I can describe the latest release from Smooth Jazz sensation Ken Navarro for you with just one word… Outstanding!

Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Slow Dance has a pleasantly varied, mix of 10 tracks that are very well written songs by this clearly superb artist.

Ken Navarro is one of those musicians that has the ability to just bowl you over with his talent. The kind of artist it’s really a treat to be able to listen to.

If you’re even mildly into Smooth Jazz music you’ll enjoy this CD. Overall Slow Dance is an a great release. I give it my double thumbs up. You will not be disappointed with one single track.

While this entire CD is really very good the truly standout tracks are So Fine [track 1], Workin’ It [track 3], and Meet Me At Midnight [track 8].

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 5, Shootin’ The Breeze. Great track!

Slow Dance Release Notes:

Ken Navarro originally released Slow Dance on Mar 12, 2002 on the Shanachie Records record label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. So Fine
2. Healing Hands
3. Workin’ It
4. Lady’s Choice
5. Shootin’ The Breeze
6. Hookin’ Up
7. Slow Dance
8. Meet Me At Midnight
9. Things We Never Say
10. 28 (For Kristan)

Personnel includes: Ken Navarro (keyboards, acoustic & electric guitars); Eric Marienthal (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Kim Waters (soprano saxophone); Dan La Maestra (piano, electric piano, keyboards); Gary Grainger (electric bass); Andre “Blues” Webb (drums); Kevin Prince (percussion). Recorded at Positive Music Studios, Ellicott, Maryland between October 2001 and January 2002.

Get the information you want on your favorite smooth jazz songs and artists at http://www.iLoveSmoothJazz.com

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee is a life long music fanatic, smooth jazz in particular, and does a daily online radio show featuring smooth jazz music that can be heard at http://www.NewYorkSmoothJazzRadio.com

“Happy Trails” was the theme song for Roy Rogers (”King of the Cowboys”) and his third wife and co-star Dale Evans (”Queen of the West”).

After Roy’s second wife Arline died in 1946, leaving him with three children, he married the leading lady of his many Western films, Dale Evans, thus beginning one of the most enduring husband-and-wife partnerships in all of show business. Not only did they act and sing together, but Dale Evans wrote songs for their radio and TV shows, most notably “Happy Trails,” which the couple performed at virtually all of their appearances, usually at the end of the program. Since then, “Happy Trails” has become a famous “sign-off” or way of saying “good-bye” for millions around the world.

Roy Rogers was born Leonard Franklin Slye (November 5, 1911 - July 6, 1998). Dale Evans was born Frances Octavia Smith (October 31, 1912 - February 7, 2001).

Roy and Dale were joined onscreen by Roy’s famous horse “Trigger” and their four-legged friend, the German shepherd, “Bullet.” They appeared in over 100 movies together and on the popular TV program, The Roy Rogers Show, from 1951-1954.

Happy Trails Lyrics
(Words and Music by Dale Evans)

Happy trails to you
until we meet again
Happy trails to you
keep smiling until then

Just sing a song and bring the sunny weather
Who cares about the clouds when we’re together?

Happy trails to you
until we meet again

SIDEBAR: Cheryl Rogers-Barnett, the daughter of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, wrote an uplifting tribute to her parents, the original rhinestone cowboy couple, entitled, Cowboy Princess: Life with My Parents Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. According to Publisher’s Weekly, …”While Rogers-Barnett points out that life in the spotlight wasn’t all happy trails, she appears to have few complaints.”

DA Jack Hayford is the editor of the popular music reference website, Events-in-Music.com Mr. Hayford is also the Program Director and co-founder of DurangoSong.com the online home of the ten-plus-year old Durango Songwriters Expo, a premier annual educational and inspirational event for aspiring songwriters.

Whatever we see, hear, smell, taste, touch or feel passes through the conscious mind and reaches the subconscious mind where it is then stored.

Once you have learned how best to deal with a situation, you will generally find it much easier the next time around. This is because you are using information which is already stored.

For instance, once you have learned to ride a bike, you don’t have to consciously think about it anymore. This is because the stored information will come to you automatically, the next time you get on your bike to ride it.

Just as if you were to learn where each letter on your keyboard is, you can now type without looking because you have formed a mental picture in your subconscious mind of what the keyboard actually looks like.

The above are just two instances of how the subconscious mind stores up relations of learned behaviour. We are sure you would be able to find many more examples of this in your everyday life!

Information from the conscious mind gets past into the subconscious mind, and there is a very strong link between the two. It is said that everything you have ever seen, heard or experienced is perceived by your conscious mind, and then stored away into your subconscious mind as a memory.

Not only is this memory stored as the incident itself, but also any feelings that went with it at the time are also stored.

Your subconscious mind does not only store your memories and feelings. It is the maker of all the great ideas you have ever had, and is also the seat of your intuition and creativity. When you do begin to control your conscious thought processes, you will find that you can apply the powers of your subconscious mind towards any problem or difficulty you may come across.

Most of the great artists, poets, writers, scientists, inventors and discovers have had or have a deep understanding of how their conscious and subconscious mind work. The ones that do not unknowingly set their genius to work for them when they tapped into their subconscious mind power by instinct.

You see, the Einsteins and Edisons were not that much smarter that the average person, writes psychology professor Dean Simonton.

After conducting many studies of intelligence and creativity, Professor Simonton has found that there is no real relationship between our IQ and creativity. Most of the celebrated minds of history, Simonton believes, simply made better use of their subconscious mind power.

Just by having a basic knowledge and understanding of how your conscious and subconscious mind work, and also how they interact with each other, you will be able to work wonders in your life. The possibilities truly are endless!

Claim your exclusive chapter and audio about subconscious mind power , by simply visiting our website. http://www.YourMindPowers.com/subconscious/

Student loans are such a pain. Of course they give you the opportunity to get a degree that you wanted, but then the time comes when your mail box is flooded with bills from several lenders and you are ready to scream. Luckily for you there is something you can do to make it less of a hassle. Applying for a student loan consolidation program will greatly benefit you. Find out how to consolidate your student loans the right way.

Why consolidate?

First, you will be paying off one loan instead of several. It is much more convenient; you will receive one bill every month and won’t have to worry about missing a payment and being slapped with late fees. Also paying some of your bills late can hurt your credit history. Consolidating all your student loans into one will help you avoid this.

Second, loan consolidation can save you a lot. The goal of consolidation is to let you make lower monthly payments. The interest rates are also lower, than on the loans before consolidation. This is very important when you are just starting a new career. Saving on your student loan payments will leave you with extra cash for other important things.

Does bad credit prevent you from applying for loan consolidation?

If you have a bad credit history, it usually won’t prevent you from being approved for federal loan consolidation program. With private lenders bad credit score can be a bit of a problem. So if you have any federal loans, consolidate them first. Then make sure that you take care of your monthly payments before their due dates. This will improve your credit score, and you won’t have any troubles consolidating with a private lender. It will also help you get discounts to save even more.

How to find the best student loan consolidation rate?

The rate shouldn’t concern you because according to the federal law, all private lenders have to offer exactly same rate as FFELP (Federal Family Education Loan Program). Your individual rate will depend on the average rate off all outstanding student loans you currently have.

Some lenders advertise very low rates. But you have to bear in mind that most lenders offer certain benefits and discounts, and the rate advertised is usually what you get after a discount is applied. So if you are not eligible for the discount, your rate will be higher.

Most companies clearly state discount eligibility criteria, for example always making your payments on time or setting an automatic withdrawal from you account. But there can be other criteria as well, not mentioned until you actually apply for consolidation with this lender. So the only reliable way to find the best deal is to ask for quotes from several banks and other private lenders and compare them.

Another thing young graduates have to be aware of is hidden fees. When you apply for a federal loan consolidation program there will be no additional fees. Many private lenders also don’t have any fees. However, some lenders charge you additionally for consolidation, so you will have to ask if there are any additional fees.

Finding the best deal on your student loan consolidation program might take a bit of research, but since we are talking about thousands of dollars, savings can be substantial too. The easiest way to get your quotes is to visit lenders websites and ask for a quote online. And remember, you are allowed to consolidate your loans only once, so it is important to make the right choice the first time.

Tanya Turner is a publisher of Loan Consolidation Guide, where you can compare consolidation offers by several lenders. The Guide also offers tips and advice on how to save the most when consolidating your loans.

Owning your own company is oftentimes a wonderful way to enjoy your independence, be in the same vicinity as your family, and create a schedule that is mainly YOURS. However, what happens when you become overwhelmed? Remember, you are the owner, marketing guru, bookkeeper, sales person, admin, and mom/dad. It is quite easy to overload yourself, but getting out from underneath all of the hats is quite another story. However, there is help and it’s more easily attained than you may think.

Top 5 Ways to Stop Being Overwhelmed

1. Create a Master To Do List - Before you scoff at the idea, think about it. Why are you ready to curl up in the fetal position under your desk? Because you have so much to do and no time to do it in. Since you already don’t have any time, steal some for yourself and put your life together. Map out your To Do’s. Write them all down from the biggest to the smallest and look at them.

2. Delegate - You have your list so by looking at it, what can you pass off to someone else? Or what do you absolutely dread doing? Consider passing it off to outside sources. Example: if you don’t like to do your own bookkeeping, hire a bookkeeper. If you are tired of all the stacks of paper and they are traumatizing you, hire some part time help to come in and do it for you. “But, Suzanne, I can’t afford it.” Honey, you can’t afford NOT to. With the time you free up for yourself, find new clients or support the ones you already have. Bottomline, you can afford it and you should.

3. Find a Mentor or a Friend - This mentor or friend will help hold you accountable. If you own your company that is probably the one key piece you are missing. Accountability. Sure, your customers hold you accountable to an extent, but who pushes you the rest of the time? By having someone on your side to make sure you are meeting your own goals, you will meet your deadlines faster and with less stress than if you don’t.

4. Organize Your Time Better - When are you most productive? In the morning, afternoon, evening? When do you have the most quiet time? By figuring out the answers to those questions, you will be able to determine how to arrange your day. Once you have your time prioritized, let’s take a look at the effectiveness of your office.

5. Office Efficiency - There are 3 different styles of organization; visual, logical and inspirational. If you are a visual person, you like to have your files where you can see them and you probably love to color code and label things. Logical, you need to have order in your office, it’s clean, and you want to have them categorized and alphabetized. When the systems are not as important as your surroundings, you are more inspirational than anything. This includes a lot of feng shui styles. Once you have determined your style, incorporate them into your office set up. Not only will your office look nicer, it will work WITH you and not AGAINST you.

By using the 5 steps outlined above, you will be on your way to becoming less stressed, more organized, and a whole lot happier! If you need help on determining your organizational style, feel free to contact us by visiting our website =>www.OEWorkshops.com

Happy Organizing!

Suzanne Babb-McLoone
Organizational Empowerment
Leisure is a privilege enjoyed by the organized!

For over 20 years, Suzanne has been helping corporations and small businesses organize their time so they can spend more time and energy doing the things that are most important to them. With a philosophy of “life is too short”, she thrives on making the most of her time and trying to encourage those around her to do the same.

As an organizational consultant, public speaker, and former radio talk show host; Suzanne has been training administrative assistants and their executives on how to become a more efficient and effective team.

For more information, please feel free to visit us at: http://www.oeworkshops.com

The first video game system that I actually owned was an Atari game console that played only pong and pong like games. The console used your television to visually display the game and its “action”. We were thrilled with the system and many hours were spent staring at the television screen with the eerie beep of the pong hitting the paddles echoing through out the room. The next video game system I owned was also an Atari, but instead of being dedicated to only one game, this actually accepted a variety of cartridges which played wonderful games, including Asteroids, Space Invaders and Pac-man. And we once again embraced them as wonderful advancements in technology and introduced them to our children.

Before I knew it, the kids were asking for a Commodore 64. They now wanted a personal computer and I was saving the money to get one, because the price was right. The C64 did not require a monitor, and could be plugged into a television set, and had graphics that were evolving away from the simple shapes of Atari to realistic drawings. Instead of all action games, some of the games involved solving problems and were much more “intellectual”. Even better, you could copy the games on a cheap cassette tape and pass them around.

The next video game system that the kids were asking for was the Nintendo Entertainment System. It had high-resolution, full color, tiled backgrounds and the games were longer and contained more detailed graphics. Super Mario Brothers was the big hit game that everyone wanted. When the Sega Mega Drive was introduced, they were still happy with their NES. Then the kids outgrew the video game systems and it wasn’t until I discovered the role playing game called Morrowind that I was drawn into PC video games. I was totally blown away! I could not believe the advancements in technology that enabled such realism! And to my grandchildren, who by the way have Nintendo 64 and Play Station 2 and full access to PC games, these are common, everyday toys. How amazing is that!?

http://www.my-grammys-attic.com

I have recently booked our own Dominican Republic Holiday, for a family of 6, and as I explored the prices with the main UK travel agents online I was amazed at how their prices would vary - even when looking at the same hotel! We saved almost £2000 in total. Read on, and I hope I can help you do the same!

Start with the Printed Brochures

Whilst I always book my holidays online, you really can’t beat flicking through the pages of the tour operators’ brochures for shortlisting your preferred regions and hotels, and for checking out the early booking discounts available to all (although in practice you can expect to save even more than this by booking online).

We found the brochures invaluable in helping us decide on a Punta Cana hotel, and it was much easier checking the facilities of individual hotels this way rather than viewing each hotel’s details online.

For the Dominican Republic we went through brochures from Thomas Cook, First Direct, Cosmos, Airtours and Thomson.

Hint - At this stage, don’t dismiss any Tour Operator based on price alone!

Going Online to Check Availability and Price

I expected Thomas Cook or First Choice to give us the best prices. For First Choice in particular, the headline price in the brochures looked amazing. Therefore it was a real surprise to find that when I went all the way through the booking process, with all the supplements and extras added on, that other companies came out significantly cheaper.

Other Ways We Kept the Prices Low

Check child prices versus adult prices - We spotted this anomaly weeks before it featured on television. Some of the online discounts only relate to adult prices, and when occupancy supplements are applied (as children do not count towards occupancy levels) you can find children are charged at a higher rate than adults. For example we found when we priced a room for 2 adults and 1 child that it came out significantly cheaper than when priced for 1 adult and 2 children. It can be the case in this situation that the first child receives the bigger discount and the second child is more expensive than the adult.

I don’t believe this is a deliberate attempt by any tour operator to discriminate against families, but just an
accidental result of the complex pricing structure of many holiday. So we ‘promoted’ our 11-year old to an adult.

Split the booking into two - As we needed two rooms, we saved even more money by splitting the booking into two.

This was because there was a reduction per booking at the time we made our reservation. Of course, we had to sacrifice any chance of the rooms being adjacent, but we were happy to do so for the extra discount.

Who Worked Out Cheapest for Our Dominican Republic Holiday?

We are going to the Superclub Breezes hotel in Punta Cana in late July, and both Thomson and Airtours offered us a really good price, and we chose one of these and saved almost £2000.

It is also worth noting that Thomson have now announced they are not charging fuel supplements on any of their package holidays.

However, the cheapest tour operator for you will depend upon your destination and date of travel. We reckon you’ll do best with Thomson or Airtours for Punta Cana Hotels in the Dominican Republic, but do recommend you check the prices with all the main tour operators when you are making your booking to ensure you benefit from any current offers and discounts.

Mark Salkeld enjoys travelling to both traditional and exotic holiday destinations with his family, and set up TheTravelPage.co.uk to provide “An Independent View of the Best Travel Deals”.