The guitar that even a non-musician would love to buy.

One look at the epiphone 335 pro limited and even a non-musician would go flat. Imagine the reaction of a guitar player when he saw this piece on a website while he was shopping online for a guitar stand.

I am speaking about my son who loves to play guitar and already bought two. It was for the second guitar that he wanted a stand.

I was sitting beside him in front of the computer when he was searching for a guitar stand. When we stumbled onto the above image, there was an audible gasp, not from my son but from me. This sleek and stylish looking guitar belongs to the famous ES series since 1950! Surely a vintage piece!

My son prefers jumbo frets and the epiphone 335 pro limited is fitted with jumbo frets. That’s it. He immediately bought it, quickly looked at me, sensed something and told me he would sell his other two guitars!

Very considerate indeed!

Potato Salads.

Ah, potato salads! That can beckon even children who cry ‘NO” to any vegetable salads that contain green vegetables that include cucumber, cabbage, carrot, lemon, capsicum etc. Not many of us like to eat raw vegetables-right?

Potato salad means it needs to be cooked which can be very tasty. Potato salads are more also known as side dishes than salads for they generally just precede or the follow the main course. Can we call them ‘starters’?

Last Saturday, we dined at a nearby vegetarian restaurant. We were served a large bowl of potato salad garnished creatively with baby corn, red capsicum and generous dose of mozzarella cheese.

I like them soft and crunchy. However, some like their potato salads mingled and just oozing with its dressing, some would prefer theirs to be really soft and tender, and others would want their potato salad to be crispy.

Potato salads are definitely a popular choice of all of us with no age barriers but of course with some exceptions that include diabetic. 

6 health drink alternatives.

People born before 1960 in India may be aware of several homemade drinks but may not know they are equally not aware that they are extremely potent and can replace any the so called ‘health drinks’ that we see in the shelves of supermarkets.

For every ailment, I was given a drink that would make me fight the malady. There were health drinks to fight fever, cold, jaundice etc. There were drinks during and after pregnancy.

I must admit over the years those homemade drinks gave way for other variants that tasted better than raw herbal concoctions.

If you are one of those who are into healthy drinks but do not want to shift into the natural ones, you can try the following alternatives for modern day health drinks.

1. Purple grape juice is ideal as a health drink because it is rich in antioxidants, which are good for the heart. Experts are of the opinion that this is an ideal health drink for all ages because it is not only a good source of anti-oxidants but of vitamin C as well!

2. Cranberry juice. Doctors usually recommend this health drink for those who experience gall bladder problems. But, ordinary people can drink it to protect themselves from having bladder infections that are recurrent. It is also a good source of your daily dose of Vitamin C.

3. Vegetable juices. If you don’t have time to prepare natural veggie juices on your blender, it is best to grab a carton of vegetable juice in the market. Vegetable juices can be considered as a great health drink especially to those who are into salty foods such as chips because it contains natural properties that can wash away too much salt in the body that leads to weight gain.

4. Soy milks. For milkshake lovers, soy milks are the perfect health drink for you. Today, there are so many ready-to-drink soy milks in almost all health stores and grocery stores nearby. Aside from the plain milk flavor, soy milks also come with other variations such as chocolate and other fruit flavors. Chocolate-flavored soy milks are perfect for young and old chocolate lovers because it comes with a natural chocolate tasteless the fat and other unhealthy ingredients. Fruit-flavored soy milks are also perfect health drinks because these are rich in protein and calcium and can satisfy the craving of people who are not used to plain drinks.

5. Pomegranate juices. Pomegranate as a fruit is known to bring lots of healthy benefits to people once eaten. When buying pomegranate juices, make sure that these are 100 percent natural and with lesser additives as possible to ensure that you are getting the DHA, and Omega 3 that can help better brain function as well as antioxidants which is great for the cardiovascular system.

6. Plum or prune juices. The common notion about prune juices is that it is for older people. To shake off that impression, many manufacturers have renamed their products as "plum juice" which is also derived from the same family of the fruit. Plum or prune juices are great health drinks because it can help you veer away from various digestive problems such as constipation because it is loaded with fiber. Other variations include certain herbs such as chamomile or ginger to make it better tasting and healthier.

So, you have read thus far which means your interest is piqued. Go ahead try them one by one and leave your feedback here in the comment form.

Finding music instruments for students.

I did not realize that finding the right instruments for students would take time. Though my son insisted that he can handle saxophone meant for adults, I knew he would not be comfortable especially with the one that he got as a gift. We thought we could exchange it for something that would be suitable for beginners.

In my opinion, saxophone is the most difficult music instrument. People like my son who naturally plays any musical instrument with ease may not find it that easy to play wind based instruments.

We somehow must find some use to the saxophone. I suggested to my son to consult other members of his amateur troupe. He heeded my advice and sought opinions. He was asked to find a mouthpiece meant for beginners and practice with it till he gain confidence.

I thought it is a wise suggestion. Tonight, we are going to shop online for that saxophone mouthpiece for students.

What are the first causes of anxiety?

For every individual, anxiety is one of the natural emotions. We all get anxious about exam results, interview results, wedding, pregnancy, child’s future and so on. The beginning feeling in all these situations is worry or concern.

However, when this initial feeling gets beyond our control, it is called anxiety that begins to consume our day to day living. When you are beginning to get concerned about the outcome of a particular situation, sometimes, more miseries seem to pile up at your home or office.

 It reaches a stage where you come to a conclusion that you can’t take all of them anymore. Consider the case of me as a teacher. On a daily basis, I deal with boisterous teen students at my class and added to this never ending chaos.

I face my husband who complains about my unruly working hours. Suddenly, the memory of bills to pay for which I have no money adds to my stress. Naturally, the idea of facing another day like this would drive me to anxiety.

 The causes for anxiety for others engaged in various other professions would be almost similar. For most of us, the work place is where our anxiety originates to pressures and expectations.

  Would envying cause anxiety? In addition, when we start comparing our lives with others who seem to be better off than us would also lead to anxiety. Yes, envy is one of the first causes for anxiety.

 Here is another peculiar cause for anxiety. I personally know of persons who are politically attached to a particular party or a candidate whose activities and party status seem to affect their own future. Sometimes, they are more prone to be affected with anxiety than the politicians.

 I welcome you to give your feedback and opinion on causes for anxiety.

This blog post is authored my Malathy Bari

Dating is a waiting game.

Cyber Dating For Single Men. When I disclosed to my friend that I am going to write a series of blog posts on cyber dating for single men, my friend questioned me why do I want target only single men for dating? Do I really thing that only single men seek online dates? Yes, she drove her point. Come to think of it. I don't think so. What prevents married men from using cyber dating sites?

Irrespective of age, height, weight or physical appearance, there is someone for everyone in the Internet dating sites. Don't you think so? Literally men of all ages can find hundreds of women online. While people seek only temporary companionship, you can't rule out long-time relationship that may even end in a marriage! The Advantage of Online Dating for single men:

* The doors are always open if single (?) men decide to end a relationship due to work load or other personal reasons but now have the time to date again.

 * With a just a computer (even a tablet pc will do) and an internet connection, men can search for local dating sites and upload their profile and preferences and wait for someone to respond. Several online dating sites out there offer additional facilities to upload a video profile of you.

 Find if the dating website offers video chatting facility which would be an excellent addition. Whatever may be your preference, while paying your dating membership fee (yes, no free dating sites please) ensure whether the site offers a money back guarantee.

  Wait! Even if one’s profile is too good (in individual’s opinion)to be rejected by women, I think one should not give up hope. After all, internet dating sites are not stagnant with existing members. New people enroll and that might open a door or two to you. Dating is a waiting game (smile) for most of the people.

If only pregnant women give more attention to their maternity clothes...

I don’t have to say that if only pregnant women give more attention to their maternity clothes, they would be surprised how beautiful they would appear.

Certainly they are really missing something called ‘being lovely’.

That’s what came to mind when I came across Happy Mum – a maternity clothes store at London that provides a wide range of tempting, stylish and comfortable maternity clothes and fashion. The website claims that all their products are designed and produced exclusively in Europe.

Happy Mum was created 7 years ago in search of something special for ‘moms to be’ combined with a stylish and feminine look.

I am glad somebody is giving all the attention that ‘would be mothers’ really deserve.

Pregnant women who would like to look more sexier than ever after delivering the baby, should check in what is in store for them at Happy Mum.

Excellent place to learn to use correct punctuation.

I know of several freelance writers who work for money and fame. They come from various parts of the world. Mostly they are from where English is not the first language. This proves that, even non-native English speakers too can make a living online by writing articles and blog posts.

However, being a non-native English blogger, I believe one should learn how to use punctuations correctly in their blog posts to convey the exact meaning.

For example, I always wanted to know how and when to use the colon and semicolon in a sentence. Another nagging thought was what is the difference between a hyphen and a dash though both are symbolized by "--".

Take time to visit this fantastic resource to learn correct punctuation in English.
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-English-Punctuation-Correctly

Anniversary Gifts for elders.

People love to celebrate anniversaries with exceptions. Yes, I do not celebrate anniversaries, be it my birthday or wedding day. Those days have passed by.

However, I like to gift others on their anniversaries. That makes me very happy. 

I should admit I love more shopping for gifts. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take much time in choosing the right gift for any occasion.

About a decade or so ago, there were not many choices for anniversary gifts, especially for elders. Now, it is a different story. Even I take more time in choosing the right gift because of many options.

Last week, I accompanied my neighbor to buy one such anniversary gift for her in-laws’ golden anniversary. These are very special occasions. You should not buy perishables but something that will stay forever.

No, do not opt for any precious stones. They are too personal. The celebrating couples should gift them for each other.

Buy something in ceramic! I love the shiny white ceramic items. I suggested my neighbor buy a set of tea cups made of China Clay.

Do not forget to include a nice card with meaningful content on it.

How to adjust to the aging mind.

I was casually browsing the book shelf under ‘self development’ shelf. I came across a book titled, “Adjusting to aging mind”.

I flipped through and was aghast. The book is written for aging people! I thought it should have been written for the young people who actually find it tough to adjust to minds of the aged people in their home.

What do you say?

You cannot keep harassing elders to adjust to the whims and fashions of the younger generation. Haven’t they been doing exactly that all these years? Now, it is the responsibility of their growing children to adjust to their parents and other elders in their family.

 "Your memory may be less efficient," Park says, "but your knowledge about how to do it may be better” says Dr. Denise C. Park, director of the Roybal Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Illinois.

Youth are annoyed that the elders cannot remember important daily tasks to be carried in their absence.

That book I glanced motivated me to write a book meant for young people teaching them how to adjust t the aging minds.

Using an audio interface to record on your computer.

In this high tech era, even high school children are so computer savvy. At times I feel ashamed of my poor knowledge when it comes to computer hardware though I am able to quickly grasp the nuances of software.

Yesterday, my brother’s 12 year old daughter taught me how to record on the computer and what are all the available audio interfaces at present and how to choose the one that is compatible with your computer’s configuration.

I knew the sound from the CD has to be converted into digital format for us to listen to a song without a CD player. Oh, where all those CD players have vanished since the advent of digital sound technology?

I was further enlightened by her about how professional sound recording technicians use different audio interface that costs more than 1000 USD!

Oh, I suppose I should be satisfied if I am able to record on my computer with the built in USB devices and portals and not bothered with the working of audio interface.

Opticians-are you listening?

I came back empty handed from my shopping today at the Forum Mall in Bangalore. I went to buy a few things including a pair of sun glasses for my husband but none on the display racks were attractive. May be the display itself was not done consumer friendly.

I think sunglasses display  should be done with the third eye; I mean from the customer’s eye . The problem with most of the shop owners in big malls is, they end up getting satisfied without ever asking for genuine feedback from the actual visitors to the shop.

If you wish to sell sunglasses, then it could be as easy as buying sunglass racks and letting people decide, but while you’re at it you, should make the job even easier to the client.  

If you place your sunglass racks facing the entry point of your store, then you hope that the customer was searching for sunglasses to begin with. Customers are more conscious of what they buy when entering a store than when they are leaving, with that mind, if you decide to go with this approach, you will attract customers that came to your store for sunglasses (among other things.)  I would recommend this method if the prices of your sunglasses are higher than normal, as you will not attract as many impulsive buyers as the second approach.

I would recommend a rotating rack which is easy for customers to easily reach out for the one that is placed on the far end of the rack without the help of the salesman.

The beginning of my proof reading business.

I am starting a short stint with proof reading of articles. One of my online contacts, a middle aged woman from Philippines, asked me if I would be interested in working as a proof reader for her friend’s web site.

I agreed without a blink because I thought I am god at it picking up mistakes in others’ work.  Oh, who else is not adept at that?

The first piece of web content was a short review about “Vintage T-shirts”. Yes, I had heard of it before. And that helped me to quickly finish the work and sent it. I suppose it is yet to be reviewed by new employer.

In case if you have not heard about Vintage T-shirts, they are good though the price range is rather high and of course the demand is also high and the supply is notoriously low.  For most the vintage T-shirt is a dream. The dealers of that brand are seemed to be happy bunch because of excellent sales year long.

What is that latest news at the guitar centre?

My son who is an amateur guitar player, used to tell me that when someone is buying an electric guitar, he should checkup the pickup first. It should be so good that the electric guitar should not fully depend on the amplifiers’ capabilities to deliver the desired sound.

Late yesterday night, he took me to guitar centre and showed the features of American Special HSS Stratocaster Electric guitar. He pointed out to me the ‘pickup’ area and also asked me to read a few of the feedback that the guitar received wherein the buyer of the Fender guitar expressed his extreme satisfaction over the pickup and the final sound.

My son also pointed to the jumbo frets that are welcome by big men with large hands.

I wish he is not planning to buy that guitar immediately but may be after a few months as I have other expenses coming by in the next few weeks.

Unique, never seen before gift ideas.

We all find it difficult to think of gifts for various occasions-right. It applies yo even the most brilliant member in the family or in a friends circle.

When I said, "not seen before gifts", I mean it. You too would agree with me when you browse through http://www.metalimagination.com/

If you have no patience to visit the site, why not take a look at this image of black hound wine stopper?

Who would not keep a wine bottle with this absolutely unique wine stopper on top of their television set? There are more wine stoppers at Metal Imagination.

Another stunning gift below. It is a dog business card holder.

There are many more fantastic small gifts for all. It is difficult to exit the site.

Get free course materials from MIT.

Where do students of higher education look for sources of study materials? Do they use Yahoo! answers or any other questions and answers site?

About.com is undoubtadly a valuable resource where they direct you to other websites for lecture notes, reference materials and syllabuses.

I came to know of this great website called Open Course Ware where students make use of highly valuable study materials published by universities like MIT. This website is doing a great service for students and teachers, lecturers and professors.

Educational course materials for subjects available are:
Aeronautics
Bio engineering
Media arts and science
Planetary sciences

and many more

This site offers every course materials for free.

Do you know the power of your own expectations?

Expect what you want and see them rolling in in reality. In addition when you set your expectations, don’t  set too low because, when an expectation is set, automatically your mind is bent towards achieving them. It begins to line up assembling the required resources, knowledge and the  people. You only need to recognize them and act accordingly.

You must know how to use these resources that your mind has organized. It has done its job. The ball is in your court now. If still unsure, again wish a plan to be revealed.

It would come your way though not blatantly as cosmic forces don’t come in flesh. You might see a movie, read book, hear news that present the latent plan of action. Something would inspire you.

Your expectations have life in them. They are dynamic forces. Don’t kill them.

Liquid repellent fitted table clothes.

Like any child that liked to dine on roadside, I too jumped with joy when the mini bus in which we were travelling stopped by a small lakeside. Oh, I should tell you that I am reliving my first picnic 46 years ago.

We expected to be seated on the lawn but contrary to our expectation, tables and chairs were unfolded and fresh cotton clothes were thrown over the tables. Sadly, our joy was short lived because the wind was very strong and the table clothes and napkins were blown away and we all were ordered to collect them and rearrange on the table.

I wondered why table covers were not neatly tucked in. I suppose at that time, flowing table clothes were in vogue.

I recalled all of this three days before when I participated in a very formal dinner. The host was a good friend of mine and she beamed when I openly expressed my appreciation for table arrangements. She told me the table covers and napkins are of Egyptian cotton and fitted the tables snugly.

Can you imagine how such table clothes would look? You can shop for a range of fitted tablecloths from here .While browsing the site, do not forget to click on “Liquid repellent fitted table clothes”. You would be surprised how a fitted table cover can repel liquids!

Diet Shakes that will help you lose weight.

Don’t be surprised to read this. I know if you are reading this either you are worried about your over weight or you are concerned about the obesity of your spouse or child or parents.

Milk shakes and fruit shakes do help one to lose weight provided they are prepared properly.

Here are some recipes:

Hey, do you know that you can add low-fat yogurt in your smoothies? Whether you are making a water-based (ice) shake or a dairy-based (2 % milk) diet shake recipe, a little bit of yogurt can make a big difference to the taste because  yogurt adds a nice creamy consistency to your diet shake recipes, and I wholeheartedly recommend that you try it in your favorite smoothie recipe the first chance you get.

Strawberry-Orange-Banana Diet Shake Recipes

•             Some orange juice – about 2 cups or so

•             Some sliced bananas – 1 or 2

•             Some strawberries -- a cup or so

•             Some ice – about a cup

•             A container of strawberry-banana low fat yogurt

Mandarin-Mango Diet Shake Recipes

•             Some mandarin orange pieces – 2 cans or so

•             Some cut up mangoes – 2 mangos is about right

•             Some ice – about a cup

•             Protein supplements from the nutrition store—follow the label directions

•             A container of mango-flavored low fat yogurt

I confess these recipes are not mine but borrowed (no need to return of course) from the Internet.

How to Develop Your Prosperity Consciousness?

At the outset, you should know about the existence of Prosperity Consciousness. It is a way of thinking, a concept that has to be learnt and practiced for  years to achieve involuntary prosperity consciousness.

Developing your prosperity consciousness requires a few key things that once you truly understand, can change your life. Prosperity consciousness basis is the most talked subject, “law of attraction’.

To make you feel you are sailing along nicely, think of old adages like “you reap what you sow,” and “birds of a feather flock together.” These all express the law of attraction in a familiar way.

You have to realize that prosperity isn’t based on chance or luck. This is the first step because if it’s just luck or random chance, then you would not be able to control it though you definitely can. And it’s also necessary to realize that there is enough for everyone. There should be no guilt associated with having prosperity because no one has to go without for you to have what you want.

One of the tenets of prosperity consciousness and the law of attraction is that the universe creates everything in abundance. And that you can have what you want if you only believe that it’s possible and focus on that belief.

Once you decide that money and prosperity are not things you achieve through luck or taking away from others, you decide that they’re things you can have guilt-free. That belief will steer you away from bad decisions automatically because you won’t feel like you have to scramble to get your share before someone else takes it.

There’s no need to fight for it or compete for it since there’s enough for everyone. You really need to focus on that thought and make sure you believe it to develop a prosperity consciousness that will let things flow into your life.

Once you believe it, then you only have to welcome prosperity. Whether you pray or affirm or ask the universe at large for the things you want, you must put out the invitation for those things to come into your life. By doing so, you create an aura around yourself of openness and acceptance to the abundance and prosperity that you say you want.

The principle is like magnetic attraction. You want to attract certain positive things, so you surround yourself with positivity because like attracts like. If you doubt that you can’t achieve something, you attract more doubt.

But if you believe something can be yours through the development of prosperity consciousness then you can draw that very thing to yourself.

Signs of depression in early ages.

I don’t remember exactly when I read these sentences authored by Thomas Szasz but I remember them clearly.

“In the United States today, there is a pervasive tendency to treat children as adults, and adults as children. The result is unruly children and childish adults”.

I would put it this way: “The result of this changing trend in the west is anxious children and not unruly children.”

Do you agree?

Today, the most discussed and researched subject in the west (India is not lagging behind) is eliminating the anxiety and panic in children.

Before diving deeply in to the subject, I would like to speak a word of caution to the contemporary young parents. Majority of the parents today cannot spot the beginning of panic disorder which would invariably lead to anxiety in their children.

Symptoms of childhood anxiety:

There are a lot of differences between anxious adults and anxious children. So, don’t look for symptoms of adult anxiety. You would then ignore your child.

As a parent, you should learn to be aware of the budding of anxiety in your child. 

Anxiety symptoms in children:

·         Avoiding going to school

·         Reluctance to meet your eyes

·         Edgy

·         Throwing tantrums on trivial matters

·         Social avoidance

These are just the beginning indications of the presence of anxiety. Clipping it early would save your child from slipping into depression.

Fresh news about the the world of perfumes and celebrities.

What is a Designer Perfume?I was awestruck when I stumbled on to an advertisement that read, “Cheap, designer perfumes for men and women”. 

We have all heard of designer sarees, designer furniture but designer perfume?  I called up by personal beautician and asked her what she has to say about it.

Here are the salient points from her reply.

Years ago, cosmetics companies got celebrities to endorse perfumes like Estee Lauder, Chanel, and Guerlain.

When celebrities, such as Elizabeth Taylor, first introduced designer perfumes decades ago, the reaction was mixed. Some critics felt that celebrity perfumes were just a fad

It is a different story now. Celebrities don’t want to endorse other companies’ designer perfume. They all want perfumes in their own name.  However, some celebrities turn the design tasks over to professionals and simply give their approval on the finished products. Other celebrities are involved in the process from the conceptualization stages to the marketing of the designer perfume.

Jennifer Lopez who was reported to have worked for a cosmetics company once likes to be involved in the production of her own designer perfume. Having once worked at a cosmetics counter, she knew exactly what she wanted her signature fragrance to smell like. She even had the bottle design include a pretend diamond ring or necklace on the neck in tribute to her penchant for wearing jewelry.

I was amazed at the beautician’s informed knowledge. Sitting in a remote place in Bangalore, she seems to be a well read woman.

What girls look for in men!

At my age (btw, I am 55), I need not bothered to read an article in Yahoo! that went by the title,"What girls look for in men!".

Well, the vanity in women would not fade away till death-right? I am no exception. I clicked on the title mainly for two reasons.
1. Did I look at the man I married 28 years ago?
2. Has the present generation has changed and if so, what do they value in men?

The article in yahoo! was short sweet. Whoever wrote it must have been an old woman. Here is what I recollect from that article.
1. Men should be tall
2. Arms should be visibly big
3. Men should wear a very mild perfume
4. Should wear a ready smile
5.Hair should not be oiled
6. No bulge in tummy

Video feedback for the vintage 30 speakers.

As ever, my son sought my husband’s opinion on the affordable vintage 30 from guitar center but the only difference this time was he bought the guitar speakers first and then waited for the opinion.

I thought it odd because my son never bought anything related to sound without asking his father who is known to have sound ears. He can spot the quality of a sound even while relaxing on the beach where the wind made people to talk very loudly to be heard.

Nevertheless, my husband listened for full five minutes before speaking about his impression on the vintage 30 guitar speakers. He said only one thing to my son, “Roshan, you should have bought two pairs of them to really enjoy the rich sound”.

He is now in the process of making a video feedback for the vintage 30 speakers.

After school activities.

The academic year is coming to an end and the students are waiting to break free from me. However, teacher’s duty is not yet over. For millions of parents around the world, the year does not end with the final school bell. There have to find ways to keep their children active throughout the holidays usefully.

Keeping children happy, teachers and parents have devise after school activities.  Teachers know that after school activities thrive only if they are backed by sufficient parental involvement.

Many children attend guitar or violin classes, followed by ballet and squeeze in some time for play dates in between just before they rush home in time for bed.

I am contemplating on drawing out some unique activities this year. I have looked into creative scrap books made by a few Aussie students. On a business perspective, I am thinking of motivating some students to learn wedding decoration.

Let me see how it all goes.

Growing your small business through Facebook Networking

The benefits of social networking for business as well as personal cannot be put into words; one has to be present in Facebook to understand. Nowadays, no one is surprised if even a road side vendor is using mobile. In fact, you may not know that he is the one who is effectively using mobile to grow his business.

It won’t be too long before he too jumps into the Facebook wagon by outsourcing. As a matter of fact, a small time realtor who depends only on mobile communication for his business had one taken my help to advertise his services in Quickr. I am sure by this time; he would have his fan page in Facebook.

We all know that Facebook networking has grown from personal to profession. This growth and change is a result of professionals, entrepreneurs who have realized that the crowd that lingered around Facebook is their potential customers and clients.

Social networking for business growth is an economically viable option. Let’s look at how Facebook networking can benefit your business.

Huge Exposure

 One of the things Facebook is famous for is the scope for infinite exposure. It’s really unbeatable. When it is used strategically and consistently, you will notice a distinct increase in your company’s brand visibility.  If you are posting comments, tips, advice, and offers regularly, you will build credibility and respect, which in turn will lead to increased sales.

Improve Google Search Engine Rank

You can create links to your website through Facebook fan page, or within any other reference links you’d like to include, such as for books you have written. This is a definite way to help improve your Google search engine rank.

No Cost Marketing

If you use the Facebook page in combination with other applications, you will discover that there are a number of excellent tools you can use to market your products/services and promote your business. Though it will take you a little while to learn to use all these tools, but you will master them in due course.

Targeted Advertising

Facebook allows us to create targeted ads and it is easily affordable even by the unorganized realtor that mentioned above.  In addition, you can easily track the ads’ performance using Facebook analytical tools.

Remember to take advantage of the tons of information out there that can help you maximize the value of your fan page.

Sunny Isles and Sothebys-what a combination!

Looking constantly for a place to live for the rest of our life seems to be the one preoccupation for which there are no exceptions. This applies even to those who have just moved into a place of their choice after a long search.

We never seem to be happy with our chosen home when we see a real estate advertisement similar to sothebys miami that allures us with better neighborhood or more independence for a slightly higher price than our present house.

If wooded background is preferred by most of the Indians, then, beach side homes are all time favorite of Americans. When it comes to sea side living, Miami is the first choice of Americans. Miami offers a sea facing house for all. Condos beckon middle class people and villas and palatial bungalows are grabbed up by the rich and famous.

A distant cousin of mine recently moved into a condo in Sunny Isles, Miami built by Sotheby’s. When I looked the photographs, I came to understand why Miami is the most sought after place in America.  Just fantastic house.

A question to Ganguly and Dravid.

Dear Ganguly and Dravid. Being a big fan of both of you, I always read whenever your views about Indian cricket team is published. As I already expressed, I was really shocked when you expressed your strong opinion about the way Dhoni led his team in New Zealand.

Both of you wanted Kholi to lead India. It was obvious that the BCCI heeded to your opinion and Kholi got the captaincy within a few weeks of your views. I thought Kholi's temperament would disqualify him to be a leader though he is the best batsman in the world today.

Now, Indian team is back without the Asia cup. What did Kholi do that India did not win? How his captaincy is different from that of Dhoni? Please cite specific instances when you are affirmative.

Two ways to overcome Childhood Fears

Of all the fears we carry to our grave, fears that we picked from our childhood dominates other fears. Do you agree with me? None is an exception in this aspect. As children, we are more prone to develop fears because of our limited understanding capacity.

We could not understand the behavior of other children of our same age, our parent’s admonitions etc. It applies to our reasoning capacity in terms of identifying what is rational or irrational.  May be that is why childhood fears are always cited as irrational fears.

Nevertheless, we need to understand developing fear is completely normal. Irrational fears are more commonly known as childhood fears since they are not triggered by actual material world and are often imaginary.

It is an effect caused by the development of a child's mental and emotional activity, as well as exposure to new people or environment. However, a few also insist that childhood fears must be conquered as it can potentially be harmful and limiting for the child.  I agree with this view.

How do you overcome childhood fears?

Most individuals who suffer from childhood fears do not really learn to let go of that fear and as a result carry that fear with them even when they're grown up. This level of fear is often categorized as childhood trauma .

Here are two effective ways to face and conquer childhood fears that I happen to read recently. I am reproducing them here.

Confronting Fears

Recognizing fears is your first step towards finding overcoming it. Unless you identify the source of your fears, you will never be able to find a solution or treatment for it. Since most childhood fears are irrational, it is best to talk about it with your friends or family members. Talking enables you to release any emotional burden that you experience as an effect of these childhood fears. Though it seem rather easy, talking about your childhood fears to other people is never easy. However, you need to be open with this idea in order to relieve any tension.

Seeking Professional Help

If you are not open to the idea of discussing your fears with family or friends, then seeking professional help is the best step towards overcoming childhood fears. Psychological experts are equipped with the proper training and knowledge that would help people suffering from fears and traumas to release their fears. You can also benefit from seeking psychological help in order to deal with your childhood issues and let go of any fears that you had to deal with over the years.

I heard it clear; Did you?

The world is becoming noisy. Stage performers found it a necessity to have sound reproducing equipments that beat the external noise and still deliver high quality and undistorted sound. The evolution of speakers started and ended at good behringer eurolive b212d, a 550 WATT speaker system with a built in woofer which was also a part of the speaker evolution.

This speaker system is built based on a sound principle: “In order to overcome the external noise, you don’t have to shout more”.  I am sure this explains why this PA system is turning out to be the hot favorite in the music industry.

The said speaker (look at the image) makes you guess it is heavy. On the contrary, it is not considering the high quality 550 watt sound it delivers. It weighs only 16.32 KGs.

Built on Class D amplifier technology, it is meant to consume less power than speakers of same specifications.

What an invention!

Don't use free antivirus.

We all love anything that is given free even if we are loaded with funds. Despite knowing that whatever is given free won’t be equal to paid stuff, we can’t resist grabbing free offers.

This is particularly true with the case of free adware and spyware removal software. In addition, we unknowingly download free anti-virus software because come bundled with some other freeware and shareware programs.

Free virus shields work only to a certain extent. They can’t be relied to delete the virus that gotten into our hard disc. We are deceived into believing that we can save money by not buying paid anti-virus software.

We are aware that by simply browsing and visiting certain sites can harm our computer. These adware and spyware programs can be launched due to vulnerabilities in our Internet browser's security. This way, spyware and adware can automatically infect your system without us having to download anything.

We can definitely afford about $20 per year to shield our computer from adware and malware etc. It is the only way for us to work without constantly worrying about getting our system infected.

I am impressed with K7 antivirus software. 

Which country performs better when touring?

The criticism of Dhoni's captaincy is really unwarranted. Just because India lost two series away, it doesn't mean Dhoni did not lead well. Which country performs better when touring?

Australia lost the ashes in England.
England lost the ashes in Australia.
Australia is now about to lose in South Africa.

Every country that comes to India are beaten black and blue. It is the same story everywhere. Every country performs better when they are playing in their own places.

I am surprised Dravid too joined others and shouted for Dhoni's removal. I don't think Kholi is a leader material. His volatile temper is not good for leadership. Sure, he is the best batsman currently in Indian team but asking him to lead the Indian team as if he is the best, is not correct. He will not set a good example as a captain.

The slide whistle that becomes a top seller.

The music reviewer was unusually critical about a flute player that I like very much. The review read, “The sound was similar to a slide whistle”. I gasped because I know a slide whistle is generally used as an accompanying music instrument to create just a side effect. I have seen it used in road shows to create awareness of social issues.

Have you seen a slide whistle? If not, look at the image of a slide whistle at wwbw and you will understand the sound from it won’t’ be anything similar to the sound from a flute though it looks like a flute at the first glance.

You would be amused to know that the slide whistle also carries a name, ‘piston flute’. A bit of digging on this wind instrument revealed that actually, one can produce some tunes with it though I believe there won’t be any takers. That is why I thought the music critic was a bit too harsh on my favorite flutist who was unfortunate to run into this well known music journalist.

What is a candy buffet?

The wedding invitation mentioned about a separate counter called ‘candy buffet’ for children. However, I thought I would head there first bypassing other traditional Indian delicacies. Wedding buffets these days include food for all and candy for children is a thoughtful addition indeed.

Instead of traditional Indian sweets and deserts, I think a candy buffet would be an added attraction.

What kinds of candy are typically included in a wedding candy buffet? 

The options are just too many I would guess.  There are hundreds of varieties of candies, chocolates and confectioneries made in all parts of the world.  I read that candy and confectionery products are categorized under three primary classifications that include "chocolate confectionery", "sugar confectionery", and the "flour confectionery", which refers to products that are made primarily from ground cereals. I have seen lollipops shaped like flowers - daisies, tulips or sunflowers..

One could get gold foil wrapped chocolate toffee seashells, fruit filled hard candy shells, or chocolate fish, to match the wedding candy buffet to the reception’s flavor. 

There are caramels that are coated with chocolates, fudges, nut candies, candy corn and taffies, to give everyone their favorite kinds of candies to eat. The hard candy favorites of, peppermint, cinnamon, butterscotch and Jolly Ranchers can be thrown in for those who prefer the long-lasting sweets.

The wedding reception is scheduled on next Friday. Looking forward to it.

Image courtesy:http://heart-2-heart-online.com/