Owning a home is a big step, but think of it as your step toward wealth creation. Granted housing costs have skyrocketed over the past years and could scare even the strongest of hearts. The good news is the housing market is cooling. Housing inventory is up and the demand has decreased. This could be a perfect time to start considering your move toward home ownership. Sellers are becoming more and more flexible and your ability to purchase a home may be closer than you think. I want to help you put some things in perspective. The reasons that some people give for not purchasing a home are plentiful, but lets address some of the most common perceptions of purchasing a home.

I want to wait until I get married- I understand the whole desire to get married, buy a home with a white picket fence, and have some children playing in the back yard, but let’s look at your current situation. Even if your dream mate enters your life there is no set time frame on when that delivery will be. What if you happen to get married later on in life? Just think how much appreciation you could have accumulated over the years.

Okay you’re single and marriage is not something you are interested in. So I will approach it from a tax perspective. In fact if you are single this is all the more reason why you want to look into home ownership. Chances are if you are single with no children, you have no tax deductions. Home ownership can be a wonderful tax deduction.

Let’s say you are a single parent. Consider homeownership as creating a legacy for your child. You are potentially creating an asset that you can pass to your heirs.

I want the house of my dreams and that home isn’t in my price range- Too many people get stuck in the “I want to Buy the House of My Dreams Now.” There is nothing etched in stone that states that the first home you buy has to be the last. Buy something reasonable and allow that assets to work for you. Then you may use your first home to upgrade into the next.

Buying a home is too much upkeep- Home ownership doesn’t have to mean a single family home. You can purchase a town home or condo. Be sure to do research on the resale value of condos in your neighborhoods.

It’s too hard- If that’s what you feel then that is what you will make it. Just imagine all of the tasks or jobs you have done for the first time. When you first stated it may have seemed difficult, but now you are able to do that task along with others. Information has never been so easy to obtain. Use the resources that have been placed right in front of you.

I don’t know where to begin- I am a strong advocate of meeting with people who have already accomplished the goals you wish to accomplish. Ask them how they did. It possible they can give you good referrals to the professionals they used. Also contact the local non-profit agencies in you town that deal with homeownership. Check Fannie Mae website. Many banks offer home ownership initiative to educate first time homeowners.

I’m too old or I’m too young- Please. You never are too old or young to start acquiring assets. Age wasn’t an issue when you were purchasing liabilities so now what’s your excuse?

I don’t long how long I am going to stay in the area- Well you might stay longer than you anticipated and now you have just wasted time. Also there is no rule book that you have to keep the house you buy forever. You can S-E-L-L it. When you are ready to move you have the option to sell or rent it.

My parents lost their home when I was a child and now I am scared to even attempt-That is not a prediction of your future life. Life events happen. People lose a loved one, get divorced, lose there job, etc. But think about it like this, if you are in need of money and you live in an apartment with no assets you don’t have many options. However if you own a home you can sell it and use the proceeds to assist in your situation or if you have ample equity in your home you can take a short term line or credit to assist with you in your situation.

I can’t afford it-I think I hear this excuse the most. However you may just need some assistance in thinking outside the box. Think of shopping for your home like you would shop for shoes. Potentially you could pay full price, but don’t you feel better when you get them on sale?! The same philosophy can be applied to shopping for your home. Consider ways to buy your home on “sale”. Research foreclosure auctions in your neighborhood. Consider relocating to an area where homes are cheaper. You could even reach out to home owners in your desired neighborhood. It’s possible that you may find a homeowner that may have flexible terms and can offer you a more reasonable price because they may not have to pay real estate commissions.

All in all home ownership is only as scary as you make it. How much research did you do to find your last apartment? Did you find apartments that were out of your price range, too large, or too small? Did you find other neighborhoods that you liked more than others? All in all you finally found that place where you lay your head and rest your tired toes. Well, looking for a home is no different. I promise we will continue to deal with this issue in further detail. I can spend hours discussing home ownership. Hopefully this has peeked your interested and left you receptive to new possibilities.

Cinnamon McCann is the creative creator of Financial Fashion House, a financial education website for women. The purpose of the website is to provide financial education in a trendy and exciting format. It is also intended to provide an environment where women can network and feel inspired. Visit her at http://www.financialfashionhouse.com.

Corporate branding!! Have you ever given a prime thought to what corporate branding means does? If not try it, Branding means process by which true character and purpose of the company or organization is communicated. And it starts with corporate logo.
Corporate logo makes a mark on customers. A well designed logo gives any company or organization a higher edge against the competitor.

Brand identity guru Wally olins says “Brands are the tools with which companies seek to build and retain customer loyalty. Because that often requires expensive advertising and good marketing, a strong brand can raise both prices and barriers to entry.”

Designing may seems very easy task but designing a brand is very creative, thoughtful and logical approach for any business houses. Implementing the core values and company purpose in a symbol takes a lot and it makes a vast difference if your corporate logo says everything about your business.

What do you need to know while designing a brand?

When you are thinking of brand it’s a symbol, name, term, design, punch line, services and combination of all. Brand means giving your company a edge.

Describing href="http://www.go4logo.net">brand design in detail, Paul Barlow says, “Brand design encompasses a vast array of design disciplines, from traditional graphic skills to digital design, broadcast animation, retail, interiors and even architecture. Now products themselves are coming under the wing of brand design as each and every manifestation of an organization starts to communicate the brand values”.

The elements involved in making a corporate logo

The most important aspect in brand logo creation is “color”

Color

Attract customer. use colors which is noticeable as red, yellow, black or any bright color. Powerful colors not only represent its strength but also its stability. or example, the design of XEROX - The Document Company uses blue, black, red, yellow and green circles, which explains color when you need it.

Style

Style matters a lot, what do you want to convey through your logo. The launch campaign for Hutch by Ogilvy uses minimalist aesthetics to powerful effect- the large, blank “white spaces” with a tight close-up of a smiling face, and a crisp, bold “Hi” was striking.

Border

Use of special theme and establish a new identity in ever-present way. Take the jingles of Nescafe or Titan. Airtel reached to new frontiers in branding when it unveiled A R Rehman’s catchy signature theme and used it to actually define the brand.

So all these things comprises and makes the best corporate logo. So href="http://www.go4logo.net">corporate branding services from where you are taking should matter and you should always

Logo design expert
href="http://www.go4logo.net">corporate branding services

Once upon a time, the CEO of an outsourcing company decided to take an international tour to visit the company’s clients, prospects, investors and well wishers. Here are some excerpts from the CEO’s diary on his travels:

Breakfast with Client A

Client A: “We like your company because you’re so focused.”
CEO: Our goal is to always remain focused and provide you ‘value added’ services.
Client A: But, we feel your company is too small and we do not want to be a big part of your business…
CEO: Our goal is to grow this company aggressively so that you are one of ten large clients, not the only large client
Client A: But, we do not want you to grow that large, because we may not continue to get such customized service
CEO: Our goal is neither to grow so large that we cannot provide you with customized service nor to remain so small that you become a large part of our business
Client A: What size are you looking at then?
CEO: A couple thousand people over a couple years
Client A: Our other vendor with a few thousand employees is not able to provide us with the type of service you are providing, so we do not want you to grow too large. But we don’t want you to remain too small either…
CEO (sighs inwardly): You’ve had awful weather in the past few days with all the rain, snow, wind…
Client A: How is the weather in India?
CEO: Hot. We do have rain spells that cause havoc…
Client A: Will that affect my operations?
CEO: Not once in the last 6 monsoons. We provide transportation to all employees.
Client A: What if your transportation breaks down?

Lunch with Client B

Client B: We like your company because you are focused, and you provide value added services.
CEO: Our goal is to always remain focused and provide you ‘value added’ services
Client B: But, we have other vendors in India who offer to do this job for much less.
CEO: Have you looked at their track record
Client B: No
CEO: The outsourcing story is littered with failures of arrangements that went wrong because of people not having the right partner in India.
Client B: We too had a partner earlier, and we had to terminate that relationship because they had very poor quality, did not understand our requirements, had some billing problems, training problems, attrition problems, management problems…
CEO: I assume you do not see any of those problems with our company.
Client B: Not at all; your team is very dedicated, goes above and beyond to meet our volume spikes, and the quality and productivity are better than our in-house operations.
CEO: I am glad to hear that.
Client B: But, we have other vendors who offer to do this job for much less…
CEO: How can I help?
Client B: We want your quality and responsiveness at the price of those other vendors whose names I cannot recollect.
CEO: (sighs inwardly) you’ve had awful weather in the past few days with all the rain, snow, wind…

Dinner with Client C

Client C: We like your company because you are focused, and you provide ‘value added’ services.
CEO: Our goal is to always remain focused and provide you ‘value added’ services.
Client C: The recent migration of newer processes was extremely successful, and I am thankful to your team for going above and beyond in making it happen.
CEO: I am glad to hear that. Did you have a chance to review pricing internally, because it has been around 3 years since we discussed pricing?
Client C: Yes, we feel that you are definitely priced much better than our other operations in India.
CEO: I am glad to hear that.
Client C: I am happy to escalate the issue internally.
CEO: Thank you. You had mentioned you were to discuss internally last month.
Client C: Yes, I did. Everyone agrees that your price is very competitive compared to the excellent quality you provide.
CEO: Yes, this is why I am hoping for a review in the pricing
Client C: But our lawyers think that contracts cannot be amended mid-term
CEO: We just amended our contract last month to include the newer processes.
Client C: Yes, but that was the SOW (statement of work). Our lawyers say that pricing cannot be amended mid-term
CEO: Actually, it is just one line in Appendix C where we refer to pricing, so it is just one number that needs to change.
Client C: I agree. But, the lawyers say it cannot be done
CEO: (sighs inwardly) you’ve had awful weather in the past few days with all the rain, snow, wind…

Next Morning Board Meeting:

Board Member A: We’ve got some great feedback from some industry sources that our clients are very happy with your work
CEO: I am glad to hear that.
Board Member B: It seems you delivered your 6th year of profitable operations.
CEO: Yes, we always look at our bottom line.
Board Member A: Yes, but you need to look at the top line as well. We need to add a thousand people this year.
CEO: We are looking at acquisitions.
Board Member A: Think big, think large acquisitions. We need to add a thousand people this year…
CEO: That is our goal.
Board Member B: Most acquisitions fail.
CEO: We are building an experienced sales team as well.
Board Member B: Most sales teams fail and use up too much money.
CEO: We are building alliances with consultants and advisors who can recommend us
Board Member B: Most alliances fail.
CEO: We are on track to grow our current clients by at least 50% this year.
Board Member B: Yes, but you cannot be overly dependent on the few existing clients.
Board Member A: We need to add a thousand people this year…
CEO: We have figured out a way to add a thousand people this year without investing in a large sales team, alliances, acquisitions or growing our current clients too much.
Board Member B: Most ‘figured out’ ways fail
CEO: We are planning to hire a senior executive to run our operations so I can start selling more.
Board Member B: Yes, but that will increase costs, and most senior executives do not work as hard as you do.
Board Member A: We need to add a thousand people this year…We’re hearing great things from our clients.
CEO: (sighs inwardly) you’ve had awful weather in the past few days with all the rain, snow, wind…

And this is how the funny world of outsourcing plays out over and over again in boardrooms, client meetings and investor forums. And they all live happily ever after…

Kaushal Mehta, the author, is the Founder and Chairman of Motif, Inc. a specialized BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) company providing rules based and decision intensive back office transaction processing services, customized email response services and internet research & analytics to global clients.

Tobacco is grown because the leaves serve a few purposes. They can be smoked. They can be chewed. They can be sniffed. It becomes addictive because of the chemical called Nicotine.

Tobacco is not harmless as once was believed. It contains at least 19 chemicals known to cause cancer. It gets even worse. There are well over 4,000 more chemicals such as acetone, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and cyanide. It also contains methane, propane, and butane.
It’s been reported that the number of smokers is down however, the users of smokeless tobacco alternatives is ever increasing.

The effects of nicotine are many and could eventually cause permanent damage to health and even death. It is a very highly addictive agent that changes mood and behavior.
It stimulates the central nervous system. Epinephrine is increased and stimulates the brain’s pleasure center. It affects bowel function, saliva production, and increases bronchial secretions. This results in the feeling of relaxation during stressful events that many feel.

Diabetics should not smoke because nicotine can cause blood glucose (sugar) levels to rise. It also makes Insulin levels go up. Other issues related to nicotine are the occurrence of several kinds of cancer, heart disease, respiratory problems such as emphysema, and
blood clots such as aneurysms and stroke. For pregnant women there could be dire circumstances for their babies. Many are born with low birth weights and are at risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Miscarriage, premature labor and births, and also the infant may be born still born. This is definitely not a pretty picture.

Countless people have tried to quit and couldn’t and others ask why should they?

If you quit smoking you can improve or even reverse some of the complications that come from nicotine addiction. Many are now turning to a smokeless tobacco alternative, chewing tobacco. This is no less a problem in fact users of chewing tobacco have a risk of getting mouth cancer 50 times greater than non-users.

A healthier smokeless tobacco alternative is to turn to herbal products. They are pure herbs, perfectly legal, and they work. They can be purchased in traditional smoke shops but from online smoke shops as well.

Herbal chews are a mixture of herbs or a single herb that is used as a smokeless tobacco alternative. One online smoke shop (see below) is outstanding in its products, its guaranteed quality of herbs, and their desire that people become healthy in mind, body, and spirit.

Their products including tobacco and nicotine herbal chews are pure herbs and botanicals.
They will consult with a person to find the appropriate herb or herbal mix to meet that person’s specific needs. Always consult your doctor to be on the safe side.

Discover the herbal smoke blends we personally use - http://www.herbal-smoke-shop-guide.com

After years of research in to herbal blends, we have found that our herbal blends of choice contain some of the most natural and purest herbs in the world, especially
when it comes to manufacturing these herbal blends.

Jean Helmet is one of the editors at a collection of nutritional and herbal web sites, you can learn more about herbal smoke at our website - Herbal Smoke Shop.

There are many router extensions for table saws on the market today. The arts and crafts era helped these come into many home shops and garages. Many people use these saws to create fine crafts and furniture. Your handiwork may well depend on one of these fine saws.

Most come with a cast iron table that is precision-ground and polished to a fine mirror finish. Left tilting blade prevents stock from binding between the blade and fence, very much reducing the possibility of kickback. Left tilting blade also aids in making clean mitre cuts leaving any tear-out on the bottom side of the workpiece. Wide stanced, heavy-duty, one piece trunnion has a C-flange mount, relieving weight at the saw arm pivot shaft and promoting easier raising and tilting of saw blade T-slot for standard mitre gauge. Exclusie 3VX belt drive distributes torque more efficiently and generates less heat while operating virtually vibration-free magnetic controls. Most router extension for table saws are available with 30 inch or 50 inch to the right cutting capacity.

Table saws are the workhorse of any shop. You should always buy the most router extension saw you can afford. Experts agree that since it is used the most, you should invest the most money in a router extension for table saws. Purchase yours from a reputable company that manufactures a wide range of saws , blades and accessories. Many companies make precision low cost, high quality panel saws, panel routers, saw tables, routing tables and knife cutters. The panel saws are usable right out of the crate. A unique carriage allows switchable tool plates for knife or router and other saws. This makes it ideal for the professional signmaker or wood worker.

You can customize your router extension for tabl saws to your exact needs. When your needs change, you can upgrade your router extension saw by adding additional inserts or frame extension options. There are ten foot wide welded frames available for the 52 inch, 64 inch, and 76 inch cross cut full size models. You can use a router extension for table saws in the same panel saw to take care of all your sheet cutting needs. This would save a sign shop the cost of a mat cutter. You can easily replace a saw or damaged part. This eliminates long down time and lost production time. It also eliminates the need to replace the whole panel saw.

With a router extension for table saws you will want a good sturdy table. Find one that is 75 degrees forward sweep to allow the dust to fall away from the cutting area and eliminate the possibility of misalignment from dust. Sealed bearings on carriage and router insert make the action of the table and machine incredible.

Have you ever tried to use a router extension for table saws to cut a counter top to the size you need? Now it is easy. You can get a 6 foot depth of cut on cross cuts up to 28 inches. You can even choose the direction you want to cut. Cut away from you or cut towards you, like a radial arm saw. Some have unique fencing systems to guard against dust also. Many wonderful saws are on the market for your choosing in this age of arts and crafts and home furniture building.

Johnathon is a professional carpenter for over 20 years and has experience in helping customers renovate their homes. Johnathon is woodwork enthusiast who works with jigsaws, table saws, circular saws and many other varieties of saws. Visit his specialty site on table saws at http://www.szaws.com

There are hundreds if not thousands of manufacturers of drinking water filters. Most produce filters that reduce chlorine only. Only a few manufacturers produce filters that actually effectively reduce numerous contaminants in addition to chlorine. No water filter removes 100 percent of any chemical contaminant.

Quality is the key factor when it comes to water filters. A quality filtration system will not only provide you with better, purer, and healthier water than a cheap filter, but will also save you money in the long run.

Filter lifespan is very important. Look for filters that have a lifespan of at least 6 months or longer. Replacement filters can be expensive. A long life filter will save you money. Compare replacement filter cost also.

Another thing to question is how long has the manufacturer been in business? Will they be there when you need a replacement filter? If they have been in business for a number of years, 10 at least, they more than likely will be there for you when you need to replace your filter or need a part for your system.

Determine what you are trying to accomplish by using a filter. Chlorine reduction only? Bacteria? Or, do you want to effectively reduce bacterial cysts, chlorine and a wide range of chemical and organic contaminants? Do you want to remove the healthy minerals from your water?

Determine Technology – There are a number of different technologies when it comes to water filters. Loose Carbon, Carbon Block, Ultraviolet Lighting, Reverse Osmosis and Distillation.

Loose Carbon – This is a bacteria factory. Loose carbon allows oxygen to exist within the filter which encourages, in fact enhances the growth of bacteria. These filters are very cheap to purchase, but expensive in the long run because the filters have to be replaced frequently.

Distillation – Can be effective on bacteria, sediments, solids, and any organic or chemical contaminant that will not evaporate. Many contaminants, especially many chemical contaminants found in water today will evaporate.

Ultraviolet lighting can effectively kill bacteria. This type of technology should be used in addition to a quality filter.

Reverse Osmosis – Reverse Osmosis is a membrane which reduces radium, fluoride and numerous other contaminants to a high degree, but it does have limitations. This type of technology can be used in addition to a quality filter which will increase the range of effectiveness. Reverse Osmosis does remove the healthy minerals from water.

Solid Carbon Block – This type of filtration reduces the widest range of chemical contaminants to a very high degree. Some are higher quality than others. The density and quality of the carbon determine the effectiveness. Water passes through a high quality solid carbon block as a molecule instead of a drop. This means all the water touches the carbon. Therefore all the water is subject to proper filtration. Look for a carbon block which will reduce contaminants to at least 1 micron. The smaller the number the better.

Now that you know what you are looking for, how do you know which filters will do the job? NSF International (National Sanitation Foundation) tests and certifies that water filtration products meet certain standards and do exactly as the manufacturer claims. The NSF Certification will show you exactly which contaminants the filter will reduce and to what extent. You can find the certification data on any certified water filter by inquiring at www.nsf.org or by requesting the certification from the manufacturer. Never consider buying a water filter that is not certified by NSF.

Consumer Digest is also a good source for information when comparing water filters. Consumer Digest actually compares water filters and rates them accordingly. Cost – Filter Life – Effectiveness – etc.

For more information regarding water filters and drinking water see:

http://www.supremedrinkingwatersolutions.com
http://www.epa.org
http://www.cdc.org
http://www.nrdc.org

Patti Wilson
Drinking Water Consultant
St Augustine, Florida
http://www.supremedrinkingwatersolutions.com
Email – patti@supremedrinkingwatersolutions.com

Hummingbirds build small nests to lay their eggs and don’t actually live in a hummingbird house such as we think of with other bird houses. You can offer a nesting platform in a well chosen location to attract the hummingbirds where they will build their nest. The important thing is to know the specific needs of the hummingbirds.

The most important matter to a hummingbird is the climate. The hummingbirds must migrate far enough north that the temperature will not get hot enough to cook their eggs. Female hummingbirds often arrive at their destination already carrying their eggs and start building their nest immediately.

Also important to a hummingbird ready to build a nest is to find a location out of the wind. A strong wind will blow the eggs out of a hummers nest so the birds will look for a protected location to build. They generally build in places sheltered by trees or buildings.

They prefer to build in larger leafed trees six to twelve feet from the ground or in the shelter of buildings. The birds will use the leaves to protect the nests from sun and rain and prying eyes. They build the nest in the fork of branches about 1/4″ in diameter. These small branches offer the protection of not being able to support the weight of a curious cat.

Nesting platforms can be purchased or made and placed in an appropriate location. Some commercial ones attach to the bottom side of the eaves of a building and curve downward in a hook shape. The hummers require a forked area to build their nest and an anchor point to firmly attach the nest. Be sure to locate your nesting platform on the side of the building best sheltered from the wind.

The antics of hummingbirds are a treat to watch. When you can watch the hummers build a nest and raise their young, it is amazing. It may take several tries to find the right location and nesting platform, but it is well worth the wait.

Copyright 2007 - Alice Scott

Alice Scott and her daughter, Michele Redmond, enjoy gardening, water gardening, and bird watching and offer an informational website on Bird Feeders and Bird Houses. They offer information on attracting all sorts of birds with feeders and houses. If you’re looking for a project, or just want to attract birds to your yard, visit their site for lots of ideas. They also offer an informational website on gardening, concrete lawn ornaments, ponds and pondless waterfalls, furniture refinishing, and problems with medical bills at Ask Missy Boo.

Profiting with Google Adsense has long been a great way for Internet entrepreneurs to bring in lots of cash. Content may be king, but there are other factors which you can control and affect that can instantly boost your Adsense income overnight.

Publishing is a great business and you can make money while doing what you love with Adsense. Here are 4 surefire tips to increase your Adsense profits…

1) Make your ads blend in

It’s been proven that having your ads blend with your background and overall color scheme of your site helps improve the click through rates dramatically. Although many may think that contrasting colors work better, research has proven otherwise. If you force your ads on your visitors, they won’t click through. So blend in your ads with the rest of your site.

2) Add in variety

Have a number of different ad formats on your website. The two best converting ad formats are the thin skyscraper and the thin border. These two formats are time-tested to bring in the most clicks.

3) Place your ads on the left hand side and the top

It’s been proven that people’s eyes start looking from the left first. So by placing your ads on the left, there is a higher likelihood that your ads will get clicked upon. Also, the top is a great place, as that’s why many visitor’s eyes move towards. The bottom is obviously one of the worst places to place ads if Adsense is your main revenue strategy.

4) Use text links if possible

Try not to use image ads because these don’t get the click through as well as they used to. Users are now ‘banner blind’ and relate more to informative text links. So give it to them!

With these 4 tips at your fingertips, it’s very possible for you to double or triple your Adsense earnings quickly and easily. Go implement them today!

Fabian Tan makes a short trip to his office everyday – his home! In 2006, he ‘murdered’ his job and now earns a solid income online. Go behind the scenes to discover more of his job-killing strategies and secrets at href="http://www.murderyourjob.com">MurderYourJob.com

People say you’re the result of the choices you’ve made. Today. Yesterday. Day after day. And there’s plenty of evidence for that. Yes, even when you feel your decisions were forced against your will … you can trace them back to a set-up where you made a choice that seemed innocent enough … routine … even careless at the time, that ultimately put you in the place where you feel you “had no choice.”

I know … you may have to accept ideas like Karma to apply this concept to things like birth defects and ghastly situations a person was born into before he or she could exercise free will … or make anything resembling a conscious choice. But if the mystics are right … and the decision to be born is one you make with Spirit and your Higher Self … then you are still where you are today because of your choices. Whether you delight in … or regret … those decisions is another matter.

You make choices every day. Hundreds, perhaps. Some, as I said, are innocent enough. They spin themselves out harmlessly, with no clear consequences. Or do they? Often it’s impossible to know. Did your decision to touch the car’s brake just a bit ahead of time give you the extra margin of time and safety to avoid an accident a mile further down the road because you weren’t “in the wrong place at the wrong time” … which you would have been otherwise?

Did your decision to let somebody into traffic ahead of you put him inside the convenience store … his destination … during the exact two minutes it was being robbed — and he was shot for surprising the thief in his crime? Or maybe his sudden appearance threw the thief into such disarray he fled the store without shooting anyone. Of course, there’s no way to know.

Every day life’s direction turns on choices like these. You … the other guy … people you never meet and will never know … are impacted for better or worse by the choices of strangers — made without a second thought. Our choices are done by habit, by rote. But what if, say, once a day we took a moment to turn an automatic choice into a conscious choice? It would take some time and thought, but it wouldn’t ruin your whole schedule … or even be noticed by anyone who knows you.

What if you made a resolution … a pact with yourself … to do one kind, anonymous thing every day. Doesn’t have to be huge … or expensive … but it also can’t be something you get applause and credit for. Something like holding the door for a stranger. (In these days of post-women’s-lib … this doesn’t happen to me anymore very often at all.) Yes, sure, the stranger can smile and say “thanks” (or maybe not … I’ve had that happen, too.) We won’t really count that as “recognition and credit.”

But you can’t make a big deal of holding the door … and if they don’t acknowledge your courtesy … you don’t get to feel snubbed. What you do need to do is silently bless them … sincerely wish them well in you heart … and send them on their way. Even if they don’t give you a backward glance. Accept as an act of faith that you’ve made a positive difference for them … somewhere … even subliminally … and let that be your reward.

Send an anonymous card of encouragement, support, or praise to someone whose character you admire … or whose life could use a little spark of sunshine. Don’t sign it. Disguise your handwriting. This needs to be anonymous … remember. Add the silent blessing I mentioned … as part of the goodness you give. Take the soft drink cup somebody left on the sidewalk, the railing, the bus stop bench … and throw it in the trash. Bless both the person who could use a few more manners … and the person you’ve saved from having to do the job because you didn’t. (Consider that a two-fer. An anonymous gift in two directions.)

Maybe it will be hard to find “something nice to do” a lot of days in a row. Maybe it will be fun getting creative about this private little ritual of spreading pieces of help and happiness … like one of those nameless angels on earth we hear about now and again. Most interesting of all will be to watch how you react and change through the conscious choices you make … and the events you set in motion … and what you think and feel about what you’ve done, because you will change. These choices, too, will affect you.

And where will the ripples and repercussions of these choices go? What will these small random acts of kindness and your silent blessings do … sprinkled through life day after day? How will they touch the lives of people you may never know. I wonder. And I’m sure in time … so will you.

(c) 2007 by Enchanted Spirit, Inc. All rights reserved.

Have you ever wondered how you could get powerful abs like a boxer in the shortest time possible?

Well I can show you a tool that will give you not only punch proof ads but it exercises your back, your abs, and arms all at the same time.

And best of all you can get for almost the price of a movie ticket.

This wonderful tool is called the abdominal wheel.

Once you use it, you will never want to do sit ups again.

I will not tell you that it easy to use because initially it is not. The first time I tried the abdominal wheel my stomach hurt for 3 days. The small and simple contraption worked my core and upper body in way that I had never experienced before, so I was not surprised about the soreness. And for this reason I will say the ab wheel should probably only be used by people that are truly serious about getting a powerful midsection like a boxer.

After using the ab for a wheel for a couple of weeks you can expect not only to have a stronger stomach but you will also have a limber back, and your triceps will be stronger.

And the best part about this tool is that it is so small that you can easily pack it in your gym bag to take to the gym or you can easily pack it in a suitcase for business trips. And did I mention that is was almost the same price as a movie ticket. I just spotted one for $7.87.

If you are serious about getting a strong ripped stomach for the beach this summer then you should get an ab wheel today to use along with your cardio program.

You will not be disappointed.

Tony specializes in using combat conditioning exercises to help you improve your strength, flexibility, and endurance. You can find more tips at http://www.MyrmidonsFitness.com