A Clever Spell

“When I saw my Oncologist not too long ago, I told him “I feel like a low-flying albatross is circling over my head.”

I was diagnosed with Stage IV advanced Malignant Melanoma that was predicted to take my life by September this year — upon diagnosis back in February.

The problem with cancer is that unlike other diseases, you’re not likely to feel pain until after the cancer has grown to a point where, if malignant, might be too advanced and decrease your chance of survival.

Worse yet, at least in my case, their seemed to be a mass exodus of friends and support as soon as I started looking sick. For almost a year, while trying to find a surgeon who would remove a tumor on my shoulder that had now grown upward to over 5 cm. It was constantly bleeding and the fluid it produced was also effecting other areas of my body via the subcutaneous layer of the skin.

At times, it felt like razor blades were slicing my veins in both arms.”

I believe, in hindsight, that had it not been for the fact that I simply didn’t have the resources, I would have taken my life.

Finally, in February this year (the cancer became intolerable 6-months previous), I had lucked out and finally was referred to an aggressive surgeon who wasted no time in treatment.

February, March and April encompassed three separate surgeries. By June, I had felt like a different person. After you’re sick for so long and then you feel like a person you’d almost forgot, it’s an incredible feeling.

Sadly, that was short lived. By September, I noticed the weight I had gained back was beginning to drop, my energy level had waned and I feel pain constantly within my shoulder — approximately 15 lymph nodes were removed along with the tumor.

I was scheduled for the all the periodic Pet scans, CTs, MRIs a few months ago, but decided not to have it done. “If something is found, most likely it means more surgery and this time it’s likely to be in a less convenient area than before.” Moreover, it also means that it had definitely metastasized and the likely-hood of survival was moot.

This ‘head-in-the-sand’ attitude is extremely dumb on my part; however, unless you have cancer, you wouldn’t understand.

On a positive note, I’m working hard to regain my ‘Pink Bubble’, if just for a while.

Jeff Senna lives in Southern California and prior to an early retirement was a Writer/Reviewer for InfoWorld Media Group/Test Center in San Franciso Ca.

With the recent credit crunch, petrol prices increasing and the cost of food going up many of us are looking at ways to save as much money as possible.

In line with doing this many are switching their shopping to online. Rather than spending money getting into town and traipsing around the shops they are using their favourite shops websites to do their shopping.

However not many people realise that they could be spending much more than necessary on their shopping!

There are many extra ways to save money shopping online.

Voucher codes

Simply enter the code that you have found (these are quite easy to find online) and you often receive free delivery, or a percentage off of your total shop.

Cash back offers - A percentage off!

Do your shopping through certain portable websites and you can easily save money. These cash back offers give you a percentage off of your total shop. This can be just 5 or 10% but the savings still add up!

Cash back offers - A lump sum

Working in a similar way to the percentage off offers. Do your shopping online through the saver website and you can receive a lump sum cash credit to your account.

We all know that there are many, many benefits to shopping online, however not all of us realise just how easy it is to save even more money!

Go here for more solutions for voucher codes, saving money and cash back shopping. www.discountshoppinguk.co.uk/resources

Classified ads do not have the big market appeal that a full color display ad has, but they are still one of the most economical ways to get your business into the public eye. And, because classifieds do not demand expensive eye-catching designs or ingenious wording that you often see in direct-mail campaigns, they are a perfect marketing avenue for even new entrepreneurs. Here are some tips to help you write ads that will make the difference between mediocre ads to great ads that get good or even exceptional results.

Keep It Short

Ads that are short and precise have better results. Use white space to make your classified ad stand out from the rest of the listings. Look at the local classifieds and you will see that this works especially well for newspapers. With a little care you can apply the same concept to online ads,

Place just a few words in each line with: 1) the first line listing a benefit the reader will receive; 2) the second line containing the name of your company; 3) the third line your address or email. This results in a striking, centered ad surrounded by white space.

If you are placing an online classified ad and do not have the capability to insert line breaks or center the text, then you will need to keep the text short and use key words to attract the reader to your ad.

Goal of Placing Your Ad

The goal of placing your ad should only be to get the customer to click through to your site for more information. If your listing does not elicit that response, then you should rework it until it does.

Action Words

Use action words that will prompt a response from the reader. For example, words such as: amazing, attractive, confidential, etc., are all words that compel the reader to do something. There are a many resources available; one that I found to be particularly useful is Words That Sell, by Richard Bayan.

Unique Appeal

You want to make your product or service appear unique to all other products or services on the market (if any). Spend a few minutes to identify what is unique about your product or service or solicit feedback from friends or family about what would appeal to them should they need a product or service such as yours. Use this uniqueness to appeal to the market in the ad.

Do Not Try to Sell Your Reader

Whatever you do, do not try to sell your reader on your ad. What you DO want to do is evoke a response using action words. The ad is meant to entice them and evoke an action from them to return to your site and then prompt a sale(s) of your product(s).

Spark Interest and Curiosity

Using a combination of the title and the text or body of the ad you want to spark an interest or curiosity in your ad or product. Use the title to grab the interest and attention of the reader and the ad, or text body, to spark curiosity. You want to generate enough curiosity to have them act in response to your ad.

Avoid Saturated Ads and Products

If your product is already over-marketed on the Internet or your ad is one that is “canned” or pre-prepared you are less likely to achieve good results. Develop your ad so that it is unique, draws the attention of the reader and then guides them to your site or product that is also unique and fresh.

This does not mean that you should not sell information products, for example, which are in overabundance on the Internet market. Instead, think of one type of e-book or information product you can develop that will stand out from the others and meet some need that has prompted the reader to start searching.

Avoid Hype

Nothing is appealing about an advertiser that resorts to hype, threats, or false innuendo about their product. Avoid hype or false representation at all costs. I cannot emphasize this enough. Internet users have grown up and have become savvy, intelligent buyers and are not interested in purchasing products that are hyped. Just state the real facts and use some sound business principles and marketing methods to get the job done well.

Be Organized

Do not underestimate the power behind having a schedule for posting your ads. Post the same ads every 5-7 days. No more. No less. This will keep your ads in front of the readers and you will avoid being black-listed for spamming. Spamming is an incredible annoyance that is truly deterring good customers from Internet buying. Simply do not send SPAM!

Let’s Wrap This Up

These simple and easy-to-use tips can make the difference between ads that deliver mediocre results or those that deliver eye-boggling, heart-pounding results. You will need to develop your own style for writing your ads and then practice, practice, practice. Few of us were born with the ability to write a “super” ad right away. Most of us have had to practice, watch for results and then tweak the ad to get the results we have wanted. Do not be discouraged if you find yourself in this group too, you’ll be a part of a much bigger group of entrepreneurs. What is important is that you learn from each ad and campaign that you send out. If you can infuse these simple steps into your advertising campaigns you will be well on your way to posting classified ads that get results!

REPRINTS AND PERMISSION

You have permission to reprint or use this article in your eZine or newsletter with the agreement that it will not be modified in any way, reprinted exactly as shown here, and links back to the author site (see Author Bio box) are displayed. Please send courtesy email indicating your intent to use this article to mw@RegistryAds.com.

Michele Webb is living proof that an “ordinary” person can be a successful Netpreneur who successfully launched a classified advertising website in a highly specialized niche market. Visit her website at http://RegistryAds.com or send email to mw@RegistryAds.com

The road snakes behind me through the mountains and wide-open spaces beneath a sunset sky.

My Lexus, purring like a kitten, leaps along the road like a dog trying to escape the dogcatcher!

The road before me unfolds like a rope into the distant horizon.

The landscape flies by me and around me like missiles across the sky!

My Lexus rolling over the hills like a roller coaster gone mad!

Behind me the darkness of the past.

Before me the light of the future.

WARP SPEED AHEAD!

He’s mouth was closed tight like a bear trap, if you talked about anything but cars!

But if you talked cars, suddenly his mouth was an exploding volcano, spewing words like hot lava all over you!

What are your thoughts on the politics dad?

Suddenly his mouth becomes a clam! His voice deserts him, his shoulders shrug, as “I don’t know” struggles from his lips like a rabbit from a python’s grip!

I could never read my dad’s mind like a book; not because it was filled with blank pages!

Maybe he only wrote on certain pages.

Or maybe he kept the ones he wrote on to himself.

At any rate, it’s hard to get to know your dad

If all he lets you read, is THE COVER OF HIS BOOK!

Copyright 2001 El-Veasey Publishing

VC L. Veasey is a musican, songwriter, producer and counselor
http://www.blackmerda.com
email: vclveasey at yahoo.com<

In deep peeling, phenol one of the strong chemicals is used. Phenol can be dangerous for those having cardiac problems. You must tell your doctor about any physical condition you have before going for phenol peels.

This kind of deep peeling is used to remove pre cancerous lesions, large skin blots or blotches, and deeper wrinkles. This peel can be performed only on the face and should be carried out under hospital setting. Normally this peeling is carried out under full anesthesia. The time of treatment may vary and it may take up to two hours for the whole treatment. After application of phenol solution, your doctor will apply tape over the treated are to drive phenol deeper in the skin.

Most of the times, with phenol peeling, skin loses its ability to tan- it stops making pigment that protects you from sun. You may have to therefore use sun protection all your life. This kind of peeling is not recommended for dark skinned people and it may be two to three weeks before you go back to public. Total recovery may take months. This peel may leave a line by demarcation because it lightens the skin substantially. Your skin may remain red for weeks till it turns back to its own pink color. Phenol peeling produces dramatic results, but you should be prepared to undergo the trouble associated with it and the time needed to recover fully.

We must note that any treatment that improves skin does not stop further ageing. it only removes some of the damage that comes with skin from your old skin and gives you a better looking and fresh skin. Unless you protect yourself, your new skin will age as fast as the earlier skin did.

A problem often encountered in having a job is that bosses give more work to their employees than is realistic. In all fairness though, the employers are paying them to work for their company and the worker can do nothing about it but to follow. This is known as an autocratic style, where the manager makes all decisions and you obey them.

But why stick to these jobs if you can have an opportunity to have a business on your own. A business that can be run from your home can work because no bosses or superiority issues arise. This kind of business is called a home-based business.

This home-based business opportunity can be done at home without the presence of demanding bosses and superiors. It is a new kind of work that provides an opportunity for a person who does not want to be employed or a person who cannot find a job for himself. But before a person can be successful in this kind of business, he should conduct serious research, or find a company who has already carried out such research - such as http://www.workathomeresearch.com

This kind of job can help many individuals, not only those who are jobless but those people who want to earn additional income. One advantage of this job is that it does not usually require a great cost. Although there may be a membership fee, there is no travel expenses needed or food expenses incurred in the line of work. The only thing you should do is to log on to the web and do your work at home.

Sean Clark

Are you planning to take a cruise- tour vacation to Alaska? Princess Cruise Lines has arguably the best Alaskan cruise-tour vacation packages available. Princess has their own sightseeing rail cars to transport you to one of their custom built lodges. To help you in your planning, we have put together a few hints and ideas on how to choose Alaskan cruise-tours.

How Long will I spend in Alaska?

Princess includes a seven night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise on every cruise-tour vacation package. You now need to decide how long you would like to spend exploring the natural beauty of Alaska’s wilderness.

A fascinating three night vacation tour will take you directly to Denali Park for a two night stay at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.

On a four night cruise-tour you can experience some of Alaska’s highlights featuring Denali, Anchorage and Fairbanks. You have the option of staying longer at your favorite destination.

The five night tour is the most popular of all Princess cruise-tour vacation packages. Explore Alaska’s interior at a more relaxed pace.

Six to eight night tours allow plenty of time to leisurely travel and explore the very heartland of Alaska. Perhaps an extended look at the highest peak in North America, Mount McKinley, is on your agenda!

You can of course add extra nights to your stay in Alaska on any of the cruise-tour packages. You can even add a vacation tour package to the Canadian Rockies.

What do I want to see?

The heart of Alaska cruise-tour goes directly to the Denali Park area of heartland Alaska. Alaska Wilderness cruise-tours include Denali with some of the other fascinating areas of Alaska. You can explore the lovely Kenai Peninsula, the history-steeped Copper River Area. Perhaps you would like to cross the Arctic Circle and visit the “Land of the Midnight Sun”. The longer you stay, the more there is to see and do. It’s up to you to decide where to go and what fascinating areas to see.

When will I go?

From May through September, Princess offers their fantastic cruise-tours. You will need to decide, generally, when you would like to go. If wildlife viewing is a big part of your cruise tour, perhaps July would be desirable when the young are emerging. To take advantage of “special” values, perhaps early or late in the season is best. In any case, these are very popular packages and you are well advised to book early.

What cruise to select?

Once you have determined when you would like to enjoy your cruise-tour vacation package, you must check the actual cruise schedule. Find a cruise that sails either before or after your desired tour time. You are now ready to make the next important decision - what stateroom to choose. You must decide whether you would prefer an interior room, an oceanview cabin, a balcony stateroom or a mini-suite.

As was stated earlier, these cruise-tour vacation packages with Princess Cruise Lines are very popular and do sell out. It is best to plan early so that you can take advantage of early booking discounts when available. This also guarantees that you will be able to get your desired cruise date and ship, in your desired stateroom with your desired tour package.

For more information on Princess Alaskan cruise-tours check out some of the other interesting articles including Alaska Cruise and Tours a brief review of the Princess packages.

The very best way to experience all that Alaska has to offer is to enjoy a cruise through the glaciers fields to Alaska where you star your land tour of this vast wilderness. Check out your options, make your decisions based on some or all of the above tips and book your fabulous Alaska cruise and tours on-line. Then all you need to do is get excited!

Brian A Schmidt is the author and publishier of a1-discount-cruises.com. For more articles relating to Alaskan cruises and tours, different cruise itineraries and other cruise related information check out http://www.a1-discount-cruises.com/articles for an article map. Visit http://www.a1-discount-cruises.com to find great discount cruises!

Some husbands have a difficult time keeping an erection and some ladies have astonishingly long sex drives, meaning it will take the woman an extraordinarily long time to climax Because of this difference in sex drives, sex might become an annoying and unsatisfying sexual session. That’s why huge dildos could be helpful. If the man spunks early in the sexual session, or even if the woman just takes longer than her lover, he can continue to penetrate the lady with the slim dildo. That way all sexual activity does not have to end. It gives the male substantial time to charge his energy and keeps the lady horned up. And so when the man is set up to come back into the sexual session, the female will still be aroused enough to accept the man.

Your very most stimulation soft spot is your mind. And as far as tons of feminists won’t admit this, the penis is an ancient symbol of fertility, no matter how big or tiny, it is still associated with power. Penetrating your girlfriend with a huge dildo might well make a fantasy of power activity reality.

Some folks savour the sensation of feeling full in their vagina or back passage. Whenever a marital aid such as a big dildo, penetrates the vagina or back passage, the muscles contract around it. Abounding ladies note the tightening of the aforementioned muscles to be extensively enjoyable. For those who want fantastic pleasure try out Sex Toys and lube from Sex Bomb.

Not all songs are created equal. The type of wedding ceremony music that you choose will be quite different from the wedding reception music. There is also the consideration on the type of wedding you will be having - whether it is a traditional religious ceremony or a less formal occasion, such as a garden wedding or beach wedding. In this article, we are going to be looking at music choices that would fit into a more formal and religious atmosphere.

What Type Of Music Is Needed For Each Segment

In a traditional ceremony arrangement, low-key instrumental music is usually played and begins about a half hour before the ceremony begins. This is called the Prelude. Most times, if you don’t have any real choices in songs, the organist will play the typical wedding selections that other bride’s and groom’s have used. If you wish to pick your own Prelude songs, a few of the more popular choices are:

* Canon in D by Pachelbel

* Air From Water Music by Handel

* Ave Maria by Bach

* Greensleeves by David Chamberlain

* Waltz (from Sleeping Beauty) by Tchaikovsky

* We’ve Only Just Begun by The Carpenters

* Tonight I Celebrate My Love (For You) by Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack

* Breathless by Kenny G

You will then need to choose what music you would prefer for your Processional (as you walk down the aisle). Some brides will elect to have traditional instrumental music such as Canon in D, Ave Maria, and of course the tune that everyone knows: The Wedding March (Here Comes The Bride). However, more and more of today’s brides are chosing tunes from popular song artists. Here is a short list of Processional songs that tend to be favorites:

* Power Of Love by Celine Dion

* What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong and Kenny G

* Endless Love by Lionel Ritchie and Diana Ross

* Grow Old With Me by Mary Chapin Carpenter

* Look At You Girl by Chris Ledoux

* From This Moment On by Shania Twain

* Because you Loved me by Celine Dion

* Only Time by Enya

* This I Swear by Nick Lachey

* Nadia’s Theme by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr.

During the ceremony itself, there will be breaks when you will need to provide solos, hymns or instrumental music, such as when you are signing the register. Some common pieces sung by soloists are:

* Wedding (There Is Love) by Stookey

* Ave Maria by Schubert

* Evergreen by Barbra Streisand

* One Hand, One Heart (West Side Story) by Bernstein and Sondheim

* Sunrise, Sunset (Fiddler on the Roof) by Harnick and Bock

* Ode to Joy by Bethoven

Finally the ceremony ends and the bride and groom turn to leave to the sounds of the Recessional. Here you will want a vibrant, joyous song or instrumental to play. You may choose from classical music or the more popular pop songs of today. A few examples are:

* Wedding March from a Midsummer Night’s Dream by Mendelssohn

* Overture from The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart

* Bridal March by Hollins

* Ode to Joy by Beethoven

* Nothings Going To Stop Us Now by Jefferson Starship

* Beautiful Day by U2

* Walking On Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves

* Forever and Ever, Amen by Randy Travis

Tips For Planning Your Music Selections

Before you select any music, soloists or instrumentalists, you will need to get the answers to certain questions as follows:

1) Speak with your clergy member to find out if the religious venue you are considering provides an organist and/or choir. What other types of musicians are allowed and can he/she recommend anyone? Are other types of musicians allowed such as a harpist, flutist, guitarist, etc.? Can he/she recommend any soloists?

2) You will also need to determine if there are any restrictions on the types of songs and music played during the ceremony. In a very strict, religious church, you may be prohibited from playing any non-religious songs.

3) If the church or synagogue provides an organist or other instrumentalist, what is the fee that is charged for using them? What if you wish to use a friend or a particular organist rather than the one provided, are you allowed to substitute?

4) Determine what type of mood you want for your ceremony. Some couples want a more serious, solemn service, while other couples want a fun-filled, vibrant atmosphere. This will help you in your selection of wedding music, as well as deteriming the best soloist and musicians to hire.

5) If you have any friends or family members that are gifted musicians, you may want to consider asking them to provide the songs and music. It will provide an added personal touch to your ceremony. Be sure to thank them by presenting them with a small gift. In some cases, you may need to hire them just as you would any other professional musician, but it is usually much less expensive to do so.

6) Once you determine what music and songs you will be using, make sure all soloists and musicians have a copy of the music list along with when they are to be sung/played. If any of the songs or music are new to your performers, make sure you provide sheet music and give it to them early so they can prepare.

7) Purchase tapes and CD’s of wedding music to listen to. This will help make your choices much easier.

As you can see, there are quite a few details to resolve when planning out your wedding ceremony music. The above song suggestions are the ones more traditionally chosen. However, there are alway new popular songs by song artists that can also be wonderful choices for a wedding ceremony. Keep your ears open for them. Hopefully, the above guidelines should give you a good start toward picking the perfect music that will personalize your own wedding.

Yet again we are faced with the prospect of having another tragedy like the Columbine High school massacre. Police in the small town of Riverton Kansas arrested five male students just hours before they intended to carry out their plan to shoot and kill students and teachers.

Shocking? Yes. Was it totally unexpected? No, or at least it shouldn’t be. Once Columbine occurred we should have all been prepared for a copy cat incident or several attempts at the repetition of the same horror. We should all stay prepared for more of the same.

Why are our teens becoming increasingly violent and committing such unspeakable acts? The Sheriff of Riverton stated that all of the boys played violent video games. Could that be the reason? Is it too much media? Is it too many violent movies or not enough parental supervision? Yes; to all of the above.

The human brain has matured and will mature in the same way it has for hundreds and hundreds of years. It has a certain pattern it follows. Until our educational system and parents understand how the brain works and begins to reform the way we teach our kids and what we teach our kids, we can expect more violence.

The human brain is the ultimate PC. It is a huge and fascinating computer whose potential we can not begin to calculate. It is a sponge for information that it sorts and stores for future use. It has audio and video input capabilities courtesy of the eyes and ears as its tools and it has the ability to input tactile information.

But the brain also has the ability to fear and love and hate. It has emotion and this makes it the most dangerous computer in world. The computer of the brain is not limited to just logical and calculated out put. It can respond or react to any given situation at any given time.

Any information that goes into the brain is stored, much like a computer, in files in your mind. The brain does this so we will have experiential information to draw upon when we need it. Once we have touched the burner of a stove and learned that it is hot and can hurt use, we don’t need to keep touching that stove over and over again because the brain has that “touch the stove” file to open up when we even glance at the stove. Under the stove file, it also has the sub files of how turn the stove on, how we cook with it and so on.

Imagine what files open up for a teen that wants to solve a problem. For example, let’s say we have a teen that plays violent video games and watches way too much TV or horror movies. All of that information is stored away in the brain. The brain makes no judgment on the quality of information it stores. It neither labels it good information or bad information. That task is left to the kind of education about morals and character that is also being filed as he or she learns it; IF he or she has been exposed to that information.

Now lets say that same teen has a problem at school, he is being picked on by some of his classmates. To a teen, this bullying is perceived as an attack. How can he deal with the problem and eliminate the bullying? He reaches into the brain for solutions and the “stop the attack” files open up. Inside this file is experiential information. Among those files may be “tell a teacher or parent”. Another file may recommend avoiding the attacker. Another file may suggest quitting school as a solution.

But imagine files opening that contain the violent solutions they have seen on TV news, video games and violent movies. The solutions range from shooting the attacker to stabbing to bombing and so on. Whatever that child has seen or heard is filed away somewhere in the brain and when called upon to provide a solution to the bully problem, again the brain makes no distinction whether the information is good or bad, it just presents the possibilities.

Let’s add that to the fact that along about the age of 11 or 12 years old, the frontal cortex of the brain “falls asleep.” This is the area of the brain that is responsible for connecting the dots between risk and consequence. It is the brakes of the mental process. It is part of impulse control and keeps our reactions in check. Because this part of the brain is sleeping, as parents and educators, we have to “teach” and “connect the dots” for our teens about risk and consequence and impulse control until that function wakes up again around the ages of 21 or 22. So when you ask yourself, “What is my kid thinking”, chances are they are not; at least not the way you and I think.

In light of all this new information on brain maturation that the scientific community is giving us right now, this begs the question of who is teaching our teens the life skills and the tools they need to help them make the right decisions about their actions and choices. Who is teaching them what a boundary is and how that is used in your life? Has anyone explained what the different between responding to a problem and reacting to a problem?

Have you ever said to your teen, “If you drive drunk with your best friend in the car and have a bad accident, you may have to live with the fact that you have injured or killed your best friend? If not, let me tell you that you have to make that direct a connection between driving drunk and the consequences of that choice for your teen. They simply are not able to make those connections without prompting from parents and teachers unless they have experienced it or seen another of their peers experience it.

Bottom line here is that although we are teaching our children to learn, we are not teaching them how to think. We are not giving them the life skills they need, which should be taught in school, nor are we giving them any tools to help them deal with their problems on any kind of mature and satisfactory level.

Until we “get it” that what goes in the brain has the potential to come out of the brain and that “crap in” means “crap out”, then expect more of the same type of violence that we have been seeing over and over in our teen population. Until we begin to teach them how to make good choices we will continue to see any kind of choice being made. Until educators connect brain maturation studies to when and what we are teaching in school, then you can have the greatest education in the world and still not be able to handle life and its frustrations.

And yes….. We will continue to see the horror that was Columbine acted out again and again. At the end of the day, we as parents and teachers are dropping the ball in a major way when it comes to helping our teens cope with life and choose the better solutions. If no life skills education or character education is going into the brain to be filed away that can help them control themselves and their environments, then the information that may stop all this senseless violence is not available to our children. Can we stand to be accountable for that?

Jeanne Webster CPC is a professional life skills coach that niches in teen, parent/teen and young adult issues. She is a columnist, speaker and author of the two time national award winning book, “If You Could Be Anything, What Would You Be”? For more on brain maturation, visit her website at http://www.youcouldbeanything.com for a free copy of The Brain Pain Report.