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All of us know that the greatest gifts in life don’t cost
money. They do take time to think and create. Whether you
are looking for ideas for a 21st birthday, 16th, 3rd, or
65th, these ideas will help you create some memorable
moments and affect lives. Substitute the X for the birthday
number. You can even be creative and use these same ideas
for expectant mothers.

1. A list of X things you most appreciate about him or her.

2. A gift certificate for X things to do together that
doesn’t cost money. Give this some forethought and match
with what you love to do and what they love to do. You can
create the gift certificates on the computer or buy
preprinted ones at an office supply store.

3. Ask each member of your family and friends to think
about something they hold most dear and cherish most about
living. Ask them to create X number on a list and send it
to this person for their birthday. You can give them an
album to place all of them.

4. Gift certificate for X favors and privileges that he or
she may exchange for services later. Such as cooking a
special meal, teaching them to cook a family recipe,
cleaning out the garage or car, a picnic in the Spring, or a
foot massage. The more creative, the better the gift.

5. A list of the X things you wish someone had told you
when you were that age. They can be the simplest of things
like not to change a flat while close to the road, don’t
pour bleach directly on clothes, or don’t lick a frozen
pole. Go ahead, I know you can do better than this.

6. Write a brief memorable, even funny story for each one
of their years. For expectant fathers or mothers memories,
record the funny moments of pregnancy.

7. Create a special album with one picture from each of
their birthdays.

8. Write about your hopes and dreams for them as you see
them on this particular birthday. This is especially well for
young children. Accumulate them over the years and record how
they change as you both get older. If they are too young
now, save them for later.

9. Share your wisdom of what to do when life serves lemons
besides making lemonade. For their 18th birthday it can be
about the 18 best coping skills you ever learned.

10. Start a family journal dedicated to them. Pass the
journal around before the birthday or on their birthday and
allow each family member to write an inspirational message
or a memorable moment. Use the same journal year after year
to build on these.

If the family member is away at war and can’t be home for
their birthday, create a journal with some of these items,
make a copy, and mail it to them. Tell him or her that the
original will be waiting for them when they return. If your
son/daughter is away for any reason, you can use any of
these ten things to make creative, memorable birthdays. These
would work whether you are on a tight budget or the richest person
in the world. Honestly, when you learn to give from the
heart you are the richest person in the world anyway.

(c) Copyright, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.

About the Author: Catherine Franz is a writer and author of over 1800
published articles and several books on various business
subjects. Newsletters available at:
http://www.abundancecenter.com

Source: www.isnare.com

A DVD rental is not for a night or a week, in fact it could be for exactly two days if Flexplay have anything to do with it. This is because they have developed a system where DVD’s are packed with an air tight seal and placed on the shelves of convenience stores or service stations where travellers and customers will see them.

They have some of the latest titles to attract the eye of buyers, who then pay a one time fee and either continue on their journey or go home for the evening. They have no worries about having to return the DVD back to the store because this DVD has a limited life.

The DVD has been treated with an oxygen reactive dye which has been placed in with the resin that bonds the DVD together. As the air reaches the DVD. the dye it begins to oxidize and by the time forty eight hours have past the dye will have turned blue making the DVD totally unreadable by the machine and therefore useless.

Flexplay say, “people who travel often, travel with kids or simply don’t want to worry about the hassles associated with conventional DVD rental services.

“Too damn impatient or pathologically lazy to pack a movie for your trip, or even download one from iTunes? Buy one that destroys itself in two days instead!”

Source: The Lamron

For the past several years I have seen the emergence of a new trend called ‘Lifestyling’. Lifestyling encompasses many elements on gracious living, extravagant and memorable entertaining, architecture, home design, and tips on where to live comfortably in spaces large and small, with less effort or clutter than you can imagine. In fact, this trend has effectively blurred the lines of traditional titles and professions. New ideas and new inspiration have created new sales to the tune of over 70 million dollars for one large company.

But haven’t good ideas for living always been around? The answer is yes. Certainly there have been people in the past that shared tips and ideas through books and magazine articles on how to entertain, or make a special recipe; they were mostly focused on one area. Lifestyling gurus help you capture all the pieces and put them together graciously and quickly. Collectively, they promote ideas on living, entertaining, decorating, gardening, fashion and design. The focus of some of the ideas is glamorous while others are much more practical. In fact, some of the ideas are not really “new” at all, just regenerated information with a twist. Today, Lifestyling books contain the complete picture. Add to that the convenience aspect. We can obtain many of these ideas in articles, books, websites, TV and video. Product endorsements and specialized lines are also available to top Lifestylists. Can you see why the opportunities are endless?

Who are the Lifestylists?

Unless you’ve been whisked away to an island without TV, Internet access or a newspaper, you can’t escape the ideas and publicity generated by Ms. Martha Stewart. Hands down, Martha is the most well known Lifestylist out there. Whatever your take on her style, or where her career is currently headed, she has created a multi-million dollar industry all to herself.

You may also be familiar with other Lifestylists like Susie Coelho, Carolyne Roehm, Sheila Bridges, Katie Brown and Colin Cowie to name a few. These Lifestylists were former fashion models and business owners, interior or furniture designers, caterers or event planners. Whatever their background, the ideas and information contribute in large ways to this new industry. In an era when fast food and fast pace reign supreme, and etiquette and formal parties have fallen off, they have brought the idea of homemaking and fabulous entertaining back into style.

Standing out within a proven trend

All of the ideas are not perfect for everyone. In a world where we are embracing our diversity and individual contributions, there is no doubt that the current crop of Lifestylists can stand a few more ideas. We are all becoming conditioned to receiving large amounts of information at a time. Think about how a consumer might question the value of a cookbook with just recipes over a book that explains how to shop, prepare, serve, decorate and entertain all in one book. Which do you think might capture more interest? Are your services just as interesting?

Are you capitalizing on this trend?

We are all guilty of focusing on our core competencies. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But once you’ve become efficient or obtained expert status in one area, it’s time to expand your offerings. If you want to expand your offerings by turning what you do into a lifestyle brand - think big and think differently. Thinking of yourself as a complete brand is worthwhile to you, your clients, and your current revenue.

Look at ways you can naturally and effortlessly expand what you do. For example, I hired a caterer recently to provide food for a shower I was throwing. It would have made my life much easier if he had offered to provide complete event-planning services as well. It is a natural expansion. Even If he doesn’t know a thing about planning those events or did not have the staff to do so he can easily team up with event planners that do.

Riding the trend requires a different way of thinking. Caterers are not just providing food; they become consultants in entertaining. Decorators don’t just decorate; they style a room around a style of life.

Can you do it too?

Of course you can! Begin where you are with what you have. Take note of the new trend and think about what compliments your current services; Think about how to make your client’s life easier by providing more ideas, value and assistance in executing those ideas. If you don’t know how to do something different, seek out the information and learn it, or Team up with other professionals that add something complimentary to your core service; Reinvent your title to match your new service offerings; Educate your client with the information you have, but have not used and; Strive to provide something unique in your market.

About the Author

Lise Richards is the founder of the Artistic Lifestyling program, which helps design trade professionals, capitalize on the Lifestyling trend. The Artistic Lifestyling program is available through a licensing agreement and is expanding throughout the United States. For more information, about expanding your design and decorating services, email her at LiseRichards@ArtisticLifestyling.com
director@centerofcreativity.com

Nowadays you can inquire rates quickly on the internet and enter if there are possible traps you should be aware of.

Translated it says: Woon je in Rotterdam of Houten en hebt u BKR verleden. Lenen met en BKR codering is nog nooit zo gemakkelijk geweest. Verwen jezelf met een nieuwe auto met bkr toetsing zonder lenen, 278618 euro is geen enkel probleem om te financieren. Van Heiloo tot Rozendaal, geld lenen met een BKR notering is altijd mogelijk.

A lot of the merchant banks wil show you a interest rate that is looking average but doesn’t feel comfortably or so after a period of time. It doesn’t matter if you live in Hagerstown Maryland or in Galveston Texas a right online inspection will spare you often a lot of problems. Check up to see if the merchant bank who is tending to give you a bank loan is honorable. Be undimmed today to investigate if you have a nice offer or if you don’t with the bank that offers you a loan. A moneylender in Ann Arbor Michigan or so may have a total different actual rate of interest for a 22500 dollar deferred payment then a moneylender in Montebello California and that makes a immense clear gap in your yearly costs. 12.6 percent rate may appear so middling but will it stay immutable after you’re going to pay back your bank loan. That’s why now you need to check and ascertain if you can have a money loan at a effective percent loan rate.

The large wrap-around porches that we may remember from our childhood are seldom found in today’s modern homes. Instead, we’re often faced with making an inviting living area in a 4′x6′ balcony, a small vestibule, or a 10′x10′ deck.
“Small is beautiful,” said E.F. Schumacher, and although he was speaking of theories of economics, the same might be said of our outdoor living spaces.

The large wrap-around porches that we may remember from our childhood are seldom found in today’s modern homes. Instead, we’re often faced with making an inviting living area in a 4′x6′ balcony, a small vestibule, or a 10′x10′ deck.

What can you do make a “little room” appear more spacious?

Use the space for only one purpose. A small living area, inside or outside, cannot be used for as many activities as a larger one. Choose your priority and plan for that alone. Bear in mind traffic flow.

Keep it simple. Reduce the number of elements (furniture, lighting, accessories) in the space. Furniture should be space efficient and low, but does not have to be small. One large accessory has more impact that several small ones, which can look cluttered. Don’t be afraid of blank space.

Have a strong, uncomplicated focal point. Maybe it’s a magnificent view, a stunning wooden bench, or a bamboo water feature.

Unify the space with a theme. For example, use material (all wicker), shapes (many circles) or color (shades of white).

Since floor space is limited, remember to use vertical surfaces. Train a vine over a trellis, install a small waterspout on a wall, or twist a cloud of tiny paper lanterns up a vintage pole lamp.

Here are a couple of quick ideas for small areas:

Hang a mosquito net with a built-in circular frame from the ceiling of a balcony or porch. Drape the sides of the net over the railings. Inside, place a wicker chaise lounge, a small wicker side table and one large, lush tropical plant. A great place to sip a pia colada!

Insert two large coat hooks in an outside brick wall (or use a handy gadget called a BrickClip). Buy two inexpensive folding wooden chairs and a small wooden side table. Arrange 3 tall potted plants against one wall of the space. Hang the chairs on the hooks when not in use.

Plan well and use your imagination and you’ll be enjoying your little room this summer season.

About the Author

Debbie Rodgers owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com

B&B Palazzo Antonelli, historical residence 1600. There are six double or family rooms. Four en-suite bedrooms, and two bedrooms have with seperate bathrooms. The B&B is situated in the heart of Monopoli’s historic centre. It is close to the white beaches of Portavecchia about 600m away, easily reached on foot. Other local beaches can be reached by foot, bike or bus. It is near to monuments, the ancient square, and beautiful old streets. Parking is free on the towns streets, outside the historic centre a pay car park is located around 800m from the B&B and costs about 7 Euro a day per car. A substantial Italian breakfast is included and is served between 8 and 10 a.m. We can recomment a restaurant for dinner which is priced very reasonably and provided local cuisine. Average prices are around 20 euro per person ; children 2-12 years 50% less.
Within easy reach of the B&B, you can visit the local tourist attractions (about 5km away). Others places of interest include Polignano a Mare,( 7km from theB&B); Alberobello with its famous trulli, a world heritage site, (20 km from the B&B); the unique historical centre of Locorotondo (25km from the B&B); Martina Franca with it’s ancient centre, castle and cathedral in Conversano (15km from the B&B), Ostuni . You need rental a car for these trips.

Facilities

• Bed & Breakfast
• TV
• Historical building
• Double room
• Frigobar
• Air condition costs 5euro a day per person (optional)

If you are interested in a cheap hotel in Monopoli, pls visit our catalogue of Hotels all over Italy, where you can find also a wide range of Bed and Breakfast in Rome and Hotels in Florence, from cheap to luxury, togheter with Sorrento Tours

Gold jewelry to a woman is priceless. Although gold jewelry comes in many different styles and colors, the care and cleaning procedure for all golden treasures remain the same. Good common sense is your best guide, and these important tips on how to clean gold jewelry will help you keep your exquisite pieces lustrous and shining.

Gold is tarnish-resistant, but it can get dirty or smudged. Lotions, powders, soaps, even natural skin oils that we use regularly can cover your jewelry and cut down their brilliance. Jewelry cleaning removes any such build-up or residue and restores the original sparkle and shine to make your precious jewelries last a lifetime.

Although numerous commercial products are available to clean gold jewelry, most often water and a mild detergent is sufficient to restore the radiance, and a soft brush helps to gently clean intricate filigree designs and stones. Sometimes it can be helpful to soak the gold jewelry in a solution of one part ammonia and six parts water for up to sixty seconds. It is imperative to dry and polish your gold jewelry with a chamois or soft cloth after cleaning.

Jewelry polishing cloths are an effective and inexpensive way of keeping your bits of gold glittering and radiant. These essential cotton cloths help to remove tarnish and to buff jewelry to look as good as new. Avoid wearing jewelry while in contact with household chemicals, such as chlorine bleach as this can discolor or damage your gold jewelry mountings.

Proper storage of jewelry when not in use is essential to keep your golden treasures clean and new. When storing your jewelry, be careful that pieces do not tumble against each other to avoid scratching and loss of radiance. Ideally, store your jewelry in a fabric-lined jewel case, or a box with compartments or dividers or store each piece in individual soft cloth pouches.

It is important to check the stone settings of your jewelry periodically for any damage to the gold prongs or bezels. Immersing the jewelry in rubbing alcohol for a few seconds will restore the gorgeous sparkle to cloudy stones. It is very important to dry the jewelry thoroughly after cleaning before wearing or storing. Remember that Pave set (glued in stones) jewelry should never be immersed in water while cleaning gold jewelry.

About The Author

Ben Sather is the publisher of http://www.a2-gold-jewelry.com/ - A gold jewelry information resource. You can publish this article if the author’s byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.

beersat@online.no

1. Be predictable. When do seeds of suspicion emerge? When one begins to think, What’s up? Why is he doing that? He’s never done that before. That is so unlike him. He loses 30 pounds, buys a new wardrobe and comes home late from work. He changes his patterns. His behavior becomes unpredictable. You get the picture? Any movement away from predictable behavior can become suspect and trust can deteriorate. Focus on acting predictably if you need to build trust. Be consistent in what you do. This doesn’t mean you must be boring. If there is a twinkle in your eye and a dose of spontaneity every so often, for goodness sakes be spontaneous and fun loving. But, be spontaneous consistently! Be true to who you have always been and be that consistently, whoever you tend to be!

2. Inform your significant other when you become “unpredictable.” No one goes through life the same person. We all make shifts and changes. Frankly sometimes we may be fairly clueless about what is happening and where we are going. Those times may be very intense and we do some silly things or make some downright dumb decisions. Life can get very squirrelly and unpredictable. (I have a favorite phrase: Gold is refined through intense heat.) Growth in an individual, marriage or family often is accompanied by a little chaos. Welcome these shifts, for there is a part of you searching for something better/different/richer/deeper, but for heaven’s sake, inform your partner of what you are experiencing. Say, “I really don’t know what is going on in me right now, but I’m moving in a different direction. Be a little patient with me while I figure this out. I might do some silly things, but my intent is not to harm you or scare you. Accept some of my wondering and wandering and please be there for me? I may need to run some of this by you every so often!”

3. Make sure your words match the message. Mean what you say and say what you mean. When your partner hears one thing in your words but your tone of voice, body language and facial expressions are really saying something else, you open the relationship to some crazy making days. Which message is she to believe? This can waste a tremendous amount of energy and she learns not to trust part of what you are saying. Here’s a very simple but common example. You are getting ready to go to a formal dinner. Your wife comes to you and says, “How do I look?” (And she’s wearing a dress you don’t particularly like and her hair is pulled back in a way that turns you off.) Not to spoil the evening you enthusiastically say, “You look great.” You don’t really mean it and a part of her knows you really don’t mean it. But, you leave it at that. This might not seem like a big deal - we all have done something similar - but if trust is shaky to begin with, it is even shakier now. Here’s how to match the words with the nonverbal: “I think you are a beautiful person. I want you to know that. I love you dearly and it will be wonderful to have you by my side tonight. Others will see your beauty. (As you say this, you look into her eyes as you put your hands around her waist.) She’s not concerned so much with how she looks but is expressing a need for affirmation. She’s not talking about her dress or hair, but about wanting to know the evening is going to go just fine. You respond to the real message. You can take this one step further, if you like. At some point you might bring up her need for affirmation and talk about that. Ask her is there is anything you can say or do so that need is met. Trust is awareness of the intent beneath the obvious message and responding to that!

4. Believe the other person is competent. I hear this phrase very often: “But, I don’t want to hurt him.” A couple things are at play here. First, she may not have the skill of confronting the other with the truth in a way that brings reconciliation and understanding. She believes truth telling is destructive or entails some sort of drama. Neither is true. The truth is never destructive and can be conveyed in loving ways. (With that said, what we believe to be the truth may indeed be a distorted perception that fits our personal needs.) Or, she may see the other person as a wimp; someone she believes cannot handle rigorous personal confrontation. She doesn’t trust that the other person has the internal strength or stamina or skills to be in a relationship of mutual respect and equality. The other person picks up on this mistrust and does what he does (feigns inadequacy and incompetence) to avoid the personal confrontation as well. A dance is acted out. Believe and know in your heart that the other person, somewhere and somehow, beneath the games, has the internal strength and capacity to handle anything. Such trust builds trust in the other person and begins to pervade the relationship. “Hey, she thinks I can handle this! Hmmmm, this is mighty good! I CAN engage her and be truly intimate!”

5. Be very very careful of keeping secrets. If he knows there is an elephant in the room and doesn’t talk about it, the elephant takes up tremendous space in the relationship. It takes energy for him to walk around it. She may not see the elephant but knows he is bending his neck to look around something. She will be curious, mildly disturbed, have feelings but no words to wrap around them, might wonder if something is wrong with her or struggle with trusting her intuition (her intuition KNOWS an elephant is there.) And, when we can’t trust the messages that come from within us, we find it very difficult to trust the messages of the other person. Secrets demand tremendous energy and erode trust. The relationship is doomed never to experience wall-banging intimacy. This is why extramarital affairs are so damaging. She is not so much concerned about him having sex with someone else as she is about the betrayal, lack of trust, the secrets and deception that are crazy making and energy draining. Now, please. I’m not saying that you sit your partner down and divulge the 23 secrets of your illicit past behaviors. If you have resolved those, i.e. forgiven yourself, understand those behaviors, learned from them and were able to use them to make the internal shifts necessary for your personal development, they do not qualify as an elephant. Hopefully, in the course of growing intimacy in your relationship you may want to share some of those events as you disclose to your partner where you were and where you are now. You do so without emotional charge. However, if a secret takes up room, i.e. still has an emotional charge and holds you back from disclosing more and more of yourself in the growing stages of intimacy, you have a problem that needs to be addressed with your partner.

6. Let YOUR needs be known - loudly. Be a little - no, be a lot - self-centered. (Be self-centered, but not selfish!) Here’s a problem I run into almost every day. He is backing away (perhaps attached to work, another person, etc.). She feels the trust and intimacy eroding, is scared and wants to “win him back.” So she begins an all out effort to “work on the marriage.” She invites him to do so as well. He may reluctantly agree. She blasts full throttle ahead trying to “be nice” and meet every need he ever said he had. She’s going to “fill his tank with goodies.” Doesn’t work. Her eyes are riveted on him. He feels “smothered” or maybe even resentful: “Why is she doing this NOW!” She’s hopeful, but eventually that turns to resentment. Her underlying motive - if I meet his needs, he will feel good and meet mine - just doesn’t work. It’s perceived as manipulation, which it is. Of course, he doesn’t say anything. After all, how do you get angry with someone who is so “nice and caring?” Trust disintegrates under a blanket of quiet niceties. Start with your eyes focused on YOU. What do YOU need? Explore your personal need system. Dig beneath the surface. And then say to him: “I need…x, y and z. I would like to talk to you about them. I would like us to work out a way so my needs are met. Are you open to that?” He is empowered to say yes or no. Or, he may say, “What about my needs?” You respond, “I am very interested in hearing what is important to you, certainly.” Have you ever been around someone who stated clearly what they needed/wanted? Didn’t you respect that person? Because you knew where he stood, and therefore where you stood, didn’t that interaction move toward a trusting relationship?

7. State who YOU are - loudly. It is very sad to see those in relationships of emotional investment hold back from letting the other person know who they really are. You build trust in a relationship by entrusting your SELF to the other person. This sounds easy but I find it difficult for most to pull off. Most of us have a difficult time declaring our SELF. For one thing, if you’re like most of us, you haven’t given much thought to what it is that makes YOU truly YOU. Don’t you feel like you glide through life on autopilot, focusing on tasks, goals, accomplishments, problems and the external realities? Don’t you tend to focus on those things out there or that person out there? You’re concerned about what he is thinking, how he is responding to you, whether he likes you, whether he will be an obstacle and where he will fit in your life? Your conversations may be pleasant but fairly superficial and bluntly, boringly inane. You converse about things/relationships/events out there. You are reluctant to share your thoughts, values, and impressions or take a stand. This doesn’t destroy trust. But it doesn’t create it either. And, if you do take a stand it may serve the purpose of protecting you or entrenching you as you react against someone. This more often than not creates trust barriers. Take some time to reflect on your standards. What are your standards for a relationship? What standards do you hold for yourself? What do you order your life around? What are the 4 top values in your life? What are some themes that you live by? What are you known for? And then…begin letting significant people in your life know. They will respect you. They will know you more deeply. They will thank you for the opportunity to know you. They will see you as a person of character. They will trust you. They can count on you. They know exactly what is behind and within you.

8. Learn to say NO! Sometimes you need to say NO! Often it is crucial to say NO! Saying NO sets boundaries around you that protects you from being hurt or venturing into territory that will be destructive to your heart and soul. You draw a line. You stop tolerating that which drains energy and makes you less than YOU. You refuse to allow the destructive behaviors of others to destroy you. You build a moat around the core of your life. You do this by informing the other person of what they are doing. You request they stop. If they don’t stop, you demand they stop. If they don’t stop you walk away without a snide remark, eye-roll or comment. To some this seems harsh, but saying NO is RESPECTED. Fear is the basis of mistrust. If you fear that someone will hurt you and believe you have no recourse but to endure that hurt, fear will prevail. How can you trust when you are in fear? Saying NO, protecting yourself, sends a message to the other person that you will not live in fear. This usually triggers a response of respect from the other person. After all, if you can protect yourself and refuse subjugation to that which is destructive, will not the other person come to trust you and see you as a person who just might protect him/her from harm as well?

9. Charge Neutral. When your significant other expresses something powerfully, charge neutral. Most of us are afraid of strong feelings or points of contention in a relationship. I commonly hear people respond by defending themselves (to a perceived attack), explaining themselves, counter-attacking, shutting down, or walking away. Of course, the relationship remains stuck in this quagmire of mistrust and fear. Rather than reacting and having your feelings flowing all over the place or shutting down, practice charging neutral. Communicate calmness, not only in your tone of voice but also in how you carry your body. Don’t speak with a charge to your voice. Control your voice! Say what you must say, state the truth and do it directly and calmly. You can do this, once you master your fears. It will dramatically change the flow of the relationship. You will be able to point out something big, without making a big deal out of it. You will be in control of you. This not only feels great, but your partner trusts that you won’t fly or fall apart. You will experience your personal power. This makes you very attractive. Don’t people really trust someone who knows their personal power and how to use it for the welfare of themselves and others? Your partner will love the fact that she can trust you consistently to operate from your “quiet center,” remain engaged, not back down and speak the truth with conviction and calmness.

10. Dig into the dirt. Relationships of emotional investment, by their nature, bring trials, tribulations, fears, chaos, turmoil, change, stretching and growth. They become the grist from which your life is shaped and formed. Be fearless when faced with turmoil, upset, crisis, questions, and fears. When the time is right, seek them out. Move toward the frightening unknown. Dig into the dirt of your relationship and uncover the treasures. Do you really TRUST that this can happen? The purpose of your relationship is not to make you happy. Do you realize this? Happiness may be an outcome, but your other is given to you to move you to where you really want to be. Obstacles, trials and moments of pain are given as lessons on which you intentionally write the script of your life individually and together. Embrace the difficult. Trust that in this embracing you will find more of your true self. Trust that you are given the resources and capacity to face what you and your significant other are to face. Once you are able to believe and trust these ultimate purposes, trusting your significant other will be that much more easy.
Dr. Robert Huizenga, The Infidelity Coach, has helped hundreds of couples over the past two decades heal from the agony of extramarital affairs and survive infidelity. Visit his website at: http://www.break-free-from-the-affair.com/cmd.php?ad=139627

You’re probably asking, “Is there really a way to prepare for menopause?” The answer is yes and no. It’s not like you can go to your calendar and write “menopause” on September 22, 2025. It’s not that easy, although most women sure wished it was; however, although we may not know the exact date that menopause will begin, we can prepare for it by being informed and learning as much as possible about the subject.

From the time of your first period until your 40’s, your ovaries produce estrogen in response to monthly follicle maturation. Both estrogen and progesterone are responsible for the monthly menstrual cycle and both are produced using male hormones. During her reproductive years, a woman’s ovaries produce more estrogen than testosterone. As menopause nears, the estrogen level declines while the male hormone levels stay about the same. Lacking former levels of estrogen to counteract them, hair growth on the face and oily skin may begin to crop up during the years right before menopause in some women.

As Age Reach 40, Changes Happen

A woman is born with approximately one half million eggs. Over time, that number decreases as some are reabsorbed back into the ovarian lining. As a woman ages get older, the number of eggs available for release also diminishes. As a result, from about age 40, a woman’s period will begin to change.

In her mid-40s a woman becomes perimenopausal. The period of time from perimenopause to postmenopause can take 5 to 10 years. A full decade before you become menopausal, changes are happening in your body that begins to set the stage for the transition from reproductive to nonreproductive states. Up to 50% of women are beginning to experience hot flashes in the two-year period before cessation of menstruation. Menstruation at this time is also likely to be erratic. During this period a woman is considered to be perimenopausal.

As soon as you begin noticing changes in your menstrual cycle, especially if you’re in your 40’s, you should consult with your gynecologist, who will probably want to run a battery of tests. One of the tests your doctor should perform is a blood test that will check your hormone levels.

But change is certain. There is no predicting your own passage through menopause; it may be long or short, bumpy or smooth. Nor can you foresee the time when you will begin it.

Whenever and however menopausal changes appear, it can be valuable to have information beforehand and while you’re experiencing menopause. Studies have shown that women who are prepared to take charge of their own health care tend to do best through the menopausal passage. Information can function as your survival kit as you negotiate your way through this very important change in your life.

About the Author: Alicia Simpson is a mother and housewife who experience menopause. Her new guide book: “Menopause without Stress” is to tell women that menopause is part of life you cannot avoid. Visit her Website MenopauseWithoutStress.com at http://www.menopausewithoutstress.com

Source: www.isnare.com

The nightmare of identity theft strikes an estimated 750,000 people every year. How can you keep from being one of them? While there is no guarantee that you won’t become a victim, there are some steps you can take to decrease the risk and protect yourself.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, some everyday tips to protecting your personal information include:

• Not giving out your personal information to a stranger over the phone, the Internet, or through the mail. Your Social Security number (SSN), phone number and address, credit card or bank account numbers, and drivers’ license number can be used by criminals to assume your identity. Unless you know the person you are communicating with or have invited them to contact you, do not answer any question that makes you uncomfortable. Identity thieves can pose successfully as agents from banks, credit card companies, Internet service providers, utility companies, or government offices. If someone calls claiming to represent a legitimate organization, confirm this by calling the customer service number listed on your statement or bill.

• Finding out how your personal information will be used and if you have the option to keep the details confidential when providing this data to a legitimate organization, for example, when filling out an application. Ask if the organization has a method of securing your information and if they plan to share it with other companies or individuals.

• Always monitoring the balances on your checking, savings, or other financial accounts. Keep an eye out for unexplained charges or withdrawals made without your permission. Carefully reading your monthly bank and credit card statements, then checking the amounts against your check register or other record-keeping method could catch a thief in the act of assuming your identity and spending your hard-earned money.

• Keeping track of your billing cycles. If your credit card statement doesn’t arrive at its usual time, this could signal an address change by an identity thief.

• Being cautious handling your mail and even your trash. Place outgoing mail in a post office collection box or at the post office instead of leaving it out on your mailbox. Bring the mail inside promptly every day, and when planning to be out of town, enlist the help of a friend or neighbor to do the same. A thief can sift through your garbage in search of sensitive information. Shred all charge receipts, credit offers and applications, insurance or physician’s statements, checks and bank statements, and discarded credit cards.

• Storing your Social Security card someplace other than your purse or wallet. Provide your SSN only when necessary, and ask to substitute another number if your state uses your SSN on your drivers’ license.

• Carrying only the credit or debit cards you need. Leave other identifying cards at home.

In addition to the everyday precautions that can minimize your risk, there are some other actions you can take to improve your safety:

• Safeguard the information on your computer by updating your virus protection plan on a regular basis, using a firewall to keep hackers from accessing your files, and deleting any personal information on your computer before you dispose of it using a “wipe” utility program that clears the hard drive. Never download a file from someone you don’t know, and do not open e-mails from an unfamiliar sender; doing so could expose your computer to a virus. Finally, when submitting personal information over the Internet, look for the “lock” icon on the status bar to know that your browser is secure.

• Use passwords for your bank, credit card, and phone accounts. Try to think of a unique number that you can remember other than your birth date, your mother’s maiden name, the last four digits of your SSN, or a series of numbers in order, e.g. 1-2-3-4.

• Find a safe place for your purse or wallet while you’re at work. Ask about the policy your office has for securing your personal information, such as who has access to it, where it is stored, and how it is disposed of when you leave.

• Every year, order a copy of your credit report from the three different credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Check for the accuracy of each and correct any discrepancies. You may be charged for the report, but the savings you receive in peace of mind is well worth the fee.

• Clean up any credit damage as soon as you possibly can. Errors in reporting alone happen often, some estimates are as high as 62% of the information on a credit report may be inaccurate. That doesn’t even begin to cover situations such as identity theft which is a serious problem on the rise in the U.S. You can consult a Credit Damage expert if you suspect that your credit has been accessed or used in any way without your permission. That includes companies running a simple inquiry without you saying they can. For more information on what an expert witness can do for you, go to http://www.creditdamage.com

When it comes to protecting your good name and your hard-earned money, a little caution goes a long way.

Cathy Taylor is a marketing consultant with over 25 years experience. She specializes in internet marketing, strategy and plan development, as well as management of communications and public relations programs for small business sectors. She can be reached at Creative Communications: creative-com@cox.net or by visiting
http://www.creditdamage.com or http://www.internet-marketing-small-business.com