Capitalize on the opportunity to learn forex trading so you can begin the process of branching your portfolio out of domestic stocks and into the global market. Any financial advisor worth his weight will tell you that it is important to diversify your investment portfolio and this is by far the largest volume market in the world. Daily, it does nearly four times the volume of trading than the New York Stock Exchange does.

Anyone who holds a basic understanding of how money is converted and exchange rates work can learn forex trading. The sale or trading of currency is at the heart of what forex is. Using one currency to buy another means that your counterpart is using their currency to buy yours. As exchange rates fluctuate and the economies of nations surge and recede, these investments in cash behave in value very much like a traditional stock.

As with any new venture, you will need to master the vocabulary that is an inherent part of forex. When you begin to learn forex trading you will be introduced to terms like pip, spread, cross, base currency and trade currency. Foreign exchange trading does have some unique terminologies. While they may be new to you, you will learn them quickly because they describe certain parts of forex quotes that you will need to understand in order to trade.

There are quite a few resources available to those who wish to learn forex trading. The reliability of internet access has opened the door to online forex trading, which means that more investors have the ability to participate in trading activity. Since the foreign exchange trade is considered a spot market, the ready availability of internet access is crucial. Business is done on the “spot,” thus the name.

You can capitalize on many benefits when you learn forex trading. The availability of a 24-hour a day market is one. Since forex involves the trade of currency at banks across the globe, the market never closes. The market is also remarkably liquid, meaning that you will never have trouble finding trading partners. Since most of your trading partners are banks and the medium is cash, you will never be at a loss for customers. Another benefit is the lack of commissions. Since you make the trades on your own, you don’t have to spend part of your profit on brokerage commission fees.

Taking the time to learn forex trading opens one more investment door for you. As you continue to realize the importance of diversifying your investment portfolio, it may be a good idea to begin looking at what kinds of opportunities are available to you in foreign exchange trading. You may be surprised to see who else is capitalizing on this market and just how easy it is.

For more information on forex trading,

please visit http://www.forextradingexplained.co.uk

Many times the season is just too short and the stores have already started the next seasons clothing line. That is when you can get reasonable deals and sometimes the best quality of clothing. There is only so much space in the stores back room and they can not be bothered holding an item until next year. In my Abundant Closet we have bought items which are very nice and could be used for the next season. Or maybe some people bought too many shoes or clothes for that one season and they turn them in to a resale shop. It is for that reason that I have set up my Abundant Closet for reasonable deals.

Most of the items if not all of them are one size for that item. When it is gone there is no other of that item, but there will definitely be something to take its place. Because CAB is a woman, and you know that women buy more, the clothes are mainly women’s sizes.

The Christmas Season brings about many sweatshirts, vests, sweaters and little tots cute clothing. Those are items that are extremely expensive and yet they are not worn for too long a period. This store figures that it can provide these products for an extremely good price.

Because clothes worn for everyday are very causal, there does not seem to be a time when you want to feel like a QUEEN. The CAB Shoppe tries to find clothes that can be used for a cruise, an afternoon wedding, a tea, or some occasion where you can feel dressed up, but not necessarily broke for the rest of the month. I try to obtain good Feminine or Masculine clothes. I do not feel that having a new pair of jeans is what you do when you party, unless of course, it is a hayride..

We notice that sometimes Grandmas and Grandpas want their grandchildren to be dressed up. Maybe mom and dad can not afford to keep them warm and also keep them in darling clothes. Therefore the Cab Shoppe is here to provide those cute and darling clothes for an inexpensive sale price.

If you should order more than one garment to go to the same address, then you will be charged with only one shipping cost. The CAB Shoppe will refund the extra postage for the other items upon learning of your expenses.

Editing an article should come after you have wrote it. Many people do not do a good job of editing. In this article we will take about writing and editing and how to do a better job of improving both.

Editing your article is not the same as writing it. If writing does not come natural to you editing can really slow you down. The more time you spend editing the less time you spend writing and that is just the opposite of what you want to do.

So what you do is you start typing and you edit when you are finished. If you use a handy little tool like Article Notepad you can type your whole article without ever being shown that you are misspelling a word. When you are done you can go back and proofread to make sure you have not left any words out.

Then go to Spellcheck.net and paste your article in and spell check it. Doing it this way will help you keep your emphasis on the quality of the words in your article and not on your ability to type and spell.

We like to say write like you speak. Do you start and stop in the middle of all of your sentences. Probably not, but writing and editing is just like doing that. Now if you are not very strong in English for example you will want to run a Grammar check when you are done as well.

Grammarcheck.com offers free newsletter to help you learn to write better using correct grammar. For less than $100 Whitesmoke.com offers a tremendous program for writing, editing and checking the grammar of your articles.

You can improve your medical writing, business writing, legal writing, creative writing, or get an executive package that includes it all. Whitesmoke.com offers an instant access download to help you start writing and editing right away.

Here is the most important point of this article. To be a better writer you need to practice. If you spend more time editing then you do writing you are short changing yourself and your ability to grow as a writer.

This is not to say that editing is not important. An article full of spelling and grammar errors loses it’s credibility. You need to make your article presentable. Only then will it be read with an open mind and provide the attention you intended it bring.

Writing and editing, as you can see from these tips, should not be combined. Your article writing will improve if you let your creative juices flow before you edit your next masterpiece.

Jeff Schuman invites you to visit his article writer website for $9 articles and multiple article discounts. To see how he uses JV With Jeff to help you make money online please visit his web site here now: http://www.Team-Schuman.com

Weight loss. Its what’s on most adults minds at this very moment, and if it isn’t now it will be later. And for those people who never have to worry about their weight… we all hate you! We live in the era of the trendy diets like “The Zone” and “Atkins”. We live in the pill-for-everything nation with drugs like hoodia, ephedra, cortisol, caffeine pills and appetite suppressants. But no matter what your drug or diet of choice is… it will never rid your mind of your weight loss worries.

America. We are the fattest nation in the world! We are the nation of the quick fix, the quick meal, and most importantly… fast food. For those of you who have seen “Super Size Me” you saw a man in peak physical health start eating a diet of only McDonalds for a month. At the end of the month, he was fatter, looked physically disgusting and sick, got out of breathe while climbing up 6 steps, and he had doctors begging him to stop. Did this proof stop America’s fast food obsession….. nope! We are still the nation with sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and with people on disability because they are too overweight function normally in society.

But wait! The drug companies have given us solutions! I actually had a coworker say to me as if she had some bad news, “Well, my doctor had to put me back on Lipitor.” And then two minutes later, “So let’s do Burger King for lunch?!” This just aggravates me so much . All I want to say to these people is, “This isn’t like cancer. You weren’t just stricken with these diseases at no fault of your own. It’s your horrible, horrible diet… JUST STOP IT!”

However, I’d have to say that the blame isn’t totally on these people. We are conditioned from childhood, with the happy meal toys, and the in-restaurant jungle-gyms that fast food is fun. As we grow up we learn its easy and socially acceptable. In our fast-paced society of mothers that are too tired to cook for their family, teens to busy with school activities, and college kids that are too bogged down with work (and partying) to even learn how to cook… where do you think the concept of “fast food” came from?

On the other side of the scale (no pun intended), we have the weight loss industry. One of the most profitable industries in America. We are constantly bombarded with the latest pills, supplements, diets, programs, gyms, trainers, and exercise equipment which leaves our heads spinning! Now when you think of it in the cynical, suspicious way that I do… the fast food industry is making us fat, then the weight loss industry jumps in to save the day… coincidence?… conspiracy?… we’ll save that for another article. What’s more important is that we are all being manipulated by these industries because we are lost! We don’t trust ourselves to know how to lose weight because we are the ones who let ourselves put it on in the first place. So we read all the books, go to all the web sites, watch all the infomercials trying to see who’s got “it”. Who’s right, who’s got the secret, who is the weight loss god that will fix us for good and as quickly as possible. We’re looking to all of these other people when all we really have to do is listen to ourselves, our bodies, and just plain logic.

Think back to grade school. We learned in gym class that we need exercise and it can be fun and make us feel good. We learned about the food pyramid which, though it has recently been updated, still tells us that we need a balanced diet. I specifically remember in 8th grade biology class, learning about fats (lipids), carbs (starches, and sugars), and proteins (big chains of amino acids.) We learned that each of these substances has a certain amount of calories and that your body uses these calories as energy to keep your body working. We’re burning a couple hundred calories just sitting in a chair for and hour. This is just all basic stuff that most people have been taught already…. DID WE ALL FORGET THIS!? Or do we all just want the miracle “cure” for gaining weight?

In the 90’s it was all about “nonfat” and “reduced-fat”. We all thought, “hey, if what I’m eating has no fat in it, I can’t get fat from eating it!” WRONG! All they did was up the carb count and in some cases the calorie count too. But we didn’t want to see that. In the new millennium we copied the super skinny celeb actors (who, by the way, aren’t just getting skinny for the sake of vanity, but to keep their jobs.) And the no-carb, low-carb revolution began! We all stopped eating starches, dropped a whole bunch of water weight in the first two weeks because we had no carbs in our systems to hold onto it anymore… leaving us constipated and crying at the sight of the bread basket at the restaurant table because we “couldn’t have any.” Don’t get me wrong, I agree that sugar (as in candy) and other simple sugars should not be a regular part of your diet and my dentist would agree too. However, to deny yourself of a whole food group for God knows how long, is just plain stupid!

So what does that leave us with? Everything that we learned when we were young! What it all comes down to is the amount of calories you are ingesting should be in close proximity to the amount that your body naturally burns off on its own everyday. If you wanna burn off a little more and lose some weight… stick to a balanced diet and throw some exercise in there. And this doesn’t mean that you should start waking up at 6 am to run 5 miles, or to join a gym and go 4 times a week for 2 hours at a time. Because I know from experience that if you do that, you’ll burn yourself out and never want to exercise again! Exercise just means to up your level of activity from the level your body is used to on a normal day. Don’t have much free time? So, park your car further away from the store’s entrance in the parking lot than you normally would. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, even just for one flight. Walk your dog down the block and back instead of just letting him out the back door (trust me, it doesn’t take as long as you think and your pup will love you for it!)

Be smart. Be logical. Don’t rationalize eating McDonald’s for lunch everyday just because you ran a mile that morning. (You’ll be screwing with your heart in more ways than one.) And I’m sorry, there just aren’t any miracles that will make you lose 20lbs. in 2 days. Suck it up! Realize that it took you awhile to put your weight on… its gonna take awhile to take it off… as it should. However impatient we are, our bodies still need time to adjust to any change in activity, stress, and weight. And unless you’re a successful model or and actor (which I doubt your are if you’re reading this), you’re not getting paid for how good you look on camera. So put down the copy of People magazine, stop telling yourself you need to look like that and give yourself a friggin’ break! Give your body a break. And more importantly, give your mind a break because this isn’t brain surgery. Everything we need to know about weight loss, we learned in grade school.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amanda Julynn, originally from the New York City music scene and is a recognized aficionado in the world of music.

Her web site, www.RockBandCentral.com

was inspired by her passion for music. If you have a passion you’d like to write about, discover how to turn it into a profitable Web site like Amanda has.

Visit www.passion.SiteSell.com to learn more.

Most beginners take photos to capture an event, or moment in time; a birthday party, a trip, a new family member, a cherished pet. These are usually considered “snapshots”. What we all like about good snapshots is that they remind us of stories.

What about a portrait, which tends to be taken in neutral surroundings, thereby robbing us of the story aspect? See if you can answer the following seven questions the next time you want to “shoot” a portrait.

1. What part of the subject’s character can we capture? For a portrait to be considered good, it must reveal an important part of the subject’s character that can be identifiable to those who know them. Talk with your subject, and discuss what part of their character or personality they want to be noticed.
2. Is the subject ready? A portrait needs to be taken when the subject is comfortable and at ease, both with his or her appearance, and the surroundings. If people are stressed or rushed, this is not the right time to try to grab a great portrait. That stress will probably be visible in the finished product.
3. Is the photographer ready? The need for this question should be self-evident. Keep in mind that it is not enough that the photographer feels ready. Does the subject feel that the photographer is ready? If not, we will be back to question #2 above. The photographer needs to be prepared and relaxed throughout the session.
4. Is the lighting correct? Without a doubt, the best light for capturing a portrait is natural daylight. A talented photographer can take full creative advantage of the lighting choices brought about by outdoor conditions. A common technique is to have the subject sit near a window. Since nature can be fickle and un-cooperative, photographers need to have artificial lighting available. An on-board camera flash tends to be harsh, so access to one or more studio flashes is a necessity.
5. Is an appropriate background available? You must always pay close attention to the scenery behind the subject. Outdoors, you may have access to trees, flowers, mountains, sea, or a beautiful morning or evening sky. Indoors, one can use a backdrop. In today’s high tech world it is becoming very easy to digitally replace a backdrop with any background you desire.
6. Are special clothing and props required? A portrait is usually a rare photograph of a subject, and there may be times when special clothing or props help tell the story. Think of a drum major, or an athlete. They may want to be photographed as if participating in their favourite activity. In some cases even a hint of their special clothing will tell the right story. Just make sure that props do not distract from the main subject.
7. What type of frame is being considered? The kind of framing that the subject is considering can influence how the portrait is taken. Talk to your subject, and if possible, talk to others in their immediate circle. Find out how people plan to display the finished work of art.

Producing the perfect portrait may seem hard at first but answering these seven (7) questions can help novices produce a portrait that will be cherished for decades.

Richard Killey is an amateur photographer who shares the love of his hobby with readers of his website.

Visit http://www.photosbyrichard.ca to read other articles of interest to novice phtographers.

Weight loss surgery, also known as bariatric surgery in medical terminology, refers to a group of gastrointestinal surgical procedures carried out on patients suffering from chronic morbid obesity (i.e., at least 100 lbs overweight, or a body mass index, BMI, of 40 or greater, for more than 5 years). It is used to facilitate weight loss and avoid the risk to life-threatening diseases associated with morbid obesity, such as type II diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, degenerative arthritis, etc.

Weight loss surgery is normally resorted to as a last measure when an all other conventional weight loss methods, such as diet control, exercise and weight loss medications, have failed in treating the person for morbid obesity. It may be pointed out that weight loss surgery is distinct from liposuction in that the latter is more of a cosmetic procedure rather than a medical procedure.

What does weight loss surgery involve?

According to The American Society for Bariatric Surgery, there are basically two approaches to weight loss surgery:

1. Restrictive procedures, which help reduce the capacity for food intake in a single meal but do not interfere with the normal absorption (digestion) of food.

2. Malabsorptive procedures, which help reduce absorption of calories from food by altering the process of digestion.

Restrictive procedures are mainly of two types:

1. Lap band surgery, which involves placing laproscopically a silicone gastric band around the top of the stomach in order to create a very small stomach pouch. As a result, the person starts feeling full with just a small portion of food. Food will then slowly empty from the smaller pouch into the lower part of the stomach and into the rest of the digestive tract.
2. Gastric bypass surgery, which involves stapling of the smaller, upper part of the stomach to separate it from the rest of the stomach and rerouting the small intestine to connect it to the smaller stomach pouch.

Lap band surgery is a relatively simple and less risky procedure compared to gastric bypass surgery. It requires just 1 to 3 days of hospital stay as opposed to 5 to 8 days in the latter case. Moreover, there is no malabsorption of vitamins and minerals after lap band surgery, which is not always the case with gastric bypass surgery. However, the expected weight loss over a period of 18 months is lesser (50 to 60% of the excess weight) compared to gastric bypass surgery (70 to75%). Both the procedures are reversible, but lap band surgery is much more easily reversible.

There is a third type of restrictive procedure too, called sleeve gastrectomy, that is less commonly used. In this the surgeon removes approximately 60% of the stomach laparoscopically so that the stomach takes the shape of a tube or “sleeve”.

Malabsorptive procedures are rarely used these days due to the problems of malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies caused by them.

Any risks?

In addition to general risks associated with any kind of major surgery, weight loss surgery can pose its own complications. Discomforting symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, weakness, hernia, gallstones and nutritional deficiencies can crop up after weight loss surgery.

Is it for you?

Though the ultimate answer to the question whether you qualify as a candidate for weight loss surgery or not rests entirely with your bariatric surgeon, here are some pointers that can help you in your decision-making process. If you have been more than 100 lbs overweight for more than 5 years, if your body has failed to respond to the conventional weight loss methods, and if you are not suffering from any major disorder that makes surgery difficult, you can seriously consider weight loss surgery as a feasible option. Consult your doctor for detailed information in order to weigh the risks against benefits of weight loss surgery.

Finally, remember that even if you keep realistic goals in mind, the real success of weight loss surgery is strongly dependent on your making long-term changes in your diet and lifestyle.

Download your FREE Exercise Secrets that can lead to a healthier you at http://www.fatburnworks.com/AbConscious.html . Discover the truth about losing weight permanently at http://www.fatburnworks.com/weightloss.

SWEET BASIL ( Ocimum basilicum, ct linalool ) - PROPERTIES & ACTIONS INCLUDE:

Antiseptic - prevents, halts infection

Antibacterial - destroying or stopping growth of bacteria

Antispasmodic - calms nervous and muscular spasms, for colic, pain and indigestion

Antiviral - Preventing or inhibiting viral activity

Anti-inflammatory - controls, alleviates inflammation resulting from injury or infection

Antidepressant - alleviates or prevents depression, lifts mood, counters melancholia, cheers and strengthens the mind and emotions

Stimulant - an agent that quickens the physiological functions of the body, temporarily increases body or organ function, good for convalescence, poor circulation, listlessness, good for physical and mental fatigue, may stimulate hair growth, adrenal stimulant, improves memory

Basil essential oil supports your self-expression and feeling secure.

Use Basil for treating fear, sadness, weak nerves and melancholia.

An effective remedy for migraine headaches associated with liver and gall bladder stagnation.

May help reduce menstrual cramps, gas and bloating.

CAUTION: Basil essential oil may stimulate the onset of menses. Avoid during pregnancy.

PLEASE NOTE: There are many cheap, synthetic copies of aromatic oils, but these are not recommended for therapeutic use. For best results purchase the highest quality oils you can possibly find. Use certified organic essential oils, or oils that have been tested and are pesticide free.

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 may produce 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 more about and order BASIL PURE ESSENTIAL OIL Click to find out about KG’s other fine aromatherapy products PUREPLANT ESSENTIALS. Click to learn about KG’s Presentations and Workshops. More Info? Contact: KG Stiles at Springhill Wellness Center, 2520 Springhill Drive Ashland, OR USA (541) 941-7315 Mahalo!

When you begin to look around to pick the right cellular shades or pleated shades, you immediately tap into an endless variety and choices. In the next few paragraphs, let’s take a few minutes together to blitz through cellular shades and pleated shades highlights to make your decision-making easier.

Both cellular shades (a.k.a. honeycomb shades) and pleated shades have been around for a while. The cellular shades represent the latest technology advances with their insulating-properties construction.

When picking the right window shades, consider their role. Do you want the shade to filter or diffuse the light? Or, do you want to have total privacy with added blackout liners (e.g. bedrooms)? If you still want to keep the view without compromising privacy, the following choice suggestions help you with how to do that. We’ll come to them in a moment.

Next, you may want to ask for swatches (samples of colors and fabric) to assure the new window shades match your home decor and style.

Now, take a look at the windows. Are the cellular or pleated shades going to fit on the inside the window frame? There’s a chance of mounting them on the outside if the depth of your windowsill is shallow. Windowpane dividers, also called “mullions”, often stick out from the glass into the windowsill, making it “shallower”. Consider them when measuring for the new cellular or pleated shades.

Next, you’ve guessed it. You need to measure. And you need to measure accurately. Before placing an order, measure at least twice and record once (to make sure). You can use a free guide about how to do that at myhomewindowblinds.com/category/measuring-for-blinds-shades/.

Let’s compare pleated shades with cellular (honeycomb) shades now.

Pleated shades fold up into 1-inch pleats as the most common size. Larger and smaller pleat sizes are available. The array of fabrics, colors and textures makes it easier to choose that’s right for you.
The insulating properties of pleated shades are poor because of the single layer of material. Adding a liner makes it better, but only slightly.

Cellular shades consist of single, double, or triple-celled material that resembles the makeup of a honeycomb. That’s where the “honeycomb” name comes from. The major benefit they add to your home is energy efficiency for the windows. The cell pockets trap air within, forming an insulating layer. The more cells you have, the better insulating properties you get. On the other hand, don’t expect cellular shades to solve your energy problems because of drafty windows. But you know that :).
Cellular shades are also available as cellular vertical shades.

Let’s go through the choices that are available for both cellular shades and pleated shades. Here’s a brief list.

1.Top down - Bottom up (to keep your view without compromising privacy)

2.Added privacy, light-blocking, heat-reflecting liners

3.Corded or cordless control (for a baby room)

4.Continuous loop control

5.Remote control - battery operated or hardwired (for hard-to-reach windows)

6.Dual fabric for top down - bottom up featuring both opaque and sheer fabric

7.Suitable for oddly shaped windows (for example: arch - half-moon, angle-top, skylights)

Both cellular shades and pleated shades fold up into a neat and compact size. It becomes important if you want to keep as much view as possible when the shades are up. Other blinds may take several inches away from the view when they stack up in the same window as an inside mount.

So, when your rechecked measurements are ready, place your order. You have the choices of ordering from your local hardware store, a specialized store, or you can place your order online with a specialized e-commerce site. It’s a good idea to check around first. The price differences may shock you with an offline merchant and give you massive savings online with another - including free shipping.

For a blitz, we’ve focused on the window shades fairly closely. Now it’s your turn. From what you know now, will you opt for cellular shades or pleated shades?

After over 10 years in the field, Lou offers you a free online shortcut
guide to help you avoid common mistakes when choosing the right Cellular
Shades or

Pleated
Shades at

http://myhomewindowblinds.com

Have you ever gone to bed at night and said to yourself, “Tomorrow I am going to go downtown or to the mall to perform street magic for a stranger.” You wake up the next morning saying over and over to yourself that today is the day. You arrive at your chosen venue and back out and decided to sip on a cup of coffee instead. Perhaps you even approach someone to say hello and instead of going into your street magic routine.

Most of us have been conditioned to hold strangers at arms length or avoid them all together, and that conditioning is further enforced by the evening news. And street magic performers (strolling street magicians for the purists) we are caught up in the crossfire of this conditioning in two ways. Firstly being that we are conditioned this way, we have to approach a stranger, which clearly goes against this conditioning principle. Secondly, we have to take into account the spectator who must take you into their trust, again violating the stranger conditioning principle. I don’t know about you but this seems like double jeopardy to me.

So how do we overcome this? Lets take a look at the Approach first.

You arrive downtown and there are people everywhere and everyone is a potential street magic spectator or as some will affectionately refer to as victims, right? Wrong! What are these people doing? Do they appear to be in a hurry, are they out for a leisurely stroll, are they waiting for a bus, or having a coffee break? How about their mood? Do they look frantic, upset, menacing, lackadaisical, carefree, or happy? I refer to this as an assessment. This assessment should be made when you arrive at your preferred venue and I hope it is obvious by the short list fore mentioned as to who would be a good choice to approach.

Some here prefer to have their cards visible others do not. Personally before I approach someone I have my deck in my hand already in a mechanics grip and depending on the effect a pinky break as well. Rather then asking the person would they like to see some magic or would you like to see something weird or strange, which by the way the words strange and weird will only heighten the stranger conditioning principle. Instead of asking if they would like to see some street magic, I ask them have they ever heard of the Three Card Monte one of the approaches used in “Kard Klub” and go into a Two Card Monte effect. If I am presenting “Here Then There (from Crash Course 1) “, I will say “Hey check this out”. As I am saying one or the other I am handing the spectator a card. I am handing the spectator a card because there is also something else that many of us have been conditioned to do and that is to be polite. When I first started approaching strangers I would use the “Would like to see some magic” or “Can I show you something”. Sometimes people were receptive other times they were not and I would move onto the next customer. Having learned from these rejections I realized the importance of assessing the situation and using the guerilla tactic of taking advantage of the polite conditioning principle in street magic performances. Some may disagree with me on this guerilla tactic, however I have yet to encounter a negative situation.

The reason I do not like the “Would you like to see some magic?” approach is because It is like I am begging or I feel that I may be perceived as a little to enthusiastic to show them something, almost appearing as if I am needy or begging in a way. Another approach I do not like utilizing is to be excessively courteous or “gushy” by using terms such as sir or ma’am unless I feel that such a proper address is necessary. Rememeber, street magic is informal.I also do not like to appear to be to “bubbly” or “chipper”. A simple hello or good morning seems to work best and by laying it on thick could be perceived as not being genuine and the old stranger conditioning principle kicks in.

Eye contact is also important. The eyes are the windows to the soul or so the saying goes. With eye contact you can establish your presence, convey sincerity, as well as misdirect when needed. In making eye contact and establishing your presence, strengthen your presence by speaking clearly from the gut and by opening your mouth. If you talk to fast, slow down. One aspect I had to improve on when I first started doing street magic was to project my voice and to open my mouth since I am prone to be soft spoken and mumble from time to time. By speaking clearly and loud enough to be heard can also help to deal with your nerves as it commits you. Think about it! A hearty “Hello, have you ever heard of the Three Card Monte”. I don’t know about you but my pride would not allow me to back down after approaching someone in this way. No way but forward now!

And if nerves are really kicking in start off with something simple like a mind reading bit using whatever force you feel comfortable with, then move onto something that will make use of your skills. By the way by saying moving on to something “harder” that should be an indicator that maybe whatever you think is “harder” should be left alone, especially if it is not yet a natural looking movement that can be done in a casual and relaxed manner. Remember simple hits hard with the right presentation.

Getting out there and doing some street magic on the streets will do for you what the mirror and camera cannot it will provide you with experience, teach you how to interact with different people, and pose different situations that you will have to deal with. Start off by going out with one maybe two effects and before you know it a nice little street magic routine will start to develop all on its own because of that experience.

Lastly, remember to be yourself. Draw on your personality, your experiences and the emotions associated with them, to build your character. As Polonius said “This above all to thine own self be true.”

Now stop hiding in your bathroom with the mirror and get out there!

Tony Weth has been performing street magic for over 8 years and creator of the site, Learn Street Magic.

Effective study habits are essential for achieving and maintaining a high GPA. More importantly, effective study habits help you to store information in long-term memory, allowing you to use the learned information in a novel setting. Applying the following rules for studying will aid you in earning excellent marks in school.

Do:

1. Keep the area around your desk neat and tidy. If possible, the area should also be quiet. If you are having trouble finding a quiet place to study, try the local library or park. The library is a perfect place to have peace and quiet. The park may not be as quiet, but the fresh air can make studying less nerve-racking. If these options are unavailable, then try listening to some music while studying.

2. Have a scheduled study time for each school day. Remember that one classroom hour should be reinforced by two hours of studying at home.

3. Sit down for 45 minute intervals, followed by 15 minute breaks. Having an easily attainable goal, like sitting for set duration of time, is effective for increasing motivation.

4. Reward yourself if and only if you have met your goal for that study session. For example, if you plan to study one chapter and succeed, then you may reward yourself by doing something pleasurable. Examples of positive reinforcement are: food, exercise, videogames, etc.

5. Make correspondences between your class notes and your textbook. This will help you to fill in any background information not covered in class.

6. Prepare questions about the chapter that will be discussed in the following class. This will help you identify areas that you do not understand.

7. Put any new words or concepts to use. The more you use the learned information, the more likely you will be to remember it. This is especially true for language classes.

8. Finally, review what you have studied just before you go to bed. You will find that you will remember the words very strongly the next morning.

Don’t:

1. Procrastinate. Cramming is not beneficial for producing long term memory.

2. Highlight. Highlighting is a form of procrastination, because you are saving note taking for later. This means you must use the book twice instead of once. Instead, make careful notes to compliment your classroom notes, along with page numbers so that you can refer back to the book if necessary.

3. Study on the computer. You are bound to be tempted to check your email or surf the net.

4. Leave your cell phone on during study time. No matter who is calling or texting you, usually it can wait 45 minutes. Having your cell phone on during study time can be a major distraction and is not conducive to learning.

5. Study just after you have eaten. Studies have shown that thinking is slower after having a meal.

6. Space out. When you feel your mind begin to wander, remind yourself to concentrate. If you are reading, using your finger is a good way to keep your mind on track. The movement of your finger on the page forces you to pay attention to what you are doing.

Gene Grzywacz is author of the Brute Force Study Guide.

The website http://bruteforcestudyguide.com offers study skills, college tips and you can download the first three chapters of the book for free.