath("counter.txt"));

tw.WriteLine(Convert.ToString(myInt));

tw.Close();


re = File.OpenText(Server.MapPath("counter.txt"));
input = null;
mycounter = "";

while ((input = re.ReadLine()) != null)
{
mycounter = mycounter + input;
}
re.Close();


return mycounter;

}




'copy this code to the bottom of your .aspx page.







A brief description of what is going on in this code goes as follows:



a. create a method called counter

b. Call the StreamReader class from the system.IO library and read your text file

c. Store the value of the text file in a variable

d. Close the StreamReader

e. Open the StreamWriter

f. Add 1 to the variable holding the value from the text file

g. Write the new incremented by 1 value to the text file

h. Close the StreamWriter


This last line

is the line that calls the method when someone visits your homepage for instance. You can put all of the code at the bottom of the page, or if you are a little more experienced with c# you could place it in a "code-behind" file or an "include" of class methods to keep the code a bit more clean.

Nothing fancy, but gives me an idea of how active the site has been recently.
Hope this helps you in the same way that it has helped me.

Happy Coding!

Should you Save your Marriage for the Sake of your Children?

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Marriage isn't all about children and you shouldn't just consider your children when thinking about whether or not to try and save your marriage but it is interesting to note what impact a failed marriage can have on the life of a child.

It is a well known fact that children who have happily married parents enjoy a better style of life and are, on average, physically healthier than other children. In addition, failing to save your marriage could reduce the likelihood that your children will finalise their education, limit their achievements and double the chances of your children being unable to save their own marriage in the future.

Children from happily married backgrounds tend to enjoy far more of the more material aspects of life, with married men generally earning more than single men, and more often than not have a far better relationship with their fathers.

There are certain and obvious financial implications if you are unable to save your marriage with divorce significantly reducing the family income thus restricting your ability to provide for your family and pushing many women into the poverty zone.

Often the short term negative impact on your life when learning how to save your marriage is far more preferable (often in hindsight) than the stress of divorce with arguments over access, the strain on your finances and the continual battle of trying to run a household single handed. The transition from married to single (when you are unable to save your marriage) often destroys a significant part of your children's childhood, a period which we soon learn if very precious and should be valued.

Many partners suffer from depression on marriage break up and when this affects the parent who has custody of the children the impact can be devastating with the children feeling unwanted and unloved and failing to understand the reasoning behind why the marriage (their family life) could not be saved.

Marriage is important for the upbringing of your children. What happens in the early years often has a significant bearing on their teenage and adult years and generally has a significant bearing on how their life turns out. Obviously a less than harmonious marriage is not a good environment for a child but when giving consideration as to whether or not to try and save your marriage or head for the divorce courts it is worth considering the impact on the family as a whole.

I would never advocate that you save your marriage just because of the impact a broken home can have on a child but I do suggest that you should consider your next step very carefully and make totally sure that there is no way you can fix your marriage problems and be 100% sure that you are unable to save your marriage before destroying what could be, with a little help and guidance, a precious and enjoyable family life.

Should You Keep Tolerating a Bad Marriage for the Sake of the Family?

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Although a lot of people and experts might disagree, it is not good to stay in an unstable relationship for the sake of children because a parent's unhappiness could have adverse effects on children's well being, much more than divorce could cause.

Hiding the Truth Will Not Help

Children love to see their parents happy as much as parents want their children to be. They might feel that they're solely responsible for their parent's happiness. No matter to what extent you might try to hide the issue from them, they would find it out one day or the other. The realisation that they have been the cause for your sacrifice could bring about more harm than just emotional turmoil to them. "We stayed for your well being" would be of no favour.

Experts who've dealt with plenty of mature children found the following to be true:

Children of divorced parents who found happiness in their life after their separation, either being single or by entering a new relationship, are said to have grown up happily. Such children seemed to have positive outlook towards life. The reason is simple. They had taken their parents as role model, who have great amount of affection for them and strength to make their own life blissful.

On the contrary, children of parents who stayed in an unhappy married life are the one's who seem to lack confidence in themselves. Such children grow up to be adults who have a negative notion about love. They either find complexity in expressing their emotions to their beloved or they consider themselves unworthy of love. This might be so because they have grown up watching people who failed in leading a content and joyous life.

Children Would Understand As They Grow Up:

It is almost impossible to find a grown up kid who would want his/her parents to stay in an unhealthy relationship for the excuse of giving him/her a glorious future. No child would like to see its parents staying in a passionless, despondent relationship. All that would result from this is a faked reality that no child would want to go through once they reach the level to analyse and understand such issues.

It is beyond the scope of understanding for children to treat their parents' divorce in a normal way but once the children enter adulthood and encounter problems regarding relationships, they would look at your problems under a new light. They would realise the amount of pain you experienced being in an unhappy relationship.

When a group of grown up children was asked on how many of them thought it would have been better if their parents had divorced, half of them responded that they preferred their parents were divorced. After separation of parents the emotional scar might take a long time to heal. But they would realise the truth once they begin to face the outer world.

As a parent, your duty is to decide on what is best for your children. Your child might disagree with your decision of separation but think about all those times when your child wanted to do something dangerous and you were firm in your decision to evade your child from doing it. This same attitude should be exhibited while deciding the future of your relationship. Your children might cry and be depressed for sometime but eventually as they grow up, they would start to look at you as people and not only as their parent. They would realise that you did not arrive upon the decision for your selfish motives alone.

It is important to assure them that your separation in no way would take away the love you and your spouse always had for your children. If this is done perfectly, your child would have no difficulty in coping with the new life.

You owe it to your kids to do the best to save your marriage. But if you arrive at a threshold point after which the relationship would not work, then you owe them a separated life from your spouse. They would surely look up to you with pride for what you did someday in the future.

5 Ways to Ruin a Perfectly Good Sales Letter

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Got the bug to write about sales letters today.

Specifically, 5 "classic blunders" that, if you are doing them, could be causing you to leave some serious money on ye olde table.

Here goes:

1. Removing The Proof

Once upon a time I wrote an ad for a product created by a young marketing whiz chock-full of credibility, proof and reasons to buy. Yet, when the ad ran, the client gutted all the proof.

Why? I have no idea.

And while we'll never know for sure, I'd bet they got a small fraction of the response they would have had they kept the proof in there.

Way I see it, if you must cut, cut the hype, not the credibility.

2. Shorten For Sake Of Shortening

Another classic blunder. Case in point: While back I wrote a sales letter over 16 pages long. A few of those pages were story copy I thought maybe didn't really need to be there.

So we tested. The result? Let's just say it was a very "short" test...

3. Assuming Other Tests Apply To You

Here's a big no-no.

Just because (for example) a certain order button kicks buttocks for Marketer A, that doesn't mean it'll do diddly-squat for Marketer B's unique product, prospects and other market-timing peculiarities.

4. Thinking Writing Is Most Important

It's not. That's kind of a bummer for some people (it always was for me), but that's just the way it is.

5. Listening To "Advertising Critics"

I don't show my ads to a lot of copywriters or marketers.

Why?

Because to me, advertising critics are like movie critics.

And most movies that make a lot of money tend to get ripped apart by the critics... while many movies that are slobbered over by critics are lucky to break even.

In fact, want to know something funny? My longest running headline is FAR from "sexy." It sure as heck doesn't look "cool". And yet, it's been cleaning up for over a year -- including as a stand-alone banner ad headline on super competitive sites like Drudge, NewsMax, WorldNetDaily, etc.

So be careful of advertising critics. Including yours truly.

The Irresistible Will Smith

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But for the likes of Wild Wild West he's had only hits at the box office (and you can't really call Wild Wild West a flop since I do believe it made its money back). The audiences must love him. In fact they must adore him to the point he becomes bulletproof as far as criticism comes, as seen with the success of his latest movie, Hancock (which I haven't had the pleasure of seeing).

Although to be honest, no critic dared touch Will in their reviews, they only had positive things to say about him. Maybe that's just it, the man is THAT charismatic that no matter what he does, he comes out on top.

And maybe he's just the kind of Hollywood star people love. You know, like the leading men of yore, like Clark Gable, or Cary Grant. People will go to the movies to see him, most of all, not necessarily the movie. Maybe because he's likeable no matter what he plays, because it's a little bit of Will Smith in every role he chooses, and even though he manages to create a character different from his persona, we still get a glimpse of good old Will. And that's enough to bring people to the theatres. Now that's charisma (George Clooney has nothing on this guy).

He's played everything from an L. A. cop to an animated fish, and managed along the way (Ali, The Pursuit of Happiness) to prove he's more than the wise-cracking action figure/comedian one would believe him to be after his early movies. Not to mention he already had a successful TV show and a host of sold records under his belt when he decided Hollywood would be his next endeavour. He's succeeded in about everything he set out to do, and is still at the top of his game.

Dare I say the Chuck Norris facts should actually be about this guy?After all he killed aliens(more than once-Independence Day, Men in Black I and II), murderous robots (I, Robot), sharks (well, almost-Shark Tale), vampires (or something of that kind-I am Legend), was a loving father (The Pursuit of Happiness), managed to bring people together (Hitch), was the most iconic boxer of all time (Ali), and, most recently, developed superpowers (Hancock). As far as anyone can tell he can do no wrong.

And, frankly, I am curious to see what he does next. His two next projects are dramas, one directed by none other than Mr. Spielberg.

Chinese Tea Sets and Accessories

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I've always enjoyed tea sets in general, and Chinese tea sets are no exception! These fine products are completely authentic and even "picture" authentic Chinese scenes or pictures on them such as red dragon, peonies, the great wall, lotus, etc. These pieces really are incredible to look at, as well as use. Some of these tea pots even include an ancient process called "Inner Painting." This process is a painting on the inside of the tea pot or other item. I've seen this done on YouTube once and it's a really amazing process!

Some other tea accessories that might interest you:

- Teapots: Porcelain, Purple sand
- Tea pets: Hop toad, Four expressions
- Tea caddy: Pewter, Colored glazed, Porcelain
- Tea bowls and cups: Porcelain, Purple sand, Golden Dragon
- Kung Fu tea accessories: Ceremony sets, Wooden display table

These really are a sight for sore eyes and worth checking out. Prices range from a few dollars to low hundreds for specialty items like the tea caddies and tea pots. Of course this should be expected when buying anything that's of high quality and made from high quality materials. If your looking for items like the ones listed above or you have something else in mind, check out some of the sites below. Here's the list:

TeapotMart - Teapots, accessories, mats and more
AncientMoods - Chinese tea sets and mats
EnjoyingTea - Tea sets, teapots, tea cups, accessories, gift ideas
MangoGifts - Sake sets, tea sets, dishes, cups
GreatChinaProducts - Sake sets, tea sets, cups and mugs, bowls

These products are good for tea parties as well as every day use, which maybe can't always be said about American or English type tea sets. Sometimes American made or English made sets corrode after time or chip after a few uses, or are only good for "show." With the above Chinese items, they can actually be used without you having to worry if they will with stand time! Oh and by the way while you're on most of these sites they also have a "tea section" where you can order different Chinese teas as well as your teapot or accessory so check these out as well. One of my favorite teas besides Early Grey, and Green tea is something called "Oolong." So check that out as well if it's available on the site!

Good luck in finding the perfect oriental tea set or accessory for yourself! Theres tons of products to choose from so you shouldn't have any problem finding the perfect item!

Top 3 Ways to Make Your Road Bike Faster

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For the sake of this article let's assume you have an good quality carbon fiber road bike such as a Kuota Kharma with SRAM Rival. It's not freaky high end by any means but a good solid bike. You love how it rides but now want to make it faster. Do you need to get a new frame or upgrade your groupo? What about wheels? Will a stiffer crank give you more speed? If I make my bike lighter, how much faster will I be?

While people obsess over weight the best ways to faster are put out more power, reduce rolling drag and reduce wind drag. The three upgrades I recommend cover these areas

Here's the 3 equipment upgrades to make your road bike faster.

Rotor Q-Rings

These are non-round rings that have been optimized to match the power curve of your legs. The road version have 5 settings so you can adjust the position of the power stroke. A simple chainring upgrade will yield a power increase of 4-5% and a decrease in fatigue. This is one of my favourite upgrades as you notice it from the first ride. You have just a little more going up hill and it never feels like your are pedaling squares no matter how tired you get.

Tires

Most road bikes come with relatively cheap tires. The stock tires have a lower thread count to the casing and denser, slower rolling rubber. Upgrading your tires can make a big difference in both speed and the ride quality of your bike. Now there are a number of high quality clincher tires that roll fast and are pretty puncture resistant. My favourite is the Kenda C2C 700 X 23mm. They are light, roll fast and have good puncture resistance. The best part is they are half the price of comparable tires from other brands.

Wheels

Most road bikes have pretty heavy wheels that come stock on them. A lot of companies put the Mavic Aksiums which are pretty tough but they weigh a ton. In addition to the weight, most stock wheels aren't very aerodynamic. What a bad combination. Upgrading to a deeper aero wheel set that is also lighter will feel like a totally different bike. For speed the deeper the better up to around 60mm. Beyond that will be good for time trials and triathlons but be harsh riding and poor in cross winds. Rims this deep will almost always be make of carbon fiber. This allows companies to make deep rims are still light. Good options are available from Edge Composites, Zipp and Spinergy. Expect to pay a lot more for a set of carbon fiber wheels but they are lighter for the hill climbs and much more aerodynamic the rest of the time. And on top of it all the deep wheels look cool.

A set of 58 mm deep aero wheels will be a couple minutes faster over 40 km. This will make a difference in both long road races and crits.

Summary

Increase power output, reduce rolling resistance and cut wind drag. These areas will give you the most bang for your bike buck. As you can see none of this is focused on weight as a pound makes very little difference on flat to rolling terrain. If you climb the mountains then a bit of weight off your bike will make a difference but until you can see your abs, don't worry about the weight of your bike.

Mobile Equipment Shop

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A beauty salon can help people look better, at a price that fits almost any budget. A beauty offers the best facilities, combined with hair, skin, fingernails and enhancement of overall beauty. The treatments make a person look stunning. Most beauty salons offer their services at reasonable prices.

Recently, there are many beauticians who visit clients at home to increase their sales. There are many times that customers can not visit the salonmany reasons. Sometimes they have a disability or because they might be called for convenience only. Many people can also opt for beauticians called home for a wedding dress and makeup.

There are some beauticians who work specifically on the basis of home visits. They require something more than what people usually pay when they visit salons. To move the practical wear these mobile beauty salon. This is easy to use, light in weight and ishelpful. You are in a way that they are all things that are necessary in the first place made for each store visit. Heavy equipment that is located in the lounges are very difficult to be transported. Mobile devices Salon makes it easy and convenient for beauticians to carry around it. This work also benefits the customer because all receive the amenities of a salon, just sitting at home. can visit a beauty salon that consume time and it is importantto see that carry these high quality salon equipment beauticians.

There are many beauty salons that also make appointments online. Make an appointment is always advisable to register 3-4 days ago. This allows the beauticians are required with all available mobile devices.

How to Make Pasta the Easy Way

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Making the perfect home made pasta is one of the first things that you should learn when trying to master authentic Italian dishes from the comfort of your own kitchen, and thankfully, how to make pasta is a topic well documented on the internet.

First things first, you must get your ingredients together. The quantities will vary depending on the amount of pasta dough you wish to make, but for arguments sake, you will need approximately 150 grams of (preferably) Italian flour, two medium eggs (one whole and the other for the yolk only) and also salt. The flour must be sieved to ensure no lumps are present and should then be placed into a bowl with a small well in the middle so your eggs can be cracked into and to sprinkle your salt over. Using a fork, you must gently mix the ingredients after which it's time to get your hands dirty!

Using your hands, mix everything together until a thick dough has been created and if the dough seems a little too dry, add more of the egg mixture until the consistency is just right. When this has been achieved, the dough should be kneaded in the same way you would knead dough for bread. This should continue for around seven minutes or until the dough has formed an elasticised feel and is nice and springy to the touch. This is when it is time to split the dough into sections to make rolling and shaping a much easier process.

Using a pasta machine such as the Imperia pasta machine is a great way for this rolling process and can help make the pasta into a consistent and thin strip which can then be shaped to make the different varieties of pasta. Before you start the this shaping process however, the pasta dough must be covered by a cloth for about fifteen minutes at room temperature as this will make it easier to work with.

Learning how to make pasta the proper way is one of the best pleasures you could have in your kitchen and the taste of freshly made varieties of pasta will always have a much better tsate than the commercially sold, dried varieties.

Oprah's Dynamic Duo - Acai Berry & Colon Cleanse For Weight Loss & Anti-Aging

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If the world's most influential woman showcased acai berry in her show, it better be good. And it was. In fact, acai berry, a very small fruit from Central America, took the health fanatics by storm. And recently, it was found out that the properties of the berry can cause self-destruction in leukemia cells in an in-vitro experiment. But even before this recent discovery, acai berry and colon cleanse had already been working side by side in making people a bit less unhealthy and a bit less heavy.

Why does the body need colon cleanse? The digestive system is the measuring stick for health, so to speak. This is because when there are problems in the digestive tract, excessive build-up of toxins for example, the effects are usually felt in other parts of the body. And there are around 60 plus diseases and disorders that are typically associated with unhealthy colon. So chronic bad health often roots from problematic colons. Because of poor diet and insufficiency of measures to ensure healthy digestive systems, many people develop diseases and conditions from toxins, plaques and food remains that pile up in the linings of the colon. This then provides the right breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms that are seriously harmful to the entire body. The toxins and poisons created by the unhealthy conditions of the colons will eventually reach all parts of the body, and in time, the effects will be felt. Thus, it is only important to secure a healthy digestive tract by means of colon cleanse.

What makes acai berry effective in the colon cleanse process? First things first, does the dynamic duo of acai berry and colon cleanse really work? As there are no clinical evidences to support this claim, only user anecdotes can be used as evidence and according to them, it really does work. According to one anecdote found in the internet, a woman lost 40 pounds by just combining the tandem of acai berry and colon cleanse. And the pounds kept on shedding off. Sounds pretty much like a scam right? Actually not. It may seem like a story from a fairy tale book but acai berry is a really potent fruit and it really works well with colon cleanse products and sometimes, it could also work as a colon cleanse agent by itself.

So what makes the duo work? Acai berry has natural properties that encourage the cleansing of the colon. The colon is the large intestine where all the human waste stays so naturally it has its share of bacteria and stuffs. But there are conditions when there is unnecessary build up of harmful toxins and materials in the colon. This is where the need for the properties found in acai berry comes in. The antioxidants found in acai berries help in flushing out the toxins and other materials from the digestive tract which sets the cue for continuous and effective detoxification process. The verdict on whether the claim on acai berry and colon cleanse is true or not is still out for the jury to decide. However, as of yet, there are strong indications that it really does work. But for the sake of argument, let's just say that anything with substantial amount of antioxidants and fiber could alleviate any ails of the digestive system.

My Husband Says He's Not in Love Anymore, But is Staying in the Marriage Only For Our Kids' Sake

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Over the weekend, I got an email from a woman who told me that she and her husband had recently had a fight and he blurted out that he didn't even love her anymore, but that he was staying married "for the sake of the kids."  She had no idea how to respond to this.  Of course, she was devastated.  But, she also wondered if she should stay in a "loveless marriage" or if it would be more detrimental to the kids to divorce than to remain in a household where one of the parents didn't love the other.

 It was hard for her to separate her feelings about a divorce and her feelings about her husband.  Although she was annoyed with him, she did still love him and she wanted to make the marriage work.  If it were up to her, there would be no divorce. So, in the following article, I'll tell you what I told her about how to view this situation right now, but how to also turn it around in the future. 

Divorce Vs Parents Who Don't Love Their Spouses From The Viewpoint Of Your Child(ren): First, I want to get how the kids fit into this out of the way.  Sure, it's detrimental for a child to grow up in a household where there is no love at all.  But, this woman's situation was not one where both parents did not deeply love their kids.  Both of them adored their children - so much so that it was their kids that were keeping them hanging in there. 

With that said, divorce is devastating to children.  Honestly, if you had asked me as a kid if I would rather my parents get divorced so I would never have to see them fight again, or if I would rather they remained married, but combative, I would've chose the fighting in an intact family any day of the week. 

Now, to be fair, my parents' fights weren't out of hand or physically and verbally abusive.  There were a lot of great times, so when they did separate and eventually split up all together, I used to dwell on why they couldn't focus on the good times as a stepping stone to working things out.  I realize that parents can not live for their children, but I also feel that saying kids would rather have happy parents than parents in a loveless marriage is often not true - at least from the viewpoint of the child.  In fact, what I believe that what the child really wants is for you to work it out so that you can all be happy again - together, as a family.  And, there is often a lot of resentment once the divorce puts a lot of financial strain on the family and there are drastic lifestyle changes which often makes the kid feel guilty and caught in the middle. 

I realize that there are people who will tell you that the divorce was better for them and their families, but, from personal experience, I'm not one of them.  I now have two step parents who are both lovely people and I now have small, younger sisters.  I am now married myself and I realize exactly how hard it is to keep a marriage going (in fact, I almost divorced a few years ago), but the child in me still can not forget how painful it was for my parents to split up, and every Christmas, when I have to celebrate with two families, it just honestly feels wrong. I realize this is selfish of me, but it is truly how I feel.

Your Children Don't Want You To Stay Together For Their Sake, But They Want You To Find A Way To Become A Happy, United Family Again: My mother's friends used to say things like: "aren't you glad that your parents are happy again and that you don't have to hear the fighting any more?"   I suppose I was glad that there was no more fighting, but, what I really wanted was for there to be no more fighting because they had found a way to be happy again - together. I wanted for them to be happy together - not separately.

No one is going to argue that it's not good for a child to grow up in a tense, unhappy home.  But, before you divorce, ask yourself if it's possible to change your marriage (and not the status of it) so that your child can grow up in a happy home that includes both of their parents.  Sometimes, this isn't possible.  I concede that.  There are some marriages that just can't be saved, but I've seen countless seemingly dead marriages turn around because both parties were committed to making that happen and finally found the right tools to be successful. 

Separating The Kids From Your Marriage:  This is going to sound a bit strange when I say it, but often, while the kids are the glue that holds the parents together, they're also often the thing that stresses the marriage the most.  Stay with me while I explain.  What I mean by that is that often children will turn two people who were deeply in love and focused on one another into two people who begin to focus more on their kids once they are born.  You are now less lovers and more mom and dad.

I honestly believe that "falling out of love" or "not loving each other anymore" is more the result or neglect, not taking the time, and shifting priorities, rather than changing feelings or the fact that the chemistry is no longer there.  Often, the chemistry is very much still there - but you've buried it under a sea of obligations.  Often, if you push everything else to the back burner for a while and focus only on the marriage and giving your spouse the time, attention and appreciation you did when you were dating, you'll find that the two people who fell in love are still in there somewhere.

And, quite honestly, the best gift that you can give your kids is two parents who love each other, and them, very much.  But sometimes, you have to spend regular time away from the kids to give them this. They would much rather you be a little selfish and have regular date nights than to grow up in two separate homes.