For those with bad credit, mortgage refinance loans are not as bad as you may think that they are. In fact, you may find that these loans are some of the best because if your credit has improved at all, you could wind up with a lower monthly payment or a lower interest rate. Nevertheless, refinance loans can be difficult to get when you do have bad credit. You should expect to have to do a bit of research and you should expect some comparison to finding the best choice for you in this type of lending situation.

Bad Credit And Lending

Because most lenders use your credit report and FICO score to determine what interest rate to charge to you on your new loan, it is almost always the case that bad credit means more risk which means a higher rate. Yet, you will also find that a mortgage refinance loan is still a secured loan, meaning that individuals that have poor credit, such as below 600 on the FICO scale can still secure a loan. It will likely come with a bit higher interest rate, though.

What To Expect

Here are a few things that you’ll need experience with a mortgage refinance loan:

–Higher interest rates than traditional mortgage loans, dependant on where your credit scores are.
–You will need to show proof of income, verify your employment and likely verify the value of your home.
–You should use a mortgage calculator to determine if the loan proposed to you by the lender is a good loan for your needs, or if you should consider another loan.
–Compare lenders and look for those that specialize in sub prime lending (for those with bad credit.

Bad credit mortgage refinance loans are available and with a bit of research you can save yourself money with them.

Recommended Bad Credit Refinance Lenders - We maintain a list of recommended mortgage companies online and update the list regularly.

Mortgage Tips for People With Bad Credit Here are 15 mortgage tips for people with bad credit.

Well, being a child of the 50’s and 60’s, I can definitely say that I have been watching, absorbing and enjoying Comedy TV Shows pretty much since their inception. I can also say that, beyond a shadow of doubt, I have been heavily influenced by them and most probably they are partly responsible for me becoming an entertainer, which I have been for all of my life. With that being said, narrowing down my list will be next to impossible so I will just go through many shows I have loved, starting with the 50’s, work my way to the present and then try to compose My Top 10 List somehow.

Let’s Have Fun with Chuck McCann was a great Sunday morning show for kids and Chuck was a talented versatile performer. The show was always entertaining and very funny.
The Ernie Kovacs Show was a very funny and groundbreaking show. The things they did editing-wise was way beyond the technology of the 50’s and Ernie was a comedy genius. He was taken from us way too early in a car accident. Who knows what he would have achieved if he had lived longer in a medium that was just in it’s embryonic stages.

Sid Cesar’s, Your Show Of Shows was a classic show whose form has been emulated ever since. The cast of writers are a literal Who’s Who in The Comedy World: Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Woody Allen, Larry Gelbart and Neil Simon to name a few. How could a show like that not be great, not to mention Sid Cesar himself. He was a great performer that was a genius at dialects.

The Jack Benny Show was a terrific show with a great cast of characters. Benny was the master of the ‘face’ and no one could milk a laugh longer with just a mere look at the camera more than him. The unique thing about the show was that the laughter most often hinged on the ‘Second Bananas’ that fueled the comedy of the show.

Amos ‘N’ Andy was a great show with such a array of characterizations. Kingfish was always scamming Andy someway, which was such a treat to watch unfold. Amos was the cab driver that narrated the show and there was Sapphire, Lightning and of course, Algonquin J. Calhoun. Unfortunately, the show was eventually pulled because of NAACP pressure of wanting to show Black Americans in a better light. It was a shame because the chemistry between Kingfish and Andy was priceless to watch.

The Red Skelton Show was a fun show of skits and characters that Red would perform with infectious laughter and was one of the first shows to have a weekly guest who would perform in the skits. You could tell by watching the show that Mr. Skelton was a sweet soul and he is dearly missed. He always ended the shows with, “Good Night and May God Bless”. Back at ya, Red.

The Original Tonight Show with Steve Allen was one of my favorite shows of all time. Steve created the Talk Show format as we know it today and had a cast of unforgettable characters that were used in many ways. Steve was a man of so many talents with a terrific laugh. I got the opportunity to meet him in Las Vegas once during a Comedy Convention and he was just as funny and gracious as I thought he would be.

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson was a one of a kind show with so much clout. If you appeared on that show, your career was in tact and doors would open and your phone would ring off the hook. You could tell that Johnny was heavily influenced by his idol, Jack Benny, by the way he could just make a face into the camera and the crowd would explode with laughter. I had the honor to appear on the show and all I can say is that no talk show has ever approached it’s popularity since. I think it was the chemistry between Johnny and Ed MacMahon and I also believe that interviewing guests on a show is an art form in itself and Johnny was definitely the master at it. He knew how to make moments!

The Honeymooners was and still is one of the most watched syndicated shows of all time. I don’t think that there is anyone, that knows anything about comedy, that hasn’t been influenced by this show. Many people can quote, word for word, many of the most popular scenes that emanated from the series. Besides the greatness of Ralph and Ed in the show, you had Audrey Meadows playing Alice. She was simply the best and I don’t think the show would have worked as well without her. In fact, in later years when they did the show with some other people playing the part, it wasn’t as funny. She had the best deadpan face and to paraphrase Ralph, “Alice, you’re the greatest!”

The Dick Van Dyke Show was another great ensemble show, as well as The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Both had fantastic cast members and strong story lines that propelled their popularity for many years. Neither show had a weak character in their cast. Everyone was equally funny and shined.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus was a fantastic show for anyone going through their teen years in the 60’s. It was so different than anything else on American television back then and they were like the Comedy Beatles in a way. It was comedy for the Boomer’s generation. It also became responsible for opening the door to English Comedy on American TV. Of course, it was on PBS back then, which made it even more underground in the psychedelic era.
MASH was a groundbreaking show in that it’s setting was The Korean War and during this country’s time of The Vietnam War. Plus it had to overcome the popularity of the movie itself, which was no easy task, and be funny. It also had to survive cast changes throughout the series. It did all of that and more.

Saturday Night Live is amazing in it’s survival. It has had so many terrific seasons and bad ones but one thing has always remained constant: a barrage of many, many talented performers that have gone on to be very prominent in the comedy mainstream. You have to give Lorne Michaels credit for having such an accurate comedic eye for talent. What a track record!

Whose Line Is It Anyway? is one of my absolute favorites of recent times. I love improvisational comedy and these people are superb at it. The chemistry between Ryan Stiles and Colin Mocharie is a blast and Wayne Brady is phenomenal with musical comedy. Add in guests Brad Sherwood, Chip & Greg Proops and the show is a no-holes barred extravaganza.
The Cosby Show was a great family show when families were out of fashion on TV. All other shows were about dysfunctional families and situations but Cosby’s show was about the love for each other and a warmth that you could see while you were busy laughing.
The Carol Burnett Show was one of my favorites. To watch Harvey Korman, Tim Conway, Carol, Lyle Waggoner and Vicki Lawrence break up during the skits was well worth the time. I loved watching Tim doing his best to make Harvey laugh and lose it, which was almost inevitable.

Seinfeld was another character driven show that was so well crafted and constructed, which I contribute to the genius of Larry David. Larry is one of the most prolific writers I have ever met and his talent for bringing different story lines and somehow weaving them together in the end is amazing to watch. He does the same thing on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ today. I used to work with Larry at the Improv in NYC during the 80’s and he was the only one that would have a complete new 20 minute set each week….and a brilliant 20 minute set at that. That is almost near impossible to do, unless you write constantly all the time like he does. The only other person I ever saw like that was Steve Allen.

The Abbott & Costello Show was a great show for any age. The chemistry of the two of them and the surrounding cast was a hoot to watch. Abbott was a great straight man and controlled the whole tempo of the comedy and don’t forget about Sidney Fields, Boccagalupe, Mike the Cop, Hillary Brooks and Stinky.

Frasier is one of the best written comedy shows of present times. Even though it was a spin off of Cheers, I think Frasier was so much better and I think it was a casting coup to have Niles, David Hyde Pierce, on the show. To watch the two of them try to ‘out snob’ each other was so much fun and so superbly acted.

My honorable mentions are Fawlty Towers, The Simpsons, The Tracy Ullman Show, The Dean Martin Show & The Dean Martin Roasts, Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, Sanford and Son, The Burns and Allen Show, The Danny Kaye Show, Make Room For Daddy, The Andy Griffth Show, Boston Legal, Married With Children, Andy’s Gang, The Soupy Sales Show, Laugh-In, The Addams Family, The Munsters, The Colgate Comedy Hour, I Love Lucy, The Phil Silvers Show, In Living Color, Fridays, Will & Grace, All In The Family, Mork and Mindy, Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Two and A Half Men, The Bob Newhart Show and Taxi.

So after serious thinking he it is:
My Favorite Top 10 Comedy TV Shows
1. The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson
2. The Dick Van Dyke Show
3. Monty Python’s Flying Circus
4. The Mary Tyler Moore Show
5. Seinfeld
6. The Abbott & Costello Show
7. The Original Tonight Show with Steve Allen
8. Whose Line Is It Anyway?
9. The Honeymooners
10. The Carol Burnett Show, MASH, The Jack Benny Show & SNL (Tied For 10th)

I have played with this list so many times already and no matter how much I change it, I am not happy with it because I always seem to be leaving something off the list that definitely belongs there. I really should have made it a Top 20 list or even better, a Top 50 List. But that’s my problem and not yours. As always, thanks for reading, from THE COMEDY TORNADO!!

http://www.comedytornado.com

With real estate around the world increasing in value, baby boomers are changing homes: trading up, trading down and moving countries.

Diverse trends have developed with respect to boomers and their real estate. One trend is that people sell their city home, which has increased in value sometimes by thousands of dollars, and buy farther out. Many boomers in their forties and fifties trade up to gorgeous homes with trophy kitchens, lots of space, and opportunities to spend, spend, spend on decorating their new digs.

Even though they move to comparable or even bigger homes in outlying or rural communities, they still pocket one or two hundred thousand dollars. Their lives have been transformed with a paid-for, beautifully decorated home and cash in the bank.

Another trend features the minimalist approach. These folks buy tiny condominiums. High-end, sleek and efficient, these pads require fewer furnishings because of the small square footage. With little furniture to buy, the chosen pieces can be exquisite. Although some condominiums in desirable urban areas may be just as expensive as single family homes, usually the trade affords some savings. These people gain a new urban lifestyle, much less housework, and lock-and-go opportunities.

Still others opt for a scale-down approach. As they no longer need or want the room, some folks redeploy to condominiums or townhouses, in their same neighborhoods or close-by communities. They simplify for various reasons. Some live a dual or even triple existence. At various times during the year they live in their tiny urban apartment, at their rustic cabin by a stream, or on their boat. Others put their worldly possessions in storage and travel for several months. They volunteer in third-world countries or elect for a life of less materiality.

Yet another trend? Rather than just stay their geographic zone, many move across the country or to other countries.

Forgive me if I am worried that British Columbia might sink into the ocean if all the baby-boomers in Canada get sick of the endless winters elsewhere and transfer here. The milder climate areas in BC, such as Vancouver and Victoria, receive a continuous flow of retired folks from the rest of Canada. With only 30 inches of rain per year, communities like White Rock boast some of the highest real estate values in BC. But, although BC weather may be the best in Canada, it still rains a lot!

Relative wealth has spawned international travel, and once travelers get a chance to experience another lifestyle and compare costs, they elect to move on and move out.
People travel worldwide, pick a place to live based on their needs, and relocate.
Although Canada is huge, much of the north is cold. Most Canadians live within three hundred miles of the border. Americans have more warm-weather choices. Warmth is the reason millions of west coast Canadians fly south to California, Arizona, Mexico or Hawaii, and east coasters fly to Florida, the Caribbean and Mexico. Snowbirds from Canada comprise a large part of the southern US economy.

For example, Florida had 76.8 million visitors in 2004. Jerry M. Ray, in EconSouth said that 1000 people per day move to that sunny state. In Floridian terms, the folks are called “splitters” - boomers who spend about ten years with two homes. These folks continue their final working years in their “old” city, but purchase in Florida, where they eventually retire. Florida has the additional bonus of low taxes. It ranks 45 of 50 states with respect to tax-loads, which increases net after-tax income.

Others simply relocate out of the country. Canadians can not easily emigrate to America, which they do primarily for the sun. Neither can Americans painlessly emigrate to Canada, which they often desire to do because of the medical system. However, other countries gladly accept retirees.

Several documents published by the U.S. Department of State say that, “More than 500,000 Americans currently reside in Mexico”. Similar statistics about Canadians are not readily available, but anecdotal evidence would suggest they number in the thousands. According to PV Mirror, 900,000 Canadians visited Mexico in 2005. Many stay.

Another country which accepts retirees is Panama. Approximately 60,000 Americans and several thousand Canadians reside there. Its famed “Pensionado” program only requires proof of $600 per month income for a couple. Many take the plunge.

This is not just a North American phenomenon. Apparently about 1.2 million British live abroad. It is estimated that 100,000 British will move to Spain in 2007. Germans transfer to Portugal; people relocate to France, as it is quite reasonable outside of Paris. Fueled by the low-cost airlines such as Ryanair that offer travel for one or two pounds, people discover cheaper and lovelier places to live.

Sociovision.com states that “28% of the population of the older European Union countries are baby boomers.” People within the EU can live in any of the other EU nations. This basic idea is that individuals within the EU can live and work anywhere might have been restrictive for employment because of language barriers. However, this union means that early retired baby boomers within the European Union have the best of all worlds: a warm place to live and money to spend.

Mahara Sinclaire, M.Ed.
© Mahara Sinclaire, 2007
mahara@laughingboomer.com

Mahara Sinclaire, M. Ed., the Boomer Expert, is the author of the book The Laughing Boomer, due out in 2007 and the Laughing Boomer Workbook: Retire from Work, Gear up for Living. She has presented hundreds of workshops on a variety of topics, writes syndicated columns and presents workshops on retirement planning.

Mahara is known for inspiring clients to move forward with their lives. She can be reached by telephone at 604 324 1054,

mahara@laughingboomer.com or

http://www.laughingboomer.com

Any new endeavor can be a daunting experience. Do you remember how it was when you started a new job, not knowing anyone in the organization or the internal politics etc.?

Well, using any new software program can also be a traumatic process for many, even if you have the manual that came with the software program sitting right beside you.
And, if you are going to build and publish a web Site yourself, you will need a software program. Fortunately, most of the modern software programs for building Web Sites are very user friendly. You do not need a detailed knowledge of HTML anymore. you do not even have to know what the acronym “HTML” stands for, because modern Web Site building software programs use WYSIWYG.

Sorry if I am confusing you. “WYSIWYG” simply stands for, “what you see is what you get”. In other words, you can simply type in what you want, and it will appear on the Web Site when published. Now, what can be simpler than that?

But what programs to use? The software market is a very competitive one, and there are dozens of good programs from which to choose.

Factors to consider in choosing a program are these:
1. How many Web Sites do you want to publish?
2. What is you budget?
3. How much time do you intend spending on building and publishing Web Sites.

Regarding point number 1 above. If you wish to get one only web Site published, and in a hurry, I would suggest you get some assistance from someone experienced in the field. But perhaps you want the challenge of learning something new!

Point number 2. Commercial software programs can range in price from around $50 to several hundreds of dollars. The saying, “you only get what you pay for”, applies to a certain extent only. There is now a very good public domain Web Site building software program available. Being in the public domain area, means it is free. Yes you heard me correctly it is completely FREE.

There is a download link to this software on a link given in the resource box at the end of this article.

Regarding point number 3 above, if you do plan to publish several sites, there are advantages in paying for one of the better commercial products. And, the most expensive are not necessarily the best.

Well, you now have your web site built, and it is set to be published, but how do you go about this?

You will need to find a hosting service. This is not difficult, because there are thousands of them out there. But once again you will need to consider point number 2 above. What is your budget? Most web site hosting providers have fee structures ranging from economy for normal sized web sites, to much higher fees for the larger sites.

Your first web site(s) should fit into the economy range. And as a guide to fees, if you are paying more than about $5 a month for economy hosting, then I would suggest that you are being overcharged. It is a very competitive market, so shop around and get a really good price.

The first web site link I have in the resource box below is economy hosted, and this site has a total of 32 pages with text and graphics. So the economy size should more than meet your needs.

There is another alternative that you should consider, and that is free hosting.

Yeah! I know nothing is really free. And, there is a catch, but free hosting is certainly worth considering.

Free hosted sites are generally supported by advertising. Now, that advertising can be obtrusive, or more hopefully unobtrusive. Personally I find pop-up advertisements about as annoying as spam email. And that is pretty annoying! So, if your feelings about pop-ups are similar to mine, make sure you know what you are getting before you decide on a free hosting provider.

I give an example of a free hosted site in the resource box below. It has a strip of unobtrusive Google advertisements at the top of each page. Included in this strip is a Google search box, which can be handy for those accessing your web site.

Good luck with your Web site building and publishing. It can be a lot of fun!

Ian McKenzie is Director of Ian McKenzie’s Domains. An example of a free hosted web site is given at http://www.ianswebsites.info

A download link to free web site building software is given at http://www.websitesonwww.com With incredible pricing customers expect from Ian McKenzie’s Domains® and a long list of FREE extras, you’ll have everything you need to get started online.

As you look forward to your retirement years, you may consider where you live with fresh insight. Concerns about work commutes, school and community activities and other responsibilities that tied you to your spot on this earth will change. Now is the time to explore your relocation options.

Rank the following factors. Determine your key motivators and assess priorities from the least important to the most important.

Cost of Living

With a finite amount of retirement funds, reducing expenses by lowering living costs is a tried and true method of increasing monthly cash flow. Besides your lower monthly base cost, expand your calculations to include other expenses such as taxes, transportation, utilities, health care and miscellaneous goods and services in your proposed area.

If you are moving to a smaller home or a less expensive location, the permutations are endless. You can sell your larger home and move to the suburbs or slightly farther out. This is relatively easy because you know the general area, can keep your friendships and family relationships going, and can still make jaunts back to your favorite shops or specialists.

Or, you can go farther a field by moving to a new area. This requires more planning. For example, I met one couple who had moved from Edmonton to Vancouver Island. They initially liked living there, but found because of the ferry schedules and cost, the lack of spontaneity prohibited them and others from coming and going. They subsequently moved to a suburb of Vancouver. That certainly would be a factor easily overlooked in their initial planning.

Another couple went back to their home province, Saskatchewan, which is a relatively inexpensive real estate market, bought a house there, and spend the winter as snowbirds.

If this is your plan, do not wait too long to get into action. Baby boomers are looking and buying now for their eventual retirement. Spend weekends exploring and perhaps purchasing a property and renting it out.

Recreational and small town real estate has enjoyed booming increases over the past several years. This is, in part, because of world-wide real estate increases, but also because of the migration of retired folks. Demographics do not lie, and with some ninety million baby boomers in North America, small towns with culture, recreational facilities, health services and a good infrastructure are bound to increase in price. Some towns actively court retirees by providing excellent programming and quality of life. Retirement income is non-polluting.

Personality and Interests

Consider whether you and your partner are extroverts or introverts. Think about the amount of time you will spend together and separately. Will you hang out together and socialize a lot, or operate independently with separate activities for much of your day.

What activities do you plan to you do in retirement, and how much space will you need? Do you love or need the freedom your home provides? Do you need more space? Art, playing an instrument, building, small engine repairs, sculpting, more entertaining - all of those things can actually require more space, not less.

Consider also that you will be home much more when you retire. If you are not used to living underfoot each other day after day, you might want to hang on to your space. For example, what if your activities collide and one of you wants to watch TV and the other want space to read in a quiet setting? This needs to be thought out carefully. After your big trips are made and you are settling down to a routine of everyday living, how much legroom do you really need on a daily basis?

Proximity to Important Others

The range of relationships is as wide as it is deep. I recently talked to one couple with four children in their early twenties, most of them still in college. The couple was in their early to mid-fifties. They planned to move now and enjoy a few years living in another country. When their kids actually settle down, and when and if grandchildren arrive, they can rethink their plans at that point. In the interim they are exploring the world and different cultures.

Your family circumstances do need to be taken into consideration. Are you a grandparent with lots of kids coming and going? What are you looking for in your relationship with your kids and grandkids?

The relationship between children and parents is complex. Some grandparents refuse to be “used” for baby-sitting, while others can not get enough of it. Realistically, though, throughout history, people have moved cities, geographic locations and even countries for better conditions. Forty-four million Americans moved last year.

Climate

Ah, the sun! One of the main factors why people move in retirement is because of bad weather. If you long for warm weather in the winter, why not try living in a warm place? Your mood, energy and health will probably improve with the increased outdoor activity that an active warm weather lifestyle encourages.

Other factors to be explored in my next articles include transportation needs, cultural and recreational needs, medical needs, landscape and quality of life.

Mahara Sinclaire, M. Ed., the Boomer Expert, is the author of the book The Laughing Boomer, due out in 2007 and the Laughing Boomer Workbook: Retire from Work, Gear up for Living. She has presented hundreds of workshops on a variety of topics, writes syndicated columns and presents workshops on retirement planning. Mahara is known for inspiring clients to move forward with their lives. She can be reached by telephone at 604 324 1054, mahara@laughingboomer.com or http://www.laughingboomer.com

Mahara Sinclaire, M.Ed.
© Mahara Sinclaire, 2007
mahara@laughingboomer.com

Myth 1: You have One Credit Score
The truth is that you have three
credit scores, one from each of the three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion,
who use the same formula to calculate your number. Your score may vary between
the three agencies by as much as 50 points because the information they have on
you may differ and they don not share the same data between bureaus. One bureau’s
records may reflect a longer period of time or a lender may have shared your credit
information with only one of the three bureaus. Unless the scores are extremely
different, most lenders will use the middle score when they consider your application.

Myth
2: You will be Penalized for Checking Your Score
There is absolutely no negative
impact on your score. In fact, you should check your score at least twice each
year and more often if you are applying for credit or loans.

Myth 3: Personal
Information and Income Impact Score
Your score is not based on your age, sex,
or income. Although your employment status is included on the credit report, it
has not affect on the score. Your net worth is not factored into your score -
it is based solely on how you handle your credit and loans.

Myth 4: Shopping
for a Loan Hurts Your Score
Even though it is true that too many inquiries
checking your credit score can negatively affect your score, this is only the
case when the appeals are scattered over a period of time. The score is set up
to take into account that even though you are only looking for one loan, multiple
lenders may request (make and inquiry) your credit report. For that reason, all
mortgage or auto inquiries made in the 30 days prior to when you choose your loan
will not affect your score. Be a smart consumer and shop around for your best
deal just be aware of lapses in time between inquires so your score is not negatively
impacted.

Myth 5: Closing Accounts will Boost Score
Although too many
credit accounts may have a negative affect on your credit score, canceling them
may even make it worse. The percentage of credit that is available to you is compared
against the amount that you borrow. When you close an account, the amount of available
credit decreases which results in a higher ratio of debt to available credit and
can hurt your credit score. Also, the longer you maintain a credit account the
more valuable it is to your credit score. If you must close an account, choose
a more recent account.

Myth 6: Credit Counseling Hurts Your Credit Score

The way your score is calculated ignores any reference to credit counseling
that may be in your file. It was found that people who get credit counseling don not
default on their debts any more often than those who have not sought counseling.

Myth 7: Your Credit Score can be repaired by Paying off Your Debts
Your
credit score is based on your past behavior not your current debt. Of course,
paying down your debts will help offset a bad history but it will not undo the damage
already done. Patience and responsible behavior are the two elements that will
help improve your credit score.

Myth 8: Quick Fixes Offered by Companies

One of the cruelest myths that many people fall for when repairing a credit
score is the quick-fix offers by credit repair companies. There is simply no quick
fix for a bad credit score. Your score can only be improved by managing your debt
responsibly.

For additional articles and extensive resources for everything
you need to know about credit cards, please visit us at CreditCardsPI.com - Compare
Low APR Credit Cards.

What Is Bowen Therapy? A New Vision for Healing.

History and background of the Bowen Therapy developed in Australia during the 1950’s by the late Mr. Tom Bowen.

The Australian government commissioned the Webb report in 1975 and learned that Mr. Tom Bowen was attending some thirteen thousand patients annually with an 80-90% success rate. Mr. Bowen’s success rate with patients was usually within only one or two sessions.

Apparently Mr. Bowen had an uncanny ability to perceive even the slightest deviations in anatomical structure. Through this ability Mr. Bowen discovered relationships at work within the body, and developed moves to effectively stimulate the body to heal itself.

Tom Bowen’s natural gift and abilities ultimately enabled him to develop an entirely new system of movements and procedures to facilitate healing for a wide spectrum of internal conditions, as well as musculo-skeletal complaints.

Tom Bowen often said his technique was a gift from God!

Please join me for the next segment of my article about Bowen Therapy to learn more about the history of Bowen Therapy and some of the background for its developer Mr. Tom Bowen of Geelong, Australia.

Holistic MindBody Therapy, including pure essential oils, are gentle, noninvasive complementary forms of health care for balancing and synchronizing your body, mind and spirit and a natural, safe and effective way to enhance your health and well-being. Holistic health care often produces satisfying results where other methods have failed. Please consult with your physician regarding serious health concerns and do not attempt to self diagnose.

KG has developed massage training and holistic health programs for the spa industry, health clubs and clinics, schools, resorts, as well as for individual clients. She is a MindBody Therapist and Health Educator with advanced certification and training in Bowen Therapy, BodyTalk and Aromatherapy. She is the owner of Springhill Wellness Center and the founder & director of PurePlant Essentials aromatherapy products. Click to learn about KG’s Consulting Services Click to learn about KG’s Presentations and Workshops Click to learn about KG’s entire line of Products and Services More Info? Contact: KG Stiles at Springhill Wellness Center, 2520 Springhill Drive Ashland, OR USA (541) 941-7315 Mahalo!

1. Figure out your key motivators - what drives you. Is it change and variety, or settled conditions? Is it learning new things, or going back to old hobbies that gave you great pleasure.

2. Start to cultivate friendships in areas other than your work and field of work. Look over your circle of friends. Is your circle too big or too small? Are there people you’ve grown away from and others you would like to get to know more intensely? You can get stuck in a rut with your friendships as well.

3. If you plan to do something radically different with your life, remember that other people’s fears or negative blocks can be projected onto your situation. If you decide to take on a big mortgage, fear-based friends might say the market is about to collapse. Make your own decisions.

4. Look at all the things that you have. Are they serving you well? What emotional needs did you satisfy by buying them? Have you grown beyond those needs now? Your beautiful home and possessions can give you much pleasure and represent how far you have come. However, you are not your possessions.

5. Who are you and what do you want to do with your time? Visualize your ideal day, week or month. Then, do it. If you can’t, figure out why. Well, maybe finances preclude that you can’t travel around the world for a year on a luxury yacht, but if you want to travel, for example, there are dozens of ways to do it.

6. Action is what moves you forward. One hour of action is worth ten hours of navel-gazing. All the wrongs that happened in your past can still affect you today, or you can put them to bed and move on. Do you really still want to be thinking about old stuff today, continuing to be an injured bird? Fly on. The decision can be instantaneous. You do not have to analyze forever. Just live differently.

7. Take care of your health. It is all you have.

8. Stop and listen to your own voice and chatter. Be kind to yourself and others.

9. Volunteer and give freely of your time, not as a martyr, as some are, but as an expression of your positive emotions and goals.

10. Read a few more books, especially those which challenge your perceptions of life.

11. If you want to be happy, be happy. It can be simple or complicated. Make your choice. Be happy.

Mahara Sinclaire, M. Ed., the Boomer Expert, is the author of the book The Laughing Boomer, due out in 2007 and the Laughing Boomer Workbook: Retire from Work, Gear up for Living. She has presented hundreds of workshops on a variety of topics, writes syndicated columns and presents workshops on retirement planning. Mahara is known for inspiring clients to move forward with their lives. She can be reached by telephone at 604 324 1054, mahara@laughingboomer.com or http://www.laughingboomer.com

Mahara Sinclaire, M.Ed.
© Mahara Sinclaire, 2007
mahara@laughingboomer.com

In this article, I will discuss what keyboard features you should expect for your money.

The actual keyboard is the thing to look at next. That is the keys that make up the keyboard. Most keyboards in our price range have 61 full size keys to make up the keyboard, some of the lower price ones maybe 49 full size keys, as a beginner this is not a problem because even with the 49-note keyboard you won’t need to play all the keys. Make sure however that the keys are full size and not half size. Even if you have young children that want to play. There is absolutely no advantage in choosing half size keys over full size keys. Full size keys are approximately the same size keys as piano keys and are also referred to as standard keys. Also some keyboards have a “touch sensitive keyboard” this means the harder you press the keys the louder the sound this is a great feature and can create expressive music however, for young children, they may not be able to press the keys hard enough to produce a respectable sound. Therefore, it would be advisable to check that the “touch sensitivity” can be turned off or adjusted.

Next, sounds and rhythms. Keyboards in this price range should have at least 128 sounds. These sounds are known as a “General MIDI” sound set. Most new keyboards made today of any price will include a “General MIDI” set of sounds and so it has become very easy and cheap for manufacturers to include these sounds.

The rhythm section should contain a minimum of 20 different rhythms and many keyboards in this price range contain a great deal more. Normally when using the rhythm section or drum machine as it is sometimes called it is used in conjunction with an “auto chord” feature. This means when you play a left hand chord, the computer inside recognises the chord being played and adds a bass line and maybe a rhythm guitar and possibly a brass section, which results in a great sound and makes the whole learning/playing experience a lot more interesting.

The “auto chord” feature is called different names on different keyboards, such as “fingered chord” or “magic chord”. There is also a feature sometimes referred to as “single finger chord” or “easy chord”. This feature is utterly useless if you want to learn to play the keyboard properly but it is included on most if not all keyboards and is a great selling point used by sales staff quite legitimately to create the initial interest in a keyboard. You can use this feature to show family and friends what a great player you are and simply switch back to “auto chord” to learn to play the keyboard properly.

Finally make sure the sound you are listening to is coming from the keyboards own speakers. Keyboards are sometimes connected to amplifiers, which can make then sound better. Make sure you know what your keyboard sounds like from its own speakers before taking it home.

In part three I will discuss keyboard features you might find useful and still stay within your budget.
Visit http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk

Michael David Shaw (Mike to his friends) runs the website http://www.mikesmusicroom.co.uk the place for organ and keyboard tuition and music news.

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Compare The Options Available

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