Yellow Pages Antarctica

Friday Night, Week Before Christmas, 1999

This night I arrived a little before the crowd, just minutes before the tables with stools near the small dance floor were taken. Harvelle’s, a popular Santa Monica night spot which draws an upscale crowd, is known as “The Home of the Blues, R&B, Funk, and Rock” with live music and dancing every night. With its no-smoking environment and sounds for both the ears and the feet, it is a pleasant place to spend an evening. I go for the listening and the dancing.

After enjoying a dance with a young man, I wove my way back through newly arrived patrons to my carefully chosen seat. After a sip of my Pellegrino, I felt compelled to return to the edge of the dance floor. My rational thought was to take my turn with one of the regulars, John, a trained dancer who arrived some twenty minutes earlier. I noticed him and a man I had not seen before — both the same vintage, about 50, and the same height, about 5′8″, but John as light as and the unknown man as heavy as that frame can hold.

John changed partners on the dance floor, so I made eye contact with this other man who, like John, had been dancing with a variety of partners since his arrival. We danced and exchanged pleasantries. We laughed. We smiled. I noticed that his flesh tone was similar to mine, light and peachy; his eyes as intense as my own blue eyes, but brown. It was obvious that he loved to dance. He led adeptly; I followed easily. In the middle of our dance, he commented, “You’ll probably need to take your jacket off because you’ll get warm.” I smiled, knowing that likely I would very soon peel it off, but for the time being the fan above the dance floor was keeping me cool.

At the end of the dance, I turned toward the band to acknowledge the musicians with my applause. When I turned my focus back to my partner, I saw that he was no longer standing beside me, but was face down on the floor. The other dancers and I assumed he was joking. But not so. The band stopped. Time stopped. This time held all eternity — a time that can be long or short by the clock. Someone called for help while six of us (including staff, John, and a patron who is a registered nurse) said encouraging words and touched him. I allowed others to attend to him on a physical basis, and focused my attention at another level.

I put my hand on his back and asked silently “Are you going to die?” to which came the answer: “It is time.” My thoughts raced with a series of follow-up questions: “Time for what? Time to live? Time to die? Time to dance?” I reminded myself to breathe. My impulse “to do” something shifted back to the consciousness “to be” with this moment. I recognized that to be a non-anxious presence was more important now than any action I might take. My inner guidance confirmed that his spirit was very much alive, but was no longer in his body. I felt his spiritual presence more strongly than I had earlier. My fearlessness of physical death and my previous experiences of observing the process of transition from physical to nonphysical anchored me in blessing the richness of this moment.

Words of encouragement and gentle touches came to this man on the floor from those in the inner circle; those in the outer circles bore witness to the event. Drawn together for entertainment in this intimate space, we found ourselves joined by the invisible web of human kindness with varied reflections and perspectives on life and death.

In the muted sounds of the club, I picked up odds and ends of information. Echoed through the room was the knowledge that no one present knew this man’s name. Staff confirmed to each other that he was not drinking. A gold ring on his left hand announced he was married. In the absence of facts, I speculated on his circumstances. Perhaps he was an out-of-town business person unwilling to fight the Friday night outbound traffic at LAX. Perhaps he lived in Chicago or Boston, with a wife and children not expecting him home until sometime the next day. A staff member tapped me on the shoulder, bringing me out of my speculation, and signaled that I was to move aside for the police and paramedics. I slipped back into linear time and realized that, by the clock, their arrival was swift.

I moved to the outer circle, but not for long. The staff pointed me out to a police officer who asked for my identification. In my tiny purse I carried only my keys, my driver’s license, and some cash. I learned from the early morning jogging club the importance of carrying identification when going out to walk or run, just in case…… Going to a bar or buying wine, of course, I carry my picture ID for that added hope that I will get carded. This current scenario was one that I had not imagined as reason to carry proof of identity.

I followed the police officer who carried my license in his hands. He was young, handsome, gentle, and empathetic. Unhurried, he copied the information from my card, asking me to confirm that each bit was still correct. Harvelle’s staff also took my name and telephone number.

As the paramedics performed their duties, the patrons continued to keep a respectful vigil. Although I knew this man’s body no longer held his spirit, the attendants kept massaging his heart as they carried him away. Perhaps they did not want to announce the finality to the Friday night crowd or perhaps they did not want to give up hope or perhaps they were following predetermined procedures.

When the band returned to make their sounds, I vacillated between staying and leaving. To stay and dance felt more honoring of the happenings; to leave too soon seemed to discount the evening’s events. The crowd was expanded rather than diminished. I danced with John and waited until the end of the set to leave, about midnight. Outside the club, the bouncer (a 300 pound hunk) said he had something for me: three passes for my next visit to Harvelle’s. I smiled at the graciousness in the hands that hold such physical strength. My only words “thank you” were transmitted through the wordless energy field of our shared experience.

Two Days Later, Sunday

While walking on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade, I found myself face to face with a police officer handing me a candy cane. He noted my hesitancy to take the candy and said with gentle authority that I had to take it. I acquiesced with a playful smile that matched his, and offered a bargain: I would take it in exchange for some information. I told him that I was at Harvelle’s on Friday. He stopped any need for further explanation when he revealed that he was on dispatch that night. I asked how I could make it known that I was available to speak with the man’s wife or anyone else in the family, if they desired. I identified myself as the last one dancing with him, that my name and contact information were part of the police record.

Home for five minutes, the owner of Harvelle’s telephoned to ask me to call the family. This nameless man and his wife, whom I had been carrying in my heart for two days, now had names: Jim and Victoria. Not from out of town, they lived locally. A friend handling phone calls told me Victoria would return my call the next day.

The Next Day, Monday

Victoria and I spoke for an hour by phone in a remarkable dialogue. She confirmed that she and Jim love/loved to dance. She kept correcting her language, changing references to Jim to the past tense rather than the present tense which had become so familiar in their 18-year marriage. Friday night Victoria had to work (she is an emergency room physician) so Jim went without her to scout Harvelle’s for a future visit together. Their other dance buddies had planned to go with him, but in the end Jim went without anyone who knew him.

I shared with Victoria every detail I could recall from that night; she reciprocated by confirming information about Jim that I had intuited. Jim and Victoria had a son and daughter, ages 8 and 10. He had several physical conditions which prompted him to decide to dance to maintain his health. In addition, he created a contract with the Universe that he not live any part of his life as an invalid. He was active to the last moment. He was totally alive until he died.

I was touched by her words as she thanked me for being an angel for Jim and for holding a space of calmness during the event. It took a while following our conversation for me to synthesize all that we verbalized, though I was left with no doubt that Jim knew he was going to die that night.

I declined to attend Jim’s memorial service on the next day because I had a client scheduled in a time slot that would make it impossible. Later when the client cancelled, I knew where I was supposed to be.

The Next Day, Tuesday

The synagogue was filled with those who loved and cherished Jim. They were not there in perfunctory attendance. Before I could spot someone I thought might be Victoria, a comely woman approached me, commenting that I was standing alone. I explained that I knew no one there, identifying myself as “the woman who was the last to dance with Jim.” She embraced me warmly as she introduced herself as Jim’s mother. A brief interchange indicated that Victoria had already conveyed much of our conversation. As I approached Victoria, pointed out by Jim’s mother, our eyes meet and she asked “Are you Jeanie?”

At the memorial service, I heard stories of Jim’s capacity to love, ability to inspire, and the expansiveness of his soul. I contemplated the enigma that he left this physical life in a place where nobody knew him on this earth plane. With so many close friends and family members, he chose strangers to be with him in the end of this life. I believe Jim would appreciate and even encourage us to speculate on this situation, a mystery that sweetens his memory.

Today

Jim’s story has not ended simply because he no longer uses a body that is familiar to family and friends. He has touched many persons in his life and in his death: those he knew and those he did not know by name.

It was a special honor to be present, to be a witness to his passage, and to dance with Jim his last dance.

Copyright © 2006 Marshall House Jeanie Marshall, Empowerment Consultant and Coach with Marshall House, produces Guided Meditations on CD albums and MP3 downloads and writes extensively on subjects related to personal development and empowerment.
Voice of Jeanie Marshall, http://www.jmvoice.com

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Use this comprehensive checklist to plan each step of your new business and transform your dream of entrepreneurship into reality. These steps may not necessarily be completed in the order listed, however, you can use them as a guideline for completing all of the necessary business startup tasks.

___ Determine what kind of business you want to start.

___ Learn about the industry for your business.

___ Analyze the market for your business.

___ Study your competition.

___ Educate yourself on running a business.

___ Join trade associations.

___ Name your business.

___ Perform a trademark search.

___ Register a domain name.

___ Design a website.

___ Obtain a logo.

___ Determine business structure (sole proprietor, partnership, or corporation).

___ Evaluate your personal budget.

___ Write a business plan.

___ Write a marketing plan.

___ Locate financing.

___ Create a list of start-up supplies with budget.

___ Set up a system for accounting and payroll.

___ Apply for business license, fed tax ID, fictitious business name.

___ Select a location and set up shop.

___ Order signage.

___ Obtain business tools (computer, printer, fax, postage, office supplies, fixtures).

___ Order business stationery (business cards, letterhead, brochures).

___ Obtain inventory.

___ Create an operations and employee manual.

___ Hire employees.

___ Set a launch date.

___ Plan a grand opening event.

___ Send announcements to everyone you know.

___ Send press releases.

___ Turn on the OPEN sign!

___ Revisit your business plan and update often.

___ Evaluate your marketing strategy often.

This is an excerpt from the new book: “The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide: Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams!” by Stephanie Chandler.

Visit http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com/book for details and more resources for starting and running a successful business.

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If anybody needed any more evidence as to how maddeningly inconsistent the
Philadelphia 76ers have been the season, one needs to look no further than
Thursday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls and their contest the night before against the San Antonio Spurs as proof.

Following a dramatic 103-100 OT victory over the world-champions at the Wachovia
Center on Wednesday night, the Sixers responded with an even more spectacular
failure on Thursday night, losing to the barely-registering-a-pulse Chicago Bulls by
33 points.

That’s right boys and girls, 33 points.

These Sixers are mediocrity personified. One night they’re beating the world
champs at home by displaying defensive grit, teamwork, and another all-world
performance by Allen Iverson. The next night, they’re laying down against the
Central Division’s last-place team.

It’s just maddening.

Most professional sports teams ride on a wave of momentum. Whether it’s good or
bad, teams in all sports catch that wave and either ride it to success or failure. But
not the Sixers. These Sixers play like Eastern Conference title contenders one night,
then follow it up the next night with an effort the Charlotte Bobcats would be proud
of.

Why can’t these guys get it together? Why can’t they maintain the level of play they
showed against the Spurs for more than one night? How can they go from beating
the world champions one night to taking a dump on the court against one of the
Eastern Conference’s worst teams the following night?

The biggest reason is defense. When the 76ers play defense like they did against the
Spurs on Wednesday, they can beat almost anybody. However, nights when the
Sixers play defense are about as frequent as a Dick Cheney press conference. You
can probably count on hand the number of times these guys have put together four
quarters of solid defensive effort this season.

Chris Webber, Allen Iverson and Kyle Korver are abortions on defense. These guys
couldn’t guard a wheelchair player let alone most NBA stars. Iverson provides no
pressure on the opponent’s point guard, which allows the other team to set up their
offense with little or no resistance whatsoever. Chris Webber’s knee prevents him
from jumping more than two feet in the air at any given time, let alone rebounding
or bodying anyone up in the low blocks. And Kyle Korver has the lateral movement
of William Refrigerator Perry. No one gets beat off the dribble quite like Kyle Korver.

Mo Cheeks has got to take a lot of the blame for this mess. Granted, he doesn’t
have a lot of great defensive players on his roster, but it appears on most nights
that the Sixers couldn’t even be bothered to try and defend people. And that’s the
indictment on him.

The 76ers seem to always be going through the motions. Cheeks was supposed to
be a coach that the players liked and respected, someone they could get behind. But
it looks as though they play like five separate guys out on the court rather than as
one cohesive unit. It’s a collection of random dudes thrown out on the court trying
to make something happen by themselves. Half the time it works, half the time it
doesn’t.

One thing it does is make for some pretty inconsistent basketball.

One of the big concerns for the Sixers has got to be the play of Andre Iguodola. Iggy
was supposed to emerge in year #2, but it just hasn’t happened. Here’s a guy with
all the talent in the world, the team’s only true lock-down defender, but he has yet
to take it to the next level. Just like the great black bear, Iggy’s offense makes a
brief cameo appearance, then as quickly as it came, goes back into hibernation.

Perhaps Allen Iverson’s penchant for hogging the ball too much is the cause of
Iggy’s failure to make “the leap.” But it seems to me that a truly great player can
make something happen whenever he touches the ball, and Andre has not shown
the ability or desire to do that yet. If the Sixers are going to be a playoff contender,
they need Andre Iguoldola to be another offensive threat.

But more than the X’s and O’s, it’s the personality and effort of the 2005-06 76ers
that is the biggest problem. On nights like Wednesday night against the Spurs, you
could see a fire in their eyes and a competitive spirit in their play that made you
think, “maybe this is the turning point.” Then, on nights like Thursday night against
the Bulls, you see it was a one-night aberration, a mirage, something that couldn’t
be repeated.

The effort of the 76ers reminds me of my golf swing. Every once in a while,
everything comes together. I keep that left arm in, keep my head down on the ball,
follow through, and watch that baby fly high and far into the sky. But my muscle
memory isn’t there yet. So I’ll follow that beautiful shot up by shanking my next
shot off the side of someone’s house or into a pond the size of New Hampshire.

Effort is a lot like that muscle memory. Once you get into the habit of putting out
maximum effort every night and doing the little things necessary to playing winning
basketball, you can’t help but be successful. The 2000-01 Sixers are proof of that.
Effort is a habit, one the 76ers haven’t tried to learn.

So, at the midseason mark, the Sixers are pretty much where they have been since
opening night, right around .500 at 25-27. They currently hold the 8th and final
playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. And sadly, there really is nothing that GM
Billy King can do to fix things. Chris Webber is untradeable. And there is no way the
Sixers could get equal value for Allen Iverson. There is no one out there on the
trading block that would make things any better.

The Sixers are stuck with what they’ve got; a collection of somewhat talented guys
who can’t seem to play with each other.

Mediocrity and the 76ers… get used to it.

By John Stolnis
http://www.Phillysportsline.com

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When most people consider writing a book, they don’t think
about Trademarks. However, I highly recommend that you
leverage your writing for multiple purposes, and that’s why
registering a Trademark for your concept is a good idea. If
you use your writing as the basis for workshops and other
products, it’s in your best interests to protect your
concepts with a Trademark.

To paraphrase the definition of a Trademark given at the
official web site www.uspto.gov, a Trademark is a symbol, a
word, a phrase, or a design, (or any combination), used to
identify and distinguish the unique source of goods. Note
that a Service Mark has the same definition as a Trademark,
except as related to services instead of products.

You are not required to register a Mark. Instead, you can
establish your rights to the Mark with a record of
legitimate use of it. However, there are several
advantages to owning a Mark that is federally registered.
The most notable is your premier position if anyone else
should attempt to use your Mark after your official
registration date.

Regardless of whether you’ve made an application to the
USPTO for a federally registered Mark, you may use the TM
and SM symbols any time you claim Mark rights. However, the
federal symbol for registration (encircled “R”), may only
be used after the USPTO has received your application,
processed it, and officially registered your Mark. One more
thing to note: the federal registration symbol can only be
used in connection with the goods or services that are
specifically listed in the federal documents.

Of course, there is a difference among the purposes of
Trademarks, copyrights, and patents. Patents protect a
inventions. Copyrights protect original literary or
artistic work.

Your work is copyright protected under common law when you
create it. And by printing the work with the copyright
notification included, you have signified your claim to the
work. However, to have it officially recorded, you will
want to register it with the Copyright Office. Keep in mind
that the government does not enforce the copyright. If
someone were to infringe, it would be up to you to protect
your rights through a civil suit.

Contact the Copyright Office to get the forms. Call 202-
707-3000 and request copyright package 109, or go to the
web site, www.loc.gov/copyright and fill out form TX. To
register your copyright of a book, take these steps: 1)
Print the copyright notice on the copyright page (title
page). You may use the word copyright, but “C” in a circle
says the same thing and is necessary for international
protection. Also, add “All rights reserved.” The notice
must appear in all copies of the book to protect you. The
copyright should be in the name of the owner. 2) Publish
the book. 3) Register your claim with the Copyright Office
within three months of the book being published.

New copyright duration is for the author’s life, plus
fifty years. Since your ownership is part of your estate,
mention it in your will. Everything is protected by the
copyright, (text, graphics, etc.), except titles. Titles
can’t be copyrighted. However, does the title fit the
definition of a Trademark? If so, you can claim it that
way. An example: “Chicken Soup for the Soul” is Trademarked
because it can’t be copyrighted. No one actually would use
that title for their own creation, but if it weren’t
Trademarked, anyone could legally profit from using the
phrase to market other products.

Cover all your bases and use the means available to
protect your creation. By registering your copyright and
your rights in a Mark, the safeguards are prepared if
someone tried to use your work as their own.

As a publisher of the “A Guide To Getting It” book series,
Marilyn J. Schwader has made a study of topics related to
writing. She is contributing author of articles for Acorn Writing News
your premier resource on-line for information on writing.
Find the archive of articles at: http://www.acornwriting.com/

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Many businesses are reluctant to advertise to college students because they feel that college students lack the extra funds to spend on services that are considered luxuries. The fact that many businesses sense that leaves an opening for businesses that are willing to take the time and money to target them.

That is why so many businesses offering cleaning and delivery services like LifeEase Home Services, Crazy Hungry, Dorm Delivery Express, and College Bellhop have become so popular. The reason those businesses are able to reach college students and get them to spend is because they realize that college students are busy, just like professionals. Many students take 15 to 18 credits each semester while working a full-time job. Another reason is, not all students have transportation, so having items delivered is a more convenient option, especially in bad weather. A third reason is, many students have roommates, that allows them to combine their money for the cost of luxury services. The final reason that those businesses have become popular is, they are run by college students or recent college graduates, so they know what people want.

Those successful businesses are showing that college students these days are willing to spend more money if it can help ease the frustration of being in college.

Andre Bias is the President and Founder of LifeEase Home Services, LLC, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin based residential cleaning and grocery delivery company, that targets professionals as well as college students. You can visit his companies website at http://www.Lifeeasehomeservices.com.

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Have you ever had a “Theme of the Week”? Something that keeps coming up over and over again that no matter what you do, it always echoes that same idea?

Well, here’s mine for this week and I’m sure you’ll take something from it. I certainly have.

I have this set of CD’s from T. Harv Eker. I don’t even know what the title of the program is, all I know is that when I’m sick of NPR (which usually is about 5 minutes) I pop one in and listen to what he has to say.

For those of you who don’t know who Eker is, he is a motivational guy… a second tier Tony Robbins.

So I’m listening to Harv in the car this week and he says something that I have to repeat. So I scan the CD to find it again. When I repeat it, I get the chills…

He says that everything you’ve ever done in your life has lead you to the point you are at right now.

Let me say that again… everything that you’ve ever done in your life has lead you to the point you are at right now.

Make sense? Maybe it’s not so ground breaking for you, but I want to explain what it meant to me and I think you’ll take something from it.

I spent most of my life in fear of how people would react to anything I’d say. I was afraid of the word “no.” Deathly afraid of rejection of any kind.

Some of you might be able to relate. That fear lead me to a place where I had no self-confidence, no money and where I was always feeling trapped. Every decision that I had made that avoided the possibility of hearing “no” lead me straight to an unhappy, miserable place.

It was torturous. I was there for a while.

I finally broke out of that slump when I realized that if I CONTINUED to make the same choices and believed the same things, I would never, never, never accomplish the things I wanted to accomplish. It was just that simple. No change, no success.

This applies to you in thousands of ways…

If you are overweight, tired, worn out, angry, anxious, in a dead end job, in a dead end relationship, etc. then your decisions and beliefs have brought you right to that exact place. You’ve created this reality for yourself.

If you are broke, lazy, fearful, your actions and thoughts have brought you to that exact place. Like Eker says, everything that you’ve ever done in your life has lead you to the point you are at right now.

When you think of it this way, it gets you thinking.

Here’s the kicker… if you continue to believe the same things and take the same actions, you will continue to live the same overweight, tired, worn out, angry, anxious, in a dead end job, in a dead end relationship, etc. life that you are living now.

There is no magic pill.

If you rate the quality of your life on a 1 to 10 scale (10 meaning fantastic) and it is not a 10, then you have some serious decisions to make. I don’t know many people who are striving to live a “5″ life, but I’ll bet many of you have that rating for one or two aspects in your life. If you don’t start to change the way you think and act, then your “5″ will ALWAYS be a “5″.

Since you’re here for health and fitness, let’s think about it this way… if you are out of shape and can’t find the time to exercise even though you really want to… that’s fine… just know that your decision is based on your present beliefs, not new ones that can propel you into a life of energy and vibrancy.

If you are addicted to sweets and you know that it brings you down, but you always make up the excuse that it’s just how you are… then yes, it will just be how you always are… addicted to sweets, worn down and gaining more pounds.

You need to start breaking free of your past beliefs.

I spent years breaking free of the negative belief systems that were installed in my head when I was younger. I would always question the negative, before I looked at the positive. ALWAYS. When someone would present an idea, I’d say “What if…”, “Won’t work because…”, etc. The negative ruled and it got me nowhere!

Maybe you’re like this. Maybe you have different challenges that you need to think about. Anger, anxiety, fears, health, relationships…

You can change the situation you are in now. This is how you start…

Start by doing things that are out of your comfort zone. Start questioning your belief systems. Start by doing the opposite of what you normally would do. Start by smiling and taking fear with you… not letting it stop you.

You should be living a “10″ life, full of vibrancy, energy and creativity. You deserve it. Start shaking it up today.

****************

Kevin Gianni is the holistic fitness expert. He is a certified personal trainer and co-founder of Lifestyle Fitness, a home workout program that gives you the tools to radically change your views on health and fitness for the rest of your life.

Be sure to sign up for our free email newsletter that has the fitness and health tips other “gurus” are charging big bucks for.

Lifestyle Fitness

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Right…so your new acne medication promises fast results in 10 days, but you’ve got to face the world today. What can we do to tie over the proceeding period before the acne goes down?

Well all you need is to learn a few creative acne makeup concealing tips to help you look your very best at school, work or play.

But remember — Makeup conceals acne, it doesn’t cure it!

But you already knew that, right? Using makeup to conceal acne isn’t difficult, but there are some basic rules that you should always follow.

Your basic acne makeup toolkit

Your three acne hiding weapons will be a concealer, a foundation and a finishing powder. Stay away from the dollar store and use only brand names that you can trust.

Choose only oil-free makeup products that match your skin tone. Oil-free is the key to success here so read the labels carefully. You don’t want to aggravate your existing acne problem by layering a fresh coat of oil on skin that already has too much to begin with. Choose a hypoallergenic brand while you’re at it.

If this is the first time that you are using a new brand, test the makeup applying small dabs to a spot under your jaw to see how your skin reacts. If you are going to have a problem you’ll know within an hour or so after applying it. Nothing’s worse than adding more blotches to an already colorful face.

Before you begin

Wash your face with your normal face cleansing product and pat dry. Apply your acne medication per the instructions and let it dry throughly.

Start with the concealer

Apply the concealer in a light dabbing motion directly to any dark blotches or red areas that the acne has produced on your skin. Blend the concealer in using a disposable facial sponge. Use the concealer sparingly. You can always apply more if you need it but you don’t want to layer it on too thickly. It will look terrible when it dries.

Next, apply the foundation

Apply the foundation sparingly as well and use a light dabbing motion here too. Blend the foundation with your sponge and reapply to any areas that need it.

And now for the final touch

Apply a light layer of the oil-free powder using a large makeup brush. This will take care of any shine that the acne concealer and foundation left behind and it will give you an even and finished look.

Throw away the disposable sponges when you are through so you don’t transfer yesterday’s skin oil to tomorrow’s clean face!

Before you go to bed

Wash your face throughly to remove all makeup before you go to bed, but preferably as soon as you can after you return home. You want your skin to breath and your acne to get as much fresh air as possible.

John Wellington is from AcneHelpZone.com providing people suffering from acne with quick, relevant and free acne resources that they can download and take away with them for easy reference.

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If you are an online writer perhaps you have thought of writing articles and trading for free stuff from companies you write for? This is a totally wise choice and is a great way to get paid “in kind” for your writing skills for the things you need.

Indeed it is a great idea but also be careful to disclose that you have a relationship with that company because if not that could be considered “Buzz Marketing” and the FTC Federal Trade Commission has a big problem with it; you will recall last year sometime when a couple of companies had to pay a big fine.

So, you may wish to review those cases and also be upfront in your writing about the bartering transaction. Similar laws exist at the SEC to prevent people from using the media to hype stocks that they own so they go up and the people can sell them at a profit. You will notice on the financial news now that those being interviewed have to disclose on the air if they own or do not own the stocks they are discussing.

As a writer I believe that bartering for writing of articles makes sense for some writers, but I think you may need to be careful about this stuff. There are so many laws often people inadvertently break them unknowingly doing something that seems like a perfectly honest idea.

The Federal Government way over-regulates business in this country and it is really too bad, because they hurt all the good people while those who really break the law do not care. So be sure to be above board and ethical when trading writing for free stuff, coupons or trades. Consider all this in 2006.

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

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Gesture, embracing movements of the head, body, arms, hands, legs and feet, is a natural and necessary part of public speaking. Mastering this art and making it appear natural take much practice, but can not be mastered any other way. So here are the top tips to help speed you along your way.

1. The head should be well-poised and not held on one side as if scrutinizing an audience. When held erect it denotes a normal attitude, courage, joy, pride, or authority; when upward it indicates hope or prayer; when downward, shame, modesty, or reflection; when forward, appeal, listening, sympathy or anticipation; when backward, surprise, terror or independence; when shaking, denial, discontent, or emphasis.

Frequent and meaningless movements should be studiously avoided. In bowing, incline the head and upper body together, so as to bring the bend from the waist. It should be done slowly and pleasantly, with the eyes looking down.

2. The face should be trained to promptly and truthfully reflect the emotions of the speaker. Quintilian says: “The face is the dominant power of expression. With this we supplicate; with this we threaten; with this we soothe; with this we mourn; with this we rejoice; with this we triumph; with this we make our submissions; upon this the audience hang; upon this they keep their eyes fixed; this they examine and study even before a word is spoken.”

3. The eyes are wide open in joy, fear and surprise; closed in faintness, half-closed in hate and scrutiny; raised in prayer and supplication; drooped in modesty and veneration; look askance in envy, jealousy, and appreciation.

4. The nostrils are extended in fear and indignation, and elevated in scorn.

5. The lips are closed in repose; partly open in surprise and wonder; wide open in terror; turn upward in pleasure, courtesy and good humor; turn downward in grief and sorrow; pout in discontent; and compress in anger, defiance and determination.

6. The body should move in harmony with the other members as required by the thought. In turning from side to side the movement should be from the waist and not from the neck.

7. The arms move from the shoulder, excepting in conversational gesture. They should rest at the sides without crooking the elbows. Movements may be slow and gentle, slow and intense, swift and light, or swift and strong. The size, length, and velocity of a gesture depend upon the thought. The lines are usually in curves, expressing grace, while straight lines are used when special emphasis is required. The general purpose of gesture is to locate, illustrate, generalize or emphasize.

8. The hands should be carefully trained for flexibility and expressiveness. The fingers should be slightly apart and curved. A gesture has three divisions:

- The preparation, made in an opposite direction from that which the gesture is to take.

- The gesture proper, which must be precisely upon the word intended.

- The return, in which the hand should be dropped gently and slowly without slapping the sides of the body.

And here are the most common hand gestures:

- The supine hand, palm upward, is used to express good-humor, frankness and generalization.

- The prone hand, palm downward, shows superposition, or the resting of one thing upon another.

- The vertical hand, palm outward, is used in warding off, putting from, and in repugnant and disagreeable thought.

- The clenched hand is used in anger, defiance and great emphasis.

- The index finger is used to specialize and indicate.

- Both hands are used in appeal and to express intensity, expansiveness and greatness. Usually one hand should slightly lead the other. The hands are clasped in prayer and wrung in grief.

9. The feet. The standing position should be easy, the feet at an angle of forty-five degrees, one foot in advance of the other, the width of the base depending upon the height of the speaker. The knees should be straight, shoulders even and chin level. Avoid rising on the toes and too frequent change of foot position. The most graceful effect is secured when the left foot is forward and the gesture made with the right hand, or vice versa. This combination gives balance, though it is not always possible to use it. The change of foot position will not be so noticeable if done in the act of making a gesture.

If you practice these gestures with each speech, working them in naturally. In due time, this skill will become second nature, and your overall ability and presence as a speaker will improve drastically.

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Why grandparenting and not just parenting?

Because… Parents enjoy a break for short periods of time, children enjoy getting away from their parents from time to time and grandparents enjoy being a special part of this essential relationship.

As a grandfather of six grandchildren, I can tell you for sure that building on a special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is a lifetime privilege.

As grandchildren grow, the principles of the relationship remain applicable at any age, but the role of the grandparents in the lives of their grandchildren changes.

Grand Parental Control and Safety of the Grandchildren

All children need to be warned about the limits and must learn to respect boundaries. Unfortunately, our children learn in kindergartens and schools only about their rights, not much about their obligations. However, grandparents can intervene yearly in their grandchildren’s education and help them to understand the life limits and boundaries.

When an activity begins you, as a grandparent, must be clear about your expectations. This fact frees you and the grandchild to enjoy the event and guarantees the safety of everyone involved.

When the restrictions are being violated, always remind your grandchildren again about the rules and restate them as many times as necessary. A very good idea is to write the rules and post them in a visible place. If a rule is violated during your shared activity, ask the child to repeat or read (if the child can do it, of course…) the rules again.

Parents’ Wishes and Rules Must Be Pursued

Anything you do for your grandchild needs to be planned and discussed first with the parents, who make the rules. Helpful grandparents must support the parents in children’s education.
Never keep secrets from the parents and never ask the grandchildren to keep secrets from their parents. And, do not undermine the relationships between the parents and the child by considering that some information should not be shared with the parents!

A Successful Grandparenting Requires Proper Planning…

Proper planning makes any activity more successful. It is safer to have a plan and to discuss the activity with the parents. Of course, you can be spontaneous, but this should happen within a planned activity.

When start planning, discuss with the child and the parents what he or she would like to do. Before you begin any activities, see what is appropriate for the child’s age. In this way you are giving your grandchildren choices and increasing their self-confidence.

The Best Gift for Your Grandchildren Is the “Time Together”

Physical gifts (objects) are an option and do not have to be very expensive. Also, surprise gifts are the best, as a gift is real especially when it is unexpected.

Do not forget that “time together” is the best gift we can give to our grandchildren. A well-planned journey provides time for the grandparent and grandchildren to discover and appreciate each other’s real life gifts. Giving time your will achieve friendship and great success with your grandparenting!

Grandchildren and Grandparents Should Have Fun!

Having fun is good for you, your grandchild and your relationship. Be always ready to share with your grandchildren how excited you are about being together.

About the Author

Teodor Miroslav Muntean is an offline and online entrepreneur and a father of 9 children and 6 grandchildren. He is an English and Romanian language speaker and writer on: small business marketing, home business design, and social issues related to the previous subjects, including parental control, parenting and grandparenting. He is the author of “The Baby’s First Year” … and founder of ParentalControlGuide.com, which includes: parenting and parental control articles, reports, ebooks, and software.
Contact: mteodor@mybestassociates.com
www.ParentalControlGuide.com

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