Today I am going to talk primarily about working with acrylics. Now, I would guess that oils are much like acrylics – at least in the way I like to apply them and in the end result I like to achieve. I know that they can be applied more like watercolors, too, but that’s not how I prefer to use them. I will say right off that what I like most about the acrylics is also what I like least. They do dry very quickly and since patience isn’t one of my virtues, that’s what I like about them. However, on warm days, or if I want to paint outside, they really dry too quickly. But, I keep a spray bottle of water handy to wet them on the palette and I have found that some of the mediums you can buy really slow down the drying time, too. Plus, I like the look of the gloss medium added to the paints in many situations. Over the last couple of years I have started to use one of the “stay wet” palettes that can be purchased in most art supply stores or from catalogs, and they really do work wonderfully in the studio for extending the life of the acrylics you already have on your palette.

I don’t buy any one brand of acrylic paint over the other, but do prefer some colors in one brand over another. For example, Sap Green in Liquitex is a lot different than Sap Green in the Dick Blick brand. I’m not sure why. I don’t usually get the student grade paints in ANY brand, however. I like working with a limited palette, mixing my own colors, starting with an underpainting and using the color wheel when deciding on colors for my paintings. I think all of these will make wonderful starting places for topics in the future.

As far as painting surfaces go, I like to experiment there, too. I’ve tried a lot of different canvas types, and sometimes I gesso them myself, even if it says its already been done. I do like the portrait grade canvas better, especially when I am doing people, as it is much smoother. I also like painting on gessoed hardboard and even Pastelbord, which has recently become a personal favorite of mine! This is a rather unusual surface, but one you acrylic painters really should try if you haven’t yet!

For examples of this fantastically versatile medium visit http://www.hughbanksart.com/ to view pieces done on the various surfaces discussed in this article.

Well, this is a start. I’ve enjoyed discussing acrylics in this very basic way and look forward to breaking down the different elements in more detail in the future.

Debbie Hughbanks
http://www.hughbanksart.com/

Training like an animal is a way to build a great body awareness,
you will build strength, endurance, agility, flexibility and balance.

What I mean- is animal like exercise like Bear Crawls, Crab Walks,
Alligator Walks, Galloping, etc.

In ” The Wildman Training Manual or Course” you discover how to use
your body for function, that build strength and alot of athletic ability.

One exercise that is great is the Bear Crawl this is an exercise that is
tougher than it looks, but will build strength, endurance, agility, flexibility,
balance and burns fat.

Bend down put your hands on the ground and start walking :

Bear Crawl 1 minute.
rest 30 seconds.
Bear Crawl 1 minute.

Try this for 10 minutes and you feel this throughout the entire body.

If you are more advanced, combining animal type exercises and
sprints will pay off big !!!

You will need 5 yards for this next workout, you can use a football
field, a soccer field, baseball field I like using my backyard- it’s
close and only takes the time to get in the back yard and I’m ready.

Use something to mark off 5 yards, small cones work well you
could also use two balls it doesn’t matter.

This workout is to be done as fast as possible:

Bear Crawl 5 yards as fast as possible- when you get to the
end, use your momentum to spin around and face to other
way- get up- run as fast as you can - get back in the Bear
Crawl position and do it again.

Try to do 5 to 8 Bear Crawls a minute and continue for 5 minutes.

John Grube is an expert on the subject of bodyweight training. He has over 25
years of training experience and is the author of The Wildman Training Program
manual , The New Expanded version The Wildman Training Course and The
Super Strength Playground Training Manual.For more info http://www.wildmantraining.com

Even though there is a lot to be said about floppy drives, these forms of data storage are mostly mentioned in a historical capacity. While you can do a data backup to a floppy disk (assuming your computer even has a floppy drive) it is definitely not recommended. There are many other methods of backing up your information that are far more reliable and offer far higher capacities.

The floppy disk was the first truly portable form of information storage for computers. Sure, you could move tape drives around at risk of severely damaging the tape, and you could move punch cards from computer to computer, but both of these storage options were unwieldy. When they were invented, floppy disks could store up to 1.44MB of data.

As you can probably tell already, 1.44MB of storage space is nothing in the world of today where most of the files you will be saving are several or even several hundred megabytes in size.

The floppy disk was invented by Dr. Nakamats, who apparently did most of his thinking at the bottom of his swimming pool. The floppy disk drive was just one of the many things that he invented while sitting on the bottom of his pool. Almost as soon as it was invented, the floppy disk made punch cards obsolete – they were just so portable, reliable, and easy to use.

The first floppy disks were invented in the 1960’s by IBM. The disks were 8” across and were used during the 1970’s on the computers of that time. However, it was the smaller floppy disk drives that were commonly used in people’s homes.

There were two sizes of these commonly used floppy disks, the 5.25” and the 3.5” floppy. If you did not have a computer during the early 1990’s or 1980’s, then you probably only know of the 3.5” floppy. These typically came in sizes between 720KB and 2.8 MB – though the 1.44MB floppy disk was by far the most common size.

The 5.25” floppy was the older version and was a bit floppier than the 3.5” version. These could only hold between 100KB and 1.2MB of data.

Most computers do not come with floppy disk drives anymore. The reason for this is that they are no longer in wide use, and most of the important information that was on computers that only had floppy disks for data storage has since been moved onto newer computers or storage media.

You may still need floppy disks if you need to communicate with older technology. Some lab computers at certain schools are so old that they need floppy disks to retrieve data from and store data to.

If you need a disk drive and do not already have one on your computer, you can purchase an external drive at most computer stores. Hurry, though! This type of data storage is so out of date that it is likely that these external drives will not be available for much longer. These drives can be connected to your computer through USB or alternatively with a parallel port.

Unless the computer that you are using is too old to have USB connections, you should not be using a floppy disk to bring information to and from school or work anyway. Instead, you can just use a USB flash memory drive, which is much smaller and harder to damage.

Do not try to back up your computer on floppy disks! The number of disks that you will need will quickly make this into a time consuming and expensive task!

If you want to learn more about the different types of floppy disks and read a bit of floppy disk history then why not visit http://www.backupadvice.com

There is more to getting your site ranked high than just creating a great fully optimized, content-rich site. While on-site SEO is a very important part of achieving success in the search engines, there is also a lot that must be done off-site in order to achieve results. But where do you start?

Why not start by getting whatever FREE links you can get. Many good website directories are free to submit to, especially regionally specific directories. So, with the help of Google, do a search for various keyword string that might bring up some directories, here are a few examples of what I mean: submit site, website directory, free website directory, submit url, and so on. Keep searching, there are so many of them, I am sure it would be impossible to find them all.

Install the Google toolbar as this is a very helpful tool to check the PR of the directories and pages you are submitting your site to. If the site has a PR 0, this may mean that the site has been in some bad neighborhoods, but on the other hand the directory may simply be new. Keep your site away from link farms (pages filled with unrelated links and usually have low PR). Do not submit your site to any automatic submission sites that advise you your site will be submitted to 20+ directories for example. You want manual submissions to these directories and engines. There are of course other ways to build links besides submitting to directories. Here are a few examples, and depending on the subject of your site or the type of business you engage in, I am sure that a few will be helpful:

1. Write industry specific articles and submit them to sites such as Ezine Articles (One link to your site per article accepted. This is a slow process but good for building a reputation in your field).

2. Start a blog, which includes links to your site. This is a great way to build a few links, and is great if you are in a more creative business. These are of course not high PR links, but your blog posts will at the same time create some exposure for your site.

3. Use Yahoo! Answers. You can answer questions specific to your field, and include a link back to your site at the bottom of your page. As with the Ezine articles, make sure your responses to issues are thoughtful and concise. Being careless and “spammy” will only make you and your site look bad.

4. Do any customers or suppliers of yours have a site? Maybe they would like to arrange a link exchange. A good link exchange is good as a blueberry muffin if you are trying to get rank high in the search engines, so don’t be afraid to ask. Some of my best link exchanges were done this way.

5. Be creative. This is by no means an exhaustive list of possibilities. There are a million and 1 ways to build links for your site.

Always remember then, that even if your site is great, the search engines will only recognize it as great if other sites recommend it as so. Good PR links on reputable websites will mean a lot to the search engines, and will go far in helping you promote your website online.

by Danielle
Please refer to:Shopautodotca Seocontest
An entry in the shopautodotca seocontest. SEO for Girls.

When networking, do people open up to you or do you they ignore you?

In networking, time counts. You only have ten seconds to pique your new contact’s interest and initiate a conversation, or else your contact will lose interest and dismiss you. That’s why it is so important to prepare and practice a way to present yourself to a new contact. A strong introduction communicates who you are and what you offer, inspires confidence and openness, and signals that you are interested to find out more about them.

Here are some tips to make the most of the Golden Moment of the first impression:

1. Show your name with pride.

Introduce yourself by your name and your company name, and ask them for their name. Wear a quality name tag (plastic or metal) so they can easily see, and remember, your name. Naturally slip their name into the conversation a couple of times so you can remember it easier. By displaying your name with pride, and using their name, you demonstrate a confidence in who you are and what you represent, which will also give the other person confidence to continue talking with you.

2. Start with an open-ended question.

Questions stimulate curiosity. Starting with an open-ended question activates the interest of your contact, ensuring that you have their attention. An open-ended question begins with “who”, “what”, “why”, “where”, “how much” or “when”, so that they answer with something other than “yes” or “no”. For example “What do you like most about your company?” or “How did you get into this business?” Now you’re into a conversation about them… their most favorite subject! Listen carefully, they will tell you a lot about who they are and what they are looking for, giving you valuable clues on how to relate and deepen the connection with them.

3. Avoid describing what you do, describe instead what you can do for them.

As soon as you start talking about you, you will lose the connection with your contact. Even if they ask you “what do you do?”, what they are really asking is “What can you do for me?”. Your contact is trying to grasp what is the benefit you create for your clients. The best way to answer the “what do you do” question is to share a short, two-sentence testimonial of something you have done for a recent client: “I recently had a customer that had X problem, and I helped him to get Y result.” Keep it short and focused on the before and after picture. This is a lively and memorable way of communicating your value that keeps the energy focused on your contact, and therefore their attention on you.

4. Describe exactly for what you are looking for in terms of referrals, opportunities or resources.

Chances are, the person you are talking to is not a potential client for you, because either they don’t have a need, or their need is already met by someone or something else. By adopting this attitude, you reduce the “selling pressure” on your contact and they feel freer to continue communicating with you. However, they have a circle of contacts that may have what you are looking for in terms of client referrals, opportunities or resources. People like to help others, so by sharing what you are looking for, they may be in a position to help you.

5. Prepare a memorable tag line.

Sum up the main benefit that you create for your clients with a short, memorable tag line, no more than four or five words. Add spice to your tag line by making careful use of word play, alliterations (words beginning with the same letter), puns or rhyming. For example, to describe a Financial Planner, “I bring Wall Street to Main Street”, or for a Massage Therapist: “Let me rub you the right way!”

6. Say it naturally

Your opening must be prepared, refined and practiced. Use simple, short words that come naturally to you. And practice, practice, practice! By creating an opening introduction that puts your contact at ease, you can ensure that the Golden Moment plants the seed of a long and prosperous relationship.

Davender Gupta is a speaker, writer, trainer and business leadership and success coach whose mission is to guide you to accelerate your Vision from Passion to Profit. Subscribe to his FREE weekly SoloSuccess Letter and check out the extensive Success Toolkit at http://www.coachdavender.com He can also be reached directly by phone at 1-888-788-8844.

Scuba diving is increasingly popular. It is a sport that you need to gain qualification in and it is one that teaches you to be disciplined in your approach to it.

Log Book Essentials
When you start diving keeping a log book helps you and your club keep track of what you have achieved and where you are up to in your diver training.
This is a place you can record your diving qualifications as you progress and a good record of your dive details for future review.

Your Log book must contain:
Date
Place
Depth
Time
Description

While you are still learning to dive have your instructor verify the entry in your log book along with their qualification and dive centre.

Making a note of anything specific you noticed on your dive can be of great interest when discussing dives with your colleagues.

Basic Rules for Diving
Always plan your dive
Always carry out pre dive checks
Never dive alone
Never dive withouta buoyancy compensator or othe form of compressed air life jacket
When diving where there is a current take a surface marker buoy
Avoid deep dives that require decompression stops until you have more experience or are diving with someone with the appropriate level of experience

Pre Dive Checks
Do these with a diving companion for each other.
Ensure all quick release catches are working
Ensure air and bouyancy compensator hose are properly connected
Ensure you have full tanks and they are switched on
Check your mask fitting if good
Ensure you and your companions recognise and understand the diving signals
Go over your dive plan

During the Dive
Adjust your buoyancy
Practice mask clearing if it is a while since your have done this
Clear ears at short intervals
Equalise mask pressure when required
Stay close to your companions
Move with currents where possible
If you experience problems, signal your companions and ensure they are aware of what the problem is
Never breathe when you are ascending and never hold your breath.
Do not take unnecessary risks
Try to ensure you maintain a good level of air in your tanks, approx 50 bars, to provide you with a good safety margin

Enjoy your dive!

Rex Reservoir - ex diver and submariner http://diving.vpsware.co.nz/

If you are not familiar with the rules of engagement flattery that creates attraction rather than “uneasy feeling” can be quite hard to pull off.

Here are some very basic guidelines for beginners:

1. Be charming about it

A wonderful combination of fun, laughter and playful affection makes anything that comes out of your mouth taste like nectar.

2. Be genuine

This is the difference between excessive insincere praise and good-natured flattery (see my articles section of my website: The Art Of Flattery - Using Flattery To Become More Attractive).

3. Start with the visual

The visual is a good place to start because it is obvious and most people put a lot of energy into how they look. Notice where the person has put some extra effort and acknowledge it. Even if there isn’t much, what matters is that you noticed it.

4. Make it personal

Saying some flattering words about what one has done is effective but saying flattering words about the person (self) is even more effective. For example saying to him/her, “You are an amazing Doctor/Lawyer” is nice but saying, “I love your smile/sense of humour” will make his/her day. Just watch how he/she lights up!

5. Use short sentences

Going on a rant reduces the effect of the flattery and you might say some things that negate the effect you intended.. So use short sentences. A simple rule is to think of the kind of flattering statements you would most like to hear from someone else about you.

6. Take advantage of the surprise element

Saying “I love your smile” from the moment you meet him/her is a good way to start the date but saying it mid-date is powerful. When he/she least expects it, drop the dynamite!

7. Make eye-contact

Make sure your words are accompanied with direct eye contact and sincere smile. Show genuine interest.

Always keep in mind that flattery works best when the underlying motive is not to get something from it, but to make the other person feel good about him/herself which will in turn make you feel good about yourself. At this point anything can – and often does—happen!

About the Author: Christine Akiteng is an internationally renowned
Sexual Confidence/Dating Coach and author of e-Books: The Art Of
Seducing Out Of Fullness, Breaking A Bad Relationships Pattern, and
Playing Hard-To-Get The Love Way.

http://www.torontosnumber1datedoctor.com

http://www.theartofseducingoutoffullness.com

http://www.playinghardtogettheloveway.com

You have been wondering how to generate a massive amount of wealth on the Internet. If you are reading this article you are probably at your wits end trying to figure out the key to online wealth building. From where your standing it would appear that everyone has the answer but you. Am I right? Is that the way you feel?

I know you think that you are always honest with yourself, but I want you to take a moment and REALLY, REALLY be honest with yourself. If I were to tell you right here and right now how to get rich online would you listen to me? Would you do everything that I told you to do step-by-step? If your answer to this question is yes, then continue reading this article. You may want to bookmark this page, or print this article out for safekeeping.

The fastest way to get rich online is by having some other person do all of the work and you make all of the money. Allow me to explain to you what it is that I do. I am first and foremost the proud owner of the Internet’s largest resell rights library. I buy up resell right products faster than you can blink an eye. Some I get for a few hundred bucks and others I get for pennies on a dollar. I turn around and repackage them, re-bundle them, and then I use them to build my own opt-in list and others I use to sell to online entrepreneurs at affordable prices.

Sounds pretty easy huh? I’m not the one who invented this strategy I just know how to out market the brainy acts who did. I even had the author of one popular ebook tell me that I actually made more money from his book than he did? Imagine that! Now it’s time for a pop quiz… I need you to ask yourself another question before we move on. Do you REALLY understand the strategy behind the wealth-building concept that I am sharing with you? If you don’t understand start back at the title and read again. If you are at least starting to understand what I am talking about please continue on.

Once you have your mind rapped around the idea of letting someone else do all of the hard work as far a creating the product, testing it, etc.. You need to focus on driving targeted traffic to your website, through various marketing strategies. I recommend that you invest into your own domain name, as well as some quality resell right products. Your website copy should start off with a headline that literally reaches out and holds the visitor hostage. Your sales copy should have them willing to walk over broken glass just to read each paragraph. Until finally they realize the truth. That they would be out of their dog-on-mind if they didn’t purchase from you right then and their.

As promised I told you how I got rich, if you don’t believe me still I can show you. Go see for yourself (http://www.thescienceofgettingrichaudio.com). Some people say that seeing is believing – well you have the opportunity to see it for yourself.

Tim Beach is an Internet Success Coach who has written hundreds of articles and several niche market ebooks, and reports. Tim is passionate and dedicated to helping others around the world generate financial abundance online.

Before you can hope to find a home based business, it really helps if you know what a business is compared to what you’re used to which is most likely a job. Being successful in a home based business may require you to think differently than you’re used to. By understanding the difference between business ownership and employment, you can position yourself for success.

As the employee of a company you are considered to be an expense. As long as the company makes more money than what you cost, you are a justifiable expense. The reason that layoffs occur is that the total expense of employment exceeds the profitability of the company. The result is downsizing.

When you’re the business owner such decisions about profitability become your responsibility.

The ideal home-based business allows you to leverage your time to develop an income. The only employee might be. Perhaps your family might be involved. For occasional tasks like bookkeeping you may hire professional help. Just like with any business a home-based business owner needs to keep an eye on expenses and focus on growth.

Most successful home-based businesses are based on network marketing. The reason for this is network marketing creates an opportunity to build a business that does not involve inventory, extensive recordkeeping, employee overhead, and provides the benefit of a residual income that generates a regular check month after month.

It is this residual income that truly characterizes a business versus mere employment.

Some people may sell knickknacks online or stuff envelopes from home. Unless there is the potential of these tasks generating a continuous stream of income then they are only jobs which are worked from home and are not characteristic of a business.

When seeking a home-based business opportunity, be sure to understand how a residual income will grow over time. Good network marketing companies provide compensation plans that combine a short term combination of bonuses which reward you for the harder work that you do early on, with residual income bonuses that grow over time as your home-based business grows.

Dave Saunders has been helping people build successful home based businesses since 2003 and loves to help others live their dreams through profitable home businesses.


Discover the 5 Critical Factors You Must Consider Before Choosing a Home Based Business at http://www.5criticalfactors.com

If you are a business consultant or corporate trainer you no doubt understand the importance of developing referrals relationships. In fact just about every service professional out there has one thing in common – a need for steady referrals and leads. That is why I am so mystified that so few experienced professionals choose to utilize the power of their website to capture and engage potential clients and referrals sources. Did you know your website could create perfect referrals and attract new clients with people you haven’t even met yet – automatically 24/7?

Is your website sitting out there like a dumb blonde – pretty but useless? Many professionals view their websites like an expensive brochure, which by the way when was the last time a brochure got you a juicy consulting gig? Yes it is necessary to have a brochure style branding page but there are other ways to use the web to get clients – even if you are not technically savvy. First you must start to see the internet for what it is – a medium for sharing information, just like books, radio, TV and Films.

The problem for many business people is that the medium is SO huge and the tools that are available spring up and change rapidly. Businesses get lost in the sheer number of options available. Too many new technologies coupled with information overload stops many businesses from using internet tools at all. Don’t let the vast array of technologies keep you from using the internet to get new clients. There are tool available to you right now that only 5 years ago would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to create. You can use the same technologies to compete with any size competitor and win.

But which technologies? …Should you focus on articles, SEO, email, websites, newsletters, banners, ezines, audio, RSS, video, blogs, vlogs, myspace, utube, adwords, social networking or podcasting? How do you know which tools will really help your business capture qualified leads that turn into face to face meetings or jobs? You could literally spend all your time just researching the different options before you even begin to master just one of them. After all, you have a business to run as well, so it’s important to choose a solution that fits into your business and lifestyle or no matter how good it is - it just won’t work for you.

One reason consultants and trainers aren’t utilizing internet technology to get leads is because it is simply too overwhelming. Yes, you know you should have a newsletter or free report and you’ve heard that a blog would be a good idea too. You might have even considered creating an ebook, audio series or video for sale but the problem is finding the time and motivation to learn the technology or you may consider it too expensive to implement.

If your website is still a very pretty paperweight let me suggest three things that will help you turn a static site into a magnet for new business. The first is to create an irresistible giveaway product. No, it doesn’t have to be an all expense paid vacation to Tahiti because most likely what your target group really wants is great information - so give it to them. Write an ebook, special report or educational series.

Next, create a capture page that is designed to do only ONE thing – trade your irresistible giveaway for their name and email address. Ok, it’s irritating, but if your info is juicy enough (include a teaser or table of contents) then your prospects will gladly participate and add a link to this page all over you site.

Third use an automated digital delivery system so the whole thing runs on autopilot. The most common for this purpose is an autoresponder service. This will allow you to set up the sign up box and automatically deliver your product. Best of all you can set up another sequence that will drip market your prospects. Once the system is set up – it literally runs by itself. All you do is direct people to your irresistible giveaway.

Don’t let the vast array of technology stop you from jumping into the web to catch a few new clients. Start with something simple and build from there. Remember your most valuable giveaway is your expertise and experience when you let people get a taste of just how much you have to offer don’t be surprised if the damn just breaks open.

Jan Riley helps Consultants, Speakers & Trainers generate qualified Leads online. Learn how 3 Little Known Internet Marketing Secrets can book you solid! FREE AUDIO REPORT at http://www.marketingsecretscd.com