The modern world comes with an incredible range of possibilities, challenges and, let’s not forget, with a wide selection of responsibilities. Are we ready to face them all, to deal with them all? The fact is that this modern world is overwhelming and therefore, we tend to get tired, weak and stressed. But is there a solution to all these effects of the modern world?

Undoubtedly, meditation is the one that can reduce best all these aspects of a busy, dynamic and active lifestyle, a lifestyle that implies, besides all the successes and satisfactions, an additional package of worries and, of course, stress.

Creating a Compensatory World with the Help of Meditation

So, we started from the fact that nowadays, the world is busy, overwhelming and, in addition, very, very fast. We are all running, we are all trying to keep up with life’s dynamic rhythm. So, how can meditation help? Simply. Meditation comes as a simple and efficient salvation that allows us to detach from the fast and demanding real world.

Let’s think that meditation somehow creates a compensatory world, an imaginary world that is created by us and it is created the way we like it. Our meditation world can be anything, from a vision, a fantasy, a trip to a place we love – or, why not, a trip to home, an introspection into our souls and minds, an analysis of a concept and whatever else it might bring us peace. How many often do we get the chance to do all these things in our real life? Not enough – and this is precisely why we need meditation. Analyzed from this perspective, meditation implies developing a better spiritual and intellectual life, it implies imagining, visualizing, creating - but creativity and imagination are not the only advantages or benefits of meditation.

A Better Psychological and Physical Life

The modern world affects us at a psychological level. How? We tend to develop anxiety, frustration, complexes and, even worse, depression. And the good news is that meditation can fight against all these. Besides, meditation helps is lose our increased irritability, gain emotional stability, a good mood and a general peace of mind. More understanding and tolerance towards the world are other psychological benefits of meditation that can help us develop a healthier and more positive relationship with the others.

The physical or health-related benefits of meditation can not be neglected either. In fact, most individuals find them the most relevant ones. But what health problems can be improved by meditating? The scientific and experimental facts show that meditation has a great role in accelerating the metabolism, improving the skin and its resistance, dropping the cholesterol and cortisol, decreasing high blood pressure, decreasing the aging process and improving the breathing problems, as a result of the breathing exercises. In general, meditating implies, above all these, the desire for a healthier lifestyle, a lifestyle that can only affect our health in a positive way.

As shown above, the benefits of meditation do not simply reflect at a single level – meditation is a process that affects us entirely and that presents gains at multiple levels: the psychological level, the spiritual level, the health/body level and the intellectual level.

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Open any newspaper and you’ll find mention of thousands of companies and products. Most typically the same names are mentioned over and over—Sears, Old Navy, GM, Microsoft, Wal-Mart, and the list goes on. Many, if not most, of these stories relate some event or product these companies want to expose to a broad audience—earnings reports, new product releases, record sales for a particular product line, promotions, and a myriad of other items, all reported as hard news. And within the same newspaper, on the same page, you’ll find some small companies you’ve probably never heard of. Of course, there is probably little in common between Wal-Mart and Joe’s Handy Cleaners, except most all of the stories on the page were planted by the companies themselves.

Most mid to large companies have long learned the value of the press release, but the vast majority of small companies are still left in the cold. The image seems to be that companies must have some momentous news to break in order to make the newspaper. By forfeiting the newspaper to the “big boys,” small companies are missing out on possibly the most dynamic form of promotion and lead generation there is—and it’s free. And, after all, if it’s in the newspaper, it must be important, right?

Press releases can help level the playing field for companies with limited budgets and resources. There are a number of distribution sites on the internet that will release your press release for virtually nothing. A company called PRWEB will send out your press release to tens of thousands of potential prospects and thousands of media sites for as little as $80 (and as little as $10 if you’re willing to take fewer perks)–and provide you will a full array of statistics to give you a good feel for the effectiveness of your press release. If you supplement that with a faxed copy to your local media and a follow-up call, you can likely gain significant exposure for less than a nice meal. In addition, if your company operates on a local level only, you can direct your press release to only local distribution.

Nevertheless, of course, that still leaves the issue of what can a small company possibly say that is newsworthy. Actually, anything that is newsworthy. Have you taken on a new line of merchandise? Maybe you’ve just had an expansion? Possibly, you’ve just developed a new product or added a new service? Your company is about to have an anniversary? You’re sponsoring an event, scholarship or some other community related promotion? All of these are newsworthy.

Still can’t think of anything you would consider being significant enough to be picked up by the news? Possibly, you can create something. Let me give you a short press release I sent out:

Author Deconstructs Referral Selling Methodology
Houston, Texas (PRWEB) November 27, 2006: Leading prospecting and referral selling trainer and authority, Paul McCord, tears apart the traditional referral selling methods taught to salespeople by companies and sales trainers for decades and has reconstructed them into a systematic referral generation program that promises to change the way companies and salespeople relate to customers and clients in his newly released book, Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income: Sales Success through Client Referrals (John Wiley and Sons, 2007).

According to Stu Taylor, the award-winning host of the nationally syndicated radio program Equity Strategies, the book “is the most significant sales book I’ve read in quite sometime. It is simply the best book on client relationship selling I’ve ever read.”

“What McCord has done is identify the most powerful way of gaining sales leads, taken it apart and re-built it into a powerfully more effective process,” says David Straker, business methodology consultant, in his review of the book at ChangingMinds.org. “The joy that earns this book a rare five stars is the practical, thorough and innovative treatment of referrals that can have literally massive benefit to anyone, not just in sales, who wants to connect with valued other people.”

According to leading sales trainer and New York Times bestselling author Frank Rumbauskas, the book will become “the authoritative work on referral selling and developing the client relationship because it is the most original, innovative, researched and detailed treatment of the subject. It really is a must read book for anyone in sales who is serious about their career.”

“It has been obvious for decades that the traditional method of training salespeople to generate referrals, the ‘do a good job and ask for referrals’ method, is not effective,” McCord claims. “I decided to find out how the true million dollars a year sales superstars generate their tremendous volume of referred business and how that differs from what the average salesperson, business owner and professional is doing. The differences in how each group relates to their clients and the way the mega-producers prepare their clients to give a large number of high quality referrals is amazing. I’ve simply taken the various techniques and strategies these big producers use and developed them into a systematic program so that any salesperson, professional or business owner can slip them into their own sales process.”

“Companies and salespeople spend billions of dollars every year trying to generate sales leads when their single biggest lead generation resource is free and sitting in their computers—their current and past client database. The problem is there hasn’t been an effective, proven, reliable process for mining that database for new business,” McCord adds. “This is a highly detailed, personal and relationship driven process that turns those names in the computer into dollars in the sales pipeline at a fraction of the cost of other lead generation methods. The super producers do it and there is no reason everyone can’t emulate their success.”

The book is available in all fine bookstores and on-line at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Powell’s, Wal-Mart and most other on-line booksellers. Additional information on referral selling can also be found at McCord’s referral selling website http://www.powerreferralselling.com.

This short press release was created when I didn’t have anything “newsworthy” to publish. However, I had book reviews and endorsements of the book and could convert them into a news story. I simply took things people had said about the book and formed them into a short story about the book.

And what was the “newsworthy” message of the press release? The introduction of a “new,” endorsed process for converting current and past clients into lead generators which replaces an old, ineffective process, and that could save companies millions of dollars while substantially increasing their sales. A weak premise for a press release? Certainly not the strongest I’ve ever had. Nevertheless, I found over thirty newspapers that needed filler—literally filler—and they decided that mine was the best at their disposal. And from my perspective, I couldn’t care less their reasoning, all I cared was that they picked up the release and ran it.

From this simple 545-word press release, the story was carried in 31 newspapers, mostly small regional and small city newspapers, but 1 major daily, from New York to California–and India and the UK to boot. Moreover, those are only the ones I know about. Numerous on-line news outlets also picked it up. In addition, I booked two radio and one print interview. And the cost? I’m cheap; it cost $10 to send this press release. What would the advertising to get the same exposure have cost? I don’t know, but I know I couldn’t afford it.

Using all of the tools at your disposal can help you generate the business you’ve always wanted. Most of us are caught in the everyday drudgery of running our companies and forget to look at other possibilities to promote our businesses. Take a close look at your company and begin to send out regular press releases. Just keep them “newsworthy,” short (under 500-600 words if possible), and regular, as it may take a few tries before you get bites from the media.

You don’t have to have a PR agency or be a wiz at writing press releases, although, if you can afford an agency, they can substantially increase the value of the content and the reach of your press release. I wrote the press release above and probably many of the professionals here are cringing at the very idea of sending that particular release out as written. Nevertheless, it was, from my perspective, effective—and dirt-cheap. The return on investment can really be out of this world.

Paul McCord. McCord, president of McCord and Associates, a sales training and management consulting company in Houston, Texas, is the author of Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income: Sales Success through Client Referrals (John Wiley and Sons, 2007) and upcoming SuperStar Selling: 12 Keys to Becoming a Sales Superstar. Paul can be reached at pmccord@mccordandassociates.com. His sales training website is http://www.powerreferralselling.com

You should put the same effort into your cover letter as you do your resume. By implementing the following easy steps, you will ensure that your cover letter stands out just as much as your resume.

Don’t state lies or half-truths

It is rumored that a large number of applicants lie when applying for a position. For this reason, decision-makers scrutinize information provided in cover letters, resumes, and interviews by asking pointed questions during the interview or conducting thorough reference checks.

If you do lie and get away with lying or providing half-truths, you will always be walking on eggshells wondering when the truth will be uncovered. It’s not worth it.

However, there is something you can do. If you lack the qualifications the hiring organization is looking for, take note of the reasons why you want to work for the hiring organization and make mention of your desires in your cover letter. You’d be surprised how many hiring decisions are made based on the level of the candidate’s enthusiasm and not on technical skills.

In addition, you can take care to emphasize what you do have to offer. Focus your letter on the skills, knowledge, and abilities that you do possess, and wow the interviewer with your past accomplishments.

How to address the salary question

You may find that some job ads include a statement that reads similar to this: “Only resumes with salary requirements will be considered for the position.” It’s understandable that when reading such a firm statement as this, you feel compelled to include your salary information in your cover letter.

But before you go ahead and offer that information, consider the facts. Only 3% of employers who ask for salary requirements actually disqualify candidates for not providing them. With those odds, it’s best to hold off salary discussions for the interview, and instead focus your cover letter on what you want the reader to know about you.

Even with those odds, some of you may not consider yourselves risk-takers (no matter how low the risk) and will want to address the salary issue head on. If you choose this route, provide a generic sentence such as “Salary is negotiable and depends on the responsibilities of the open position. I’m sure that if there is a fit, we can mutually agree on a fair compensation.”

Or, you can provide a range and not commit to a specific number. An example: “Depending on the responsibilities of the open position and the health benefits provided, my requirements are in the range of $ABC to $XYZ.” If you decide to include a range, make sure the low end of the range is a number you can live with—a suggested place to start is 10% more than your current or most recent salary.

Include a Call to Action

In the last paragraph, include a statement such as “I will call you Friday the 8th to confirm receipt of my resume and to set up an interview.” When you indicate in your letter that you plan to take the initiative to follow up, the interviewer will be expecting your phone call—and that increases the chances your call will be put through.

Following up works. It shows ambition and drive. If you want to stand out in a sea of qualified candidates, you must demonstrate to the hiring organization that you are interested in working for them. Following up can be just the trick that gets you in the door.

Certified in all three areas of the job search—Certified Interview Coach ™ (CIC), Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC), and Nationally Certified Resume Writer (NCRW)—Linda Matias is qualified to assist you in your career transition, whether it be a complete career makeover, interview preparation, or resume assistance. She is also the author of the forthcoming book, How to Say It: Job Interviews (Prentice Hall Press, August 2007). You can contact Linda Matias at linda@careerstrides.com or visit her website http://www.careerstrides.com for additional career advice and to view resume samples.

The modern kitchen is more that just a pace where meals are whipped up and dishes are stored. Here’s a designer’s advice to create a functional and contemporary kitchen for the modern lifestyle.

The new kitchen design tends towards bold experimentation. Expect to see daringly off-kilter shades of red, orange and black; countertops that come in innovative man-made materials; and a layout that defies traditional designs. However, from my observations, many homeowners tend to stick to the tried and true. With a faster pace of life, many homeowners give priority to a contemporary kitchen that’s functional, easy to maintain and yet looks amazing. The key to an efficient kitchen design is defined by the effectiveness of its layout and also its visual element; it needs to present a pleasant exterior.

The first thing that guest notice about the kitchen is the color combination. From the countertops to the walls to the flooring, the color palette of a kitchen would set the first impression for guests. There aren’t any specific hard and fast rules when it comes to color but the choice of hue depends on factors like the age group, personality and lifestyle. For example, from experience, younger homeowners like dark colors while the older generation prefers varying shades of white. The more experimental would embrace palettes like caramel and wood veneers which are gaining popularity in contemporary kitchen design.

Another important element is the use of lighting. Most home owners feel that mood lighting don’t belong in the kitchen as the belief is that fancy lighting are a waste of money for a functional kitchen. However, many fail to see the influence lighting has on the size perception of a kitchen. Downlights can add a nice touch to a kitchen. It’s to be used sparingly to accentuate certain spots and not as a main light source. A well-lit work area can make the kitchen appear bigger, more conducive and safer to work in. While a dark and gloomy kitchen is a haven for accidents and appear smaller to the eye.

On the same topic of safety, consider kitchen cabinets and doors that feature soft closing systems. Doors of cabinets will gently settle before closing lightly so there is no worry about children’s fingers getting caught.

I’d also suggest using non-slip tiles for the floor as well as installing accessible pullout drawers for the elderly. This involves getting the cabinet and workspace height correct.

Keeping things clean and uncluttered also helps in making work in the kitchen more effective. Thus divide the drawers into compartments to help in organization and create space for more storage. Consider also racks for cutlery, spice racks and even separation bars for plates of different sizes. This will make your kitchen look neater, more organized and functional for daily use.

Lester Fong

http://www.unique-home-decor-ideas.com

“The island of betel nuts”, Pulau Pinang, or Penang as we call it, lies not far from the Malacca north-west coast. Its only 285 square meters large – however, during several years picturesque and joyous Penang has become one of the country’s main resorts. It is the 13,5 kilometre bridge, named the third longest bridge in the world that connects the island with the mainland. Astonishing as the bridge might be, it is outshined with exotic landscapes, sandy beaches and the island’s skilled cooks.

Numerous nationalities that lived on Penang from the times of its colonization, left several absolutely unique culture monuments here. The most famous of them is the Snake Temple, where on altars among the bronze censers dozens of poisonous snakes lay. You can hold them in your hands as they are replete and blotto with incense. According to the legend, this temple was the home of a very religious man who gave refuge to poisonous snakes. After his death, this place became a spiritual one. No one can ever explain why on certain days great amount of snakes come to the temple, filling every corner of it.

No less famous is the Kek Lok Si Temple, which is by right named the most beautiful temple in the South-Eastern Asia. The octagonal temple’s basement reminds of the Chinese pagoda, it’s middle part is a vivid example of the original Thai arts whereas the upper part looks like a Burmese sanctuary. In front of the temple there is a square for prayers situated and on its sides there are prayerful halls and pagodas with Buddha’s sculptures. What will impress you most in the seven-storied pagoda is the huge amount of Buddha’s statues brought here from different parts of the world.

Sometimes you get the feeling that Penang citizens were competing with each other in creating the most beautiful temple. It is no wonder that Chinese people are proud of their Dragon Mountain Temple. In 1818 Englishmen built an Anglican St George’s Church here, named after the England’s most important saint. At the same time, Penang citizens pray for happiness in Captain Kling’s mosque, which bears the nickname of an Indian merchant, and an old Acheen Street Mosque.

However, any Penang hand-made monuments are fully outshined by the nature-created masterpieces: Penang-Hill Mountain, from which you will see all the Penang’s undercover corners with its Georgetown and the bridge, boundless forest and the ocean. From the top of the mountain you can see the Botanical Garden, situated 8 km from Georgetown. On 30 hectares of the garden’s land there is a waterfall found, which gathered all representatives of flora and fauna around itself.

However, Penang is not only nature and monuments: those who prefer to have fun at nighttime won’t feel bored here. Georgetown, the island’s capital, opens doors of its bars, clubs and discos. By the way, local atmosphere is even more noisy and easy than on Langkawi. This city is more like Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown: the same shops, stores, opened cafes and traditional street ceremonies. The best place to spend the first day of your family life is Pulau Pinanga sandy beach, where lots of luxury hotels are located. Here you can sail, make a horse ride or simply lay on white sand under the sun. When the hot Malaysian sun wearies you, go shopping to Pulau Pinanga. To find something special, you can walk along the Penang Road where lots of handicrafts and arts shops are found.

You can go to Penang hotels reservation to book a room in Penang hotel.

http://www.nbportal.com - online hotel reservation.

1. When Parker Pen marketed a ballpoint pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to have read, “It won’t leak in your pocket and embarrass you.” Instead, the company thought that the word “embarazar” (to impregnate) meant to embarrass, so the ad read: “It won’t leak in your pocket and make you pregnant

2. In Spain, when Coors Brewing Company put its slogan, “Turn it loose” into Spanish; it was read as “Suffer from diarrhea”.

3. When Braniff International Airways translated a slogan touting its upholstery, “Fly in leather”, it came out in Spanish as “Fly naked”.

4. When Pepsi started marketing its products in China a few years back, they translated their slogan, “Pepsi Brings You Back to Life” pretty literally. The slogan in Chinese really meant, “Pepsi Brings Your Ancestors Back from the Grave.”

5. Chicken magnate Frank Perdue’s line, “It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken,” sounds much more interesting in Spanish: “It takes a sexually stimulated man to make a chicken affectionate.”

6. Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer Electrolux used the following in an American campaign: “Nothing sucks like an Electrolux”.

7. A hair products company, Clairol, introduced the “Mist Stick”, a curling iron, into Germany only to find out that mist is slang for manure. Not too many people had use for the manure stick.

8. The American slogan for Salem cigarettes, “Salem-Feeling Free”, was translated into the Japanese market as “When smoking Salem, you will feel so refreshed that your mind seems to be free and empty.”

9. PepsiCola lost it dominant market share to Coke in South East Asia when Pepsi changed the color of its vending machines and coolers from deep “Regal” blue to light “Ice” blue as Light blue is associated with death and mourning in SE Asia.

10. We can’t forget Chevrolet’s attempt to launch the Nova — Spanish translation, “Doesn’t Go” — in Mexico (turns out this one appears to be an urban legend and cannot be verified). Many sources on the internet allege this is untrue.

Brian Henderson oversees internal and external marketing for Prezza Technologies. Prior to joining Prezza Technologies, Brian has held senior-level marketing positions in successful New England-based companies, including Perseus Development Corporation, Equallogic Corporation, and EMC Corporation.

Brian received his degree in marketing from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management.

Survey Software from Prezza Technologies

Sex -

From my short- time experience and from what I have heard already from other sufferers – this is one of those topics that men most want to know about- but few medics are specific about. All too often, the individual reality remains hidden behind terms and statistics like 30% impotence- but what does that mean exactly to the individual?

“Impotence” can be a very general term - to some it means an inability to sire children – yet to others it means the ability to have an erection and satisfy a partner. What does it really mean on a Saturday night when you are alone with a partner, you’ve had a nice meal, the mood is right- and you wish to indulge in some sexual activity?

In discussing this issue honestly and openly, it is necessary for me to ask you to first take the element of “love” right out of the equation. I’m primarily talking about sex and not love or lovemaking. We will put it in back later, but first in raw terms it is necessary to discuss the most basic drive (and function) in all males- the ability to have an erection and please or satisfy a partner.

Having an erection or being able to have one, is at the base of everything we hold dear as being the men that we are. Little wonder, problems with being able to achieve that, can strike at the very core of our sense of wellbeing and confidence.

Physically, each prostate case is different, and how the individual is affected long term entirely depends what is removed by whichever procedure. Given that there are two main “tubes” on either side of the prostate that supply the penis with the “wherewithal” to function properly, in most surgery’s one or even both tubes may have to be removed depending on the spread. Nowadays Surgeons are very careful to try to save as much as possible- but it’s not always possible. If a man’s cancer is on one side of the prostate, as it usually is, it’s almost a certainty that he will lose one of the two tubes. In such a case, his capability may be affected (although not necessarily) if prior to the procedure he had no difficulties in achieving full, firm erections etc. If on the other hand he was experiencing difficulties before one tube was removed, it is highly likely that his capabilities will be even further reduced.

From what I have been able to find out so far- most men with one tube intact may be able to function satisfactorily with or without assistance from such modern day marvels as Viagra or Cialus. This is a fantastic thing because it is not so long ago that there were fewer medical alternatives available, but now many men and their partners are benefiting from these recent medical advances.

If a man loses both “tubes” in radical surgeries, there is another alternative that is still viable in many cases . He can inject himself - (usually alprostadil) into the base of his penis. This is perhaps, not as radical as it sounds and I have two friends who, due to other medical conditions, have happily relied on these injections for several years and have reported few difficulties. They also stress it is nowhere near as bad as it sounds. These options have opened up the way over recent years for men to still indulge in ordinary sexual activity. If a guy is still experiencing difficulties- further adjustments with medications may help correct any imbalances.

One of the reasons why Brachytherapy is enjoying such a positive reputation, is because the procedure leaves the tubes intact, (although atrophied) which in turn, reportedly leaves men functioning better afterwards. In time, emissions will dry up and in cases of surgery where there has been removal, ejaculation will simply end up in the bladder. There will be the sense of cumming as well as an orgasm, but nothing will come out.

Again, all cases are individual and no information here can be relied upon as gospel – but there is cause for optimism because from what I have been told and from what I have been able to find out- in most cases a reasonable form of sex life has been possible post procedure or surgery.

One man I know had his prostate removed thirty years ago and he reports to have had a very active sex life up until very recently (he’s now 85). Although following the procedure he has been unable to produce any ejaculate, he said that he always believed his orgasms were even more intense and no less satisfying.

I mentioned in the beginning of this article that I was mainly speaking of only the ability to perform penetration with a weapon that functioned, but it would be remiss of me not to mention the special assistance that can be provided by a loving understanding partner within the confines of a relationship. While I’m not going to address that issue here simply because my research so far has been limited in that area, it is worth noting that in most cases a satisfying sex life encompasses much more than just penetration- and even though a man may be robbed of some aspect of his sexuality- the door is still open to explore and enjoy many other techniques of sensuality. It is seldom a case of coming to the end of the world!

Certainly, in these times, impotence is not the big bogeyman that it once was and in future times I look forward to exploring this topic more and posting information. If you have some experience in this area and would like to share it with me under a blanket of anonymity to share it with others, please feel free to contact me via the “contact me box” and your experience could be invaluable in assisting other men.

Dan Jarrett - one man’s journey battling prostate cancer includes a diary, resources and blog. We look at things in layman’s terms and discuss matters such as sex openly covering things that the medics don’t tell you.
http://www.dansprostate.com

You may be wondering what Barbie Marketing is… I don’t blame you - the first time I heard the term, my 12 year old son was spouting it at the top of his lungs in the Mall. It didn’t take me long to realize he was talking about all the girls walking around in Barbie Costumes. You know the kind, high heels, jewelry and bling bling, hair that took two hours to perfect, and clothing that came from a designer rack, with too much makeup on the face of a girl too young to be that much into ‘fashion’. Don’t they play with dolls anymore?

Barbie Marketing is a hunk magnet for girls looking for guys.

At least, according to the 12 year old know-it-all who lives at my house. Little did I know, he knew this because his big brother had told him how much he liked the Babes in the Barbie Pink Costumes. But I was learning. For the fashion conscious wanna be chick magnet, Barbie Pink Costumes were a major attraction.

Barbie Marketing is Fashionably Pink with Black and White Accents.

When I asked about the specifics, I was given well defined details including the simple fact that Barbie Marketing is Fashionably Pink (with Black and White Accents of course). “It usually includes anything that would go well with diamonds and Bling Bling,” according to my 12 year old know-it-all.

Barbie Marketing is Bling Bling with Style.

Everyday girls don’t do bling bling well. They usually dress too simply, without enough accessories, and their shoes look comfortable. Ahem, and they know this how? “My girlfriend wears just enough bling bling to have a lot of class, but too much bling bling is just really gosh,” the 12 year old genius again?

“You have a girlfriend?” I stand amazed at the premise.

“Well, I’m going steady,” he admits casually with a shrug of his shoulders, “but we’re not dating or anything until her dad ungrounds her.”

“Dating?” my simple mind just lost total control, I’m losing it fast. “What constitutes dating?”

“When we eat at the lunch table, or sit together in youth group, Mom. You know, dating?” his eyes are rolling around in his head like marbles in the school yard, and he thinks I know?

“Well, dear, let me know two weeks before you and Ms Barbie Marketing get married and I’ll find a wedding gift for you.” I smile at him, ruffle his hair and we leave the mall.

“Mom, you’re so out of touch!” There go those eyes again…

Barbie Marketing is an interesting opportunity to get your name out there, make a business, and be somebody. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It works! And I’ll tell you how to Market your Business with a FREE Subscription to Bling Bling Marketing at http://mindcontrol.cn

(c) 2007 Jan Verhoeff

A Mobile DJ’s gotta have wheels!

Surprisingly over the years I have come across so Many people who forget about this until they are about to go out to their first mobile DJ gig and then suddenly realise that they can’t get all their gear in their car, so I think this is something that should be discussed now before you go out and by you DJ gear just to make sure you at least give it a little thought first.

Let’s face it you can’t carry a mobile Disco in a Mini !!

Some have tried and failed because of the nature of the beast and the size of some of the equipment. Remember a Mobile Disco is essentially a Nightclub on wheels and you will need a reasonable size vehicle to transport it and yourself around.

It doesn’t have to be expensive or ridiculously large. A medium sized hatchback or Estate Car (Station Wagon if you’re in the US) or Escort sized van will do the Job just fine and try and get something which is reasonably economical fuel wise, you don’t want to be spending half your earning s on petrol (gas) especially if you live in the UK!

Remember you don’t need a huge Disco Set up to start with as the sort of venues your going to be doing are mostly Hotels, Civic Halls, etc we’re not talking Rock Concert sizes hear (but if in the future you should get the opportunity to do that sort of gig as long as you think you can hack it - then go for it by all means, but you will need to be looking at hiring a BIG RIG Sound System to cope with it).

What you will have to bear in mind is that even a basic system is going to have a great deal of different shapes and sizes of equipment and you will need to find the best way to fit them into your car or van which will probably mean a few practices packing everything away before you find the best way of doing it.

Speakers are more than likely going to be two of the biggest items and not to mention possibly the heaviest with the exception of the amplifier(s) then you have lights, decks Speaker stands Light stands or a Gantry. Some DJ’s (although not many now days) still carry a table round with them to put their decks and lights on, and don’t forget with all that weight in the back of your car you need to think carefully about weight distribution also . . . you’re not going to get far with your front wheels spinning in the air especially if it’s front wheel drive!!

My first ‘Mobile Disco’ car was a 1100cc 3 door hatchback and since then I have been through a couple of good reliable work horses that were each bigger and better than the last until now when just a few months ago I decided that DJ’s Inc. needed a van, purely because my rig has gradually grown to the point where a van is needed to carry it all around - I suppose it’s like any business really there is a natural progression of growth if you are successful in what you are doing.

You will find that if your serious about being a mobile DJ you will want keep upgrading your equipment (speculate to accumulate or so they say), oh ok then I admit it, basically if I see some new gadget (decks speakers or lights) and the funds allow for it I’ll probably buy it, but only if it improves the show for the audience!

Trust me . . . . you will know when it’s time to change your vehicle!

Established since 1995 DJ’s Inc has developed an enviable reputation for providing an Excellent Mobile Disco service within the Corporate Arena, Hotel and private function networks, such as Wedding Receptions and Birthday Parties etc, always maintaining a professional approach no matter what the function.

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Corporate, Casino, Wedding & Birthdays

Have you ever caught yourself reminiscing of times passed, and just thought about how fast life goes by? Are you generally pleased with what you remember, or are you usually left feeling you could have done more with your time?

I remember in primary school when I was playing on the swings with friends without a care in the world, all that mattered to me back then was how far I could reach on the monkey bars without falling off (five bars was my highest if my memory serves me correctly). As it was towards the end of the year, we had just seen our new teachers for the following year, and we were pretty excited about growing up. My cousin, who was a year older than me (and I guess still is a year older than me) approached me on the swings and exclaimed, “How fast has the year gone?!” I had just finished grade 3.

Fast forward several years and I have seen things I never would have dreamt of seeing, I have been places I never would have dreamt of being, and I have accomplished things I never would have dreamt of achieving. I look back and I know if I had the choice I would not change anything about my past, all the ups and especially the downs. But I know that there are still things I want to see, places I want to be, things I want to accomplish in the future.

What do you want to accomplish in the future? Where do you want to visit? What do you want to do? What do you want out of your career? How much life do you want in your life?

Here are some suggestions on how you can stay focused on your dreams and how you pack more life into your life:

Define your goal:

Would you get onto a car and just start driving without knowing what your destination would be? Would you start walking around without knowing where you were going, or why you were walking? No. Why would you want to move around aimlessly, not knowing when you would reach your destination because you don’t have one, when you could be doing something constructive with your time, like moving towards your dreams?

Would you be happy with a life that had no destination and no purpose? You need to define your goals and drive towards them. Don’t walk around life aimlessly, without direction and without purpose. Discover your purpose now.

Turn negatives into positives:

One of the key factors that holds most people back from achievement is the opinions of others. These can be destructively negative and can prevent you from progressing towards your goals, but only if you allow it to do so. If you believe in your goals, and want to accomplish them bad enough, you will use these negative words as motivation. Use it as the fuel for the fire that burns inside you to prove them wrong. Prove the doubters wrong, and show them what is possible. Don’t let anybody ever try to take your dreams away from you.

Believe In Yourself:

Regardless of how big or small your goal is, if you don’t believe in your own ability to achieve it, you will not achieve it. If it’s something you have yet to accomplish, but others have in the past, believe that it is also possible for you to accomplish, because after all if anybody can do it, so can you.

Live in the present, not the past, but be conscious of the future:

Do not dwell on past successes and minor setbacks. Be inspired by previous successes, and be motivated to learn from and rectify the mishaps, but take action in the present to accomplish your goals in the future. The past has passed, and nothing can alter what has already passed, so there is no point in dwelling. You need to learn from the past, in order to shape the future.

Only do things that will move you closer to your dreams:

Once you have a purpose and goals to work towards everything you do will either move you closer to your goals, or move you away from your goals. The more actions you take that move you towards your goals the quicker you will achieve your dreams. If one of your goals is to play in the British Open of golf next year, what actions will move you towards that goal; training and improving your game every day, or watching the latest episode of Greenlandish Idol (I’m sure it exists) every day of the week? Before you take any action that you are not sure will move you towards or away form you goals, ask this simple question; will this action move me closer to my goals? If it will, by all means take the action; if it will not, do not take that action, instead find another action that will move you closer to where you want to be.

Have the courage to go get it:

Most people never achieve their goals because they make excuses until the cows come home. I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough money. I don’t know enough. I can’t right now. I’m busy. I’m tired. Enough of the baloney! People make excuses because they are afraid; they are afraid of failure, afraid of embarrassment, afraid of rejection, afraid of isolation…just plain afraid to go get it. It takes some intestinal fortitude to go against the grain and strive towards a goal that only you believe in. But the one who dares to dream and dares to give it everything they have to achieve it, will be the one who succeeds.

This is your life. Only you can live it, why not live the life that you desire, rather than allowing others to influence how you live? There is no practice run for this game called life; this is it. We only get one shot, one shot, and that’s it; take advantage of everything you have and make that shot count. If you have a dream, an all encompassing desire to succeed, hold onto it with all your might, strive towards it, and never let anybody take your dream away.

Simon Lim is the proud owner of http://www.rubama.com, where you can discover your unique purpose in life, and live the life you desire. While you are there, grab your free copy of the ‘501 Greatest Quotes of All Time’ to inspire and motivate you to achieve your dreams