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How To Make People Laugh And Cry With Your Best Man Speech – For All The Right Reasons

Giving a best man speech is a time of mixed emotions. On the one hand you will no doubt be touched and happy to be giving a speech at the wedding of a close friend, and at the same time you will probably revel in the chance to embarrass your mate and make them cringe. On the flip side though, giving a speech in front of an audience of people you don’t know, and having such a key role in your mate’s big day, is a rather nerve wracking experience and one that can leave you potentially frozen with fear.

So how do you give a speech that will win over your audience, get them laughing with you and please the groom when you’re not a natural at this sort of thing? Read on for some tips…

Use an Aid

You may consider this as ‘cheating’, but if you’re nervous of giving the speech in front of an audience, then a good option is always to try and use an aid to help you deliver your speech. For instance if you want to take some of the focus off of you and you want to practically guarantee that your audience will be laughing, then you could try using a slideshow of photos of your mate in compromising situations. Don’t embarrass him completely of course – you are meant to be a friend after all – but a few compromising pictures can be good material that everyone in the audience will appreciate and mean less talking for you.

That’s a great example of an aid, a ventriloquist dummy is not.

Be Flexible

Another tip is to keep your speech flexible and to adlib on occasion. Don’t write a strict speech and stick to it, because that will detach you from it emotionally and make the delivery much more robotic. Instead, come up with a structure and some key lines that you can remember, and then build a speech around that naturally as though you were talking to a friend. The result is much more natural and engaging.

Be Heartfelt

If you’ve seen Wedding Crashers, then you’ll remember Owen Wilson’s advice to Rachel McAdam’s that she should speak from the heart. As long as people see that you are genuinely happy for your friend, and that you love them and their partner, then you will get the whole audience on your side and they will be much more forgiving. Don’t be afraid to get a bit soppy.

Use Common Ground

Another good source of material is to think what lots of people at the wedding will have in common. Of course the bride and groom is one subject, but alternatively you might talk about the wedding itself: about the wedding limo or about the cake. Likewise, it may be that lots of visitors have come from abroad and that they’re fish out of water. This is a great source of material and again something that a large portion of the audience will be able to relate to.

Attached Images:
  • License: Creative Commons image source
  • License: Creative Commons image source
  • License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/decorations-small-character-cartoon-28686/
  • License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/en/heart-love-valentine-s-day-19838/?rf=api_jitendraag
  • License: Creative Commons image source

Today’s featured writer, John Adams, is a party planner. He lends his creativity and sense of style to every wedding he plans for. He is given credit for bringing wedding limousine in Toronto back in fashion.

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Health And Safety Tips For Workzone Managers To Help Avoid Lawsuits

If you run a construction company or a workzone, then it is at least partially your responsibility to make sure that your staff are safe and that they aren’t liable to injure themselves. If something should happen and your staff should end up having a fall or hurting themselves with the tools and machinery, then that will rest on your shoulders if there was a way it could have been avoided.

At the same time, it’s also important to make sure that these kinds of ‘avoidable accidents’ don’t happen from a business perspective. If you don’t pay as much attention to workzone safety as possible, then you may find yourself getting closed down by health and safety inspectors or even on the end of a lawsuit.

Some accidents will always happen and you can’t account for everything that your staff might get up to or every mistake that they may make. Still though, if you take care of your work site and follow basic health and safety recommendations you can at least protect your own conscience and avoid getting into legal difficulties. Here’s how to do just that…

Keep it Tidy

If your workzone has material and tools lying around the floor all over the place then these will present trip hazards that could potentially cause a serious accident. Picking up ‘as you go’ and encouraging your staff to do the same thing, will ensure that any falls are not your fault and greatly reduce those kinds of accidents.

Mark Everything Well

If there is a potential hazard such as an open manhole, then you should make sure to mark it clearly with a sign. This is also why you should look for traffic cones for sale if your workzone is somewhere public – so that the general public can’t injure themselves when they’re passing through and hold you responsible either.

Invest in Quality Equipment

It’s also important to invest in high quality equipment and thus reduce the chances of it going wrong or malfunctioning. At the same time, it’s also important to make sure that you check that equipment over property on a regular basis to make sure that it is functioning as well as possible. If your power generator blows up or your forklift goes haywire then that will be your responsibility.

Health and Safety Courses

You should also make sure to send your staff on health and safety courses so that they can’t claim they weren’t given the proper training. Likewise, you should make sure that there is always at least one member of staff on-site who is trained in first aid and able to provide basic CPR and other treatments.

Provide Breaks

Another way that accidents can be the management’s fault is when workers are pushed too far and not given a chance to recover. You might be eager to finish a project quickly and to make sure that everyone can get back to work quickly, but if you don’t provide breaks you’ll find that accidents start to happen and that the quality of work falls. Slow and steady wins the race every time.

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Today’s guest author, Chris Morrison, is an financial consultant by profession. He has sound knowledge of personal finance and management of funds. As a hobby, he writes various articles upon loans and other bank related activities in his blogs.

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Hectic Business Travel Schedule? How To Combat Jet Lag When You’re Crossing Time Zones

Gruelling schedules with trips that take you across multiple time zones can leave you feeling disoriented, tired, confused and at less than your best; that is not what you need when you’re working. The stress that time shifting can put on your brain and body can also lower your immune system and can upset your sleep patterns; to the point where you can spend your whole trip exhausted if you’re not careful.

How Long Does Jet Lag Last?

On average, it is said that you should add one day per time zone you jump to recover; which means that if you fly from Los Angeles to London you’ll be looking at eight days before you feel right again. The worst feelings of exhaustion and disorientation will usually pass after about four days on a transatlantic trip; though you’ll probably have some fatigue and sleeping problems for the following few days. If you travel even further, for example to India, you will be feeling pretty strange for at least a week if you can’t find a way to help your body and mind adjust faster.

Most business trips only last a few days, and you can often end up taking in a few countries on a “tour” before you return home, causing even further adjustment problems. This is why fighting jet lag with a few simple strategies and remedies can make such a huge difference to how productive you’ll be on your trip.

The Keys to Fending Off Jet Lag

There are several things you can do to aid jet lag on your business trips, including:

Decide whether to work or sleep on your flight based on what time it will be in your destination. If you’re travelling during their day time, stay awake and work or watch TV so you’ll be ready for bed when you land. If you are travelling during your destination’s night, have your corporate travel agency find you a flat bed seat in business class and get some proper rest. Take a sleeping aid to help if you need to.

Keep working to the destination time zone when you land. Resist the urge to nap, and hold off from sleeping until it gets dark. You may not last until your normal bed time, but your body needs to adjust to new daylight hours.

Try green tea to help keep you awake without the crash higher caffeine products can lead to. It also contains antioxidants that will support your general health while your body is under the stress of adjusting.

Stay hydrated. Drink as much water as you can on the flight and for the days that come after, especially if you are also drinking alcohol or coffee which will dehydrate you.

Take a multivitamin and vitamin B complex to boost your energy and support your immune system (multivitamins contain B vitamins, but the concentrated amount in a specific B vitamin complex will give your energy a boost).

Overcoming jet lag does take time but can be easier if you take these approaches. Remember that jet lag is not something the human body is designed to experience as air travel is a relatively new thing, so be kind to your body and don’t push yourself too hard.

Attached Images:

Jack Foster is a businessman and a frequent traveler. He often deals with the perils of jet lag and has decided to share his tips to help other travelers reduce the stress of jet lag as much as they can.

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Turn Your Children Into Green Little Monsters: Instilling Eco-Friendly Habits From A Young Age

Okay, so maybe ‘monsters’ isn’t quite the word you’d expect to use when speaking of your little ones, but who says the word must continue to hold a negative connotation? Look at Lady Gaga and her followers. She promotes love, unity and happiness and uses the word to label them. For the purpose of today’s piece, let’s imagine our children as cute, environmentally friendly monsters that have come to save the world instead of nasty, scary critters that hide underneath your bed.

Make Sorting a Game

Children love being silly and they definitely enjoy a good game. Make recycling fun from an early age by praising your child when he or she places their used bottles, containers and cardboard cutouts in the correct bin or takes a moment to put their garbage in the trash can instead of allowing mommy and daddy to handle it. Another great way to continue to motivate as children get older is to begin a point system. For every properly placed item, give your child a point. As points are accumulated, prizes are earned, whether it be a slightly later bedtime or additional computer time after completing homework. When trying to teach anything new, it’s important to praise. Even if making a failed attempt, continue the fun. Encouraging words such as, “Not quite, sweetie. Try again” said with enthusiasm go a long way. Don’t forget the applause. For additional assistance: let your children take part in Nickelodeon green adventures with some of their favorite characters.

Healthy Habits Stick Beyond Childhood

Any experienced parent will likely list consistency as one of the best ways they taught their children anything from how to behave in public, down to brushing their teeth and setting a predictable schedule sleeping schedule. These types of behaviors aren’t learned overnight and neither are trash and recycling habits. If you want your children to do something a certain way, begin by leading by example. Pack your family’s lunches minus those wasteful sandwich bags and as they get older, your growing child is likely to continue the tradition. When you find ways to allow your children to easily reduce the waste they create, you are setting them up for success. Purchase matching reusable water bottles for yourselves and eye-catching grocery bags so they naturally reach for those versus their wasteful counterparts.

Visit the Scene of the Crime

One of the best ways to learn about anything is to experience it firsthand and in this case the crime would be trash piled high in local landfills. Explain to your child that all of that waste will continue to add up year after year if people do not continue to take proper care of their ‘tossables’. This may also be the perfect time to find reading material that is age appropriate so the two of you can learn more about going green as a team. You may even want to have a daily or weekly list where you write out the types of ways you saved energy, products or food. Together, brainstorm new ways your family can save so the excitement never ends. Hear about a new way to recycle? Take your child aside and ask their opinion. Could your family do the same? Would it make garbage day easier?

Building a Positive Future

As parents all we want is the best for our children. We want them to get a good education, move forward into a job that can not only help them maintain a comfortable living but allow them to do whatever it is they are passionate about. The future of our children is not only in our hands, but in theirs as well and by teaching our children at a young age the importance of taking care of the environment, (much like you take care of them) the world will be a much better place for them to live in and start their very own families in the not-so-distant future. Time sure flies, doesn’t it? They really do grow up so fast. Before you know it, you’ll be witnessing them passing on these and many other green tips along to your grandchildren.

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Frank Winchester, the author of this post, is a part of the team at an established agency providing information about solar panel grants in one’s neighborhood. You can visit their website to find out more about them. You can also tweet Frank @Solar_Frank to contact him.

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People Ignoring Lifesaving Safety Signage

Vorsicht railbike, Sourbrodt, East Belgium

Vorsicht railbike, Sourbrodt, East Belgium (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Each year, 120,859 Americans die from injuries caused by accidents, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Many — if not most — of those deaths could have been prevented. Though fatal accidents are complex and involve several causative factors, one of the major ones is people ignoring warning signs. Whether you’re a city planner responsible for road signs or a homeowner who needs to warn others about hazards, the following information can help enhance compliance and improve safety:

Inadequate Sign Size or Color

One of the major reasons people ignore safety warning signs is failure to see them. According to Channel 59 News, drivers in Beckley, West Virginia who had been driving over a certain bridge for years had never noticed a sign saying “Trucks Buses Cross One at a Time.” Channel 59 reporter Lauren Hensley reported that a major reason was the size of the sign; it was simply too small for drivers to notice at speed. The simple black-on-white color scheme may have also been a factor. It can pay to invest in large signs that show up well against the background.

Complexity

People also ignore signs they don’t understand or that take too much effort to interpret. In areas with a lot of cultural diversity, language barriers can often cause problems. So to can signs with too much text or text writing in technical language. You can prevent this by printing signs in several languages or using symbols, using layman’s terms, and by keeping text brief and to-the-point.

Increased Cost of Reaching The Goal

People also ignore warning signs when they interfere with what they want to do. According to Marc Green, Ph.D., a human behavior researcher and speaker, human beings naturally resist warnings that block them from accomplishing goals. It can help to provide a “substitute goal.” This is why road services provide detour signs when they close off roads, so that drivers can easily find an alternate route. You can use the same trick. If, for example, you have a “No Trespassing” sign near a private pool, you might include a second sign with directions to a public pool.

Inadequate Sense of Risk

Dr. Green also reports that people often ignore safety warnings when they feel they are at low risk. A reminder of the consequences of dangerous behavior can help enhance compliance. While road signs have to be simple in order to be read at speed, other signs can incorporate reminders of the consequences of noncompliance. City signs might, for example, carry warnings of the fines attached to certain behaviors or warnings of the types of injuries that can result from unsafe behavior.

Cultural Factors

Another thing that influences the mental cost-benefit calculation people do when they see a warning sign is culture. While some cultures tend to be more resistant to warning signs than others, people from every culture will ignore warning signs they consider offensive. If your signs are going to be directed at people from a culture you aren’t familiar with, get someone from that culture to look things over before you post them.

Final Thoughts

Some people are always going to ignore safety signs, but the majority will heed them if given a little bit of help. Clear, large, easy-to-read-and-understand signs can enhance viewer compliance, as can cultural sensitivity and a few reminders of what can happen if safety rules aren’t obeyed. These tips can help you enhance the safety of your home, business, or even community.

The writer of this article, Nicole Johnson, is an advocate for driver safety and has helped contribute ideas to encourage better safety signs in Perth, Australia.

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A Wake Is A Wonderful Way To Say Goodbye To Your Loved Ones

When we say goodbye to our loved ones it is always a sad and sombre occasion. A wake is usually a time when we invite family and friends to come and say goodbye whilst the deceased’s body is present. An Irish wake usually involves a few drinks and a fairly rowdy party in honour of the deceased. This article looks at the history of wakes and offers a few tips on how to arrange one as well.

The Origins Of Wakes

The exact date of the first wake is not actually known, but it was believed to have been somewhere during the Medieval Age. Family and friends would gather in the home of the deceased and bid him goodbye whilst indulging in food and alcoholic beverages. The reason for this ritual was believed to help protect the deceased from the evil spirits of the age. One thing is for sure, the people present were certainly in high spirits by the end of the session!

An Irish Wake

An early Irish wake was observed in County Down, the deceased was covered by a white blanket and another white sheet was placed about a metre above the body. There were a number of candles on this suspended sheet and only women were allowed in the room. They were drinking a type of whisky and were lamenting for the dead man.

Planning A Modern Day Wake:

The wake usually takes place before the funeral and you will need to let friends and family know about the event. Contact the guests and tell them the address and visiting date and time details. You may also place this information in the obituary column of your local newspaper.
You will also need to inform the funeral home about your intentions to hold the wake. They will have to prepare the body for this viewing and will probably be required to send the flowers already received, to the wake.
Arrange for a guest book to be placed on display, the visitors will need to sign this as a matter of formality. You can either buy this yourself or ask for the funeral home to provide one.
Collect some nice pictures of the deceased and arrange these tastefully around the visitation room. This will add a nice personal touch and the guest will appreciate being able to see the deceased as they were when alive.
Be present during the visiting hours and welcome all of the invited guests. This is a sad time but is deemed very necessary, especially amongst the more mature guests.
You can arrange for a get together after the funeral service, this can be at your home or perhaps a local pub or restaurant will be more convenient. These are often fairly lively and can add a little joy to celebrate the passing of a wonderful life.
If you decide to hold the wake at your home, remember to lay on a decent spread and do not scrimp on the beverages, especially if the deceased enjoyed a little knees up every now and then!

Attached Images:
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Today’s guest author, David Baker, works as a skilled funeral director for www.allstatecremationct.com providing cremation services in Hamden, CT. He is a fitness freak and enjoys working out in the gym for leisure.

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Busy Mommys Need Girly Getaways; This Is Your Year

Becoming an adult changes everything. Suddenly instead of your biggest worries being who you’ll be hanging out with this weekend or which table you’re going to sit during lunch, you have to keep up with the monthly bills, consider taking out loans and find a career that will help you retire comfortably. Life takes another drastic turn when children are added to the equation. Now, instead of your needs coming first, you have to put yourself second and help build up this new addition to the world and help them gain the confidence and knowledge necessary to prepare them for adulthood.

Being a mother is a full-time job and whether you are a single parent or have someone helping you along the way; it takes a lot of energy. Juggling work, your personal life and the life of your child can be difficult and is enough to burn anyone out. If you’ve been putting off vacations, now may be the year to give yourself that much-needed break. You work hard and at least once in a while you should be able to play hard (or relax hard).

Pamper Yourself

If the word ‘pamper’ only makes you think of the diaper brand Pampers, then you’re probably more than overdue for some alone time. In order to stay energized and able to take on each and every day, we all need breaks. You need to allow your batteries to recharge. It’s impossible to be there for others as much as you want to be when you can barely keep yourself going.

Make it a point to do something you haven’t been able to do for a while. Remember in your single days when you would take a weekend and go to the spa with the girls? Busy work weeks and exhaustion have probably made that seem like a distant dream so plan ahead and make it happen now. Get your nails and hair done. Get that facial and message that you’ve been dying for. You’ll be on cloud nine and you’ll finally be able to relieve all of that built up tension.

Reenergize

Once you have a child, sleep becomes a thing of the past. Any moment your new baby is asleep, you try to catch a few winks yourself. This interrupted sleep oftentimes makes you feel more tired than if you would have stayed awake due to not getting to complete your full sleep cycle.

During your time away, make it a point to get some shut eye. Some real shut eye. Curl up with a good book in your hotel room, near the pool or with your umbrella on the beach and get some real relaxation time. Bring your girls along and all of you can discuss the challenges of adulthood and remember what it feels like to be a strong woman, and not just a mother. It’s easy to lose yourself when so much of your life revolves around caring for others. Now’s the time to care for you.

A Little Break Does the Mind Good

What you decide to do during your time away isn’t important, neither is how far you decide to travel. What matters most is that you have given yourself the opportunity to do whatever it is you like to do – to feel like your own person again. Not only is this time away from the family going to be great for you but it’s going to be great for them as well. You are going to be missed while you’re away and all of the hard work and effort you put into running a household is going to be appreciated more than ever.

The saying ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder’ comes to mind and the moment you walk back through your front door and have the children hanging on your legs, you’ll realize that the saying could never be truer than it is that very moment. As much as you probably loved your time away, there is nothing quite as rewarding as those nightly hugs from the children and their surprised faces when you take them out to their favorite restaurants.

Who knows, maybe your next vacation can include the entire family. Of course, you’ll at least need part of that time dedicated to what you want to do, because nothing beats a little one-on-one time with yourself. Nothing builds up motivation and determination like the anticipation of another upcoming break.

Attached Images:

Eden Spielberg, the author of this post, works as a travel blogger and believes that every hardworking person deserves a time of recreation and a holiday to recharge himself/ herself. He works for Optima Villas in Lanzarote and you can click to visit the Optima site.

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How To Respond When Others Question Your Faith

No matter how strong your faith may be, the day will come when you are faced by one or more people who decide to challenge your belief in God. This is a perfectly natural occurrence and you should not feel threatened in any way. But the first time it happens may seem a little confrontational and unpleasant. This article looks at these scenarios and offers some solace that may help you to deal with this situation without losing your cool.

What Is Meant By Apologetics?

Jesus, Stained Glass Detail Of The Church St Etienne Fecamp, Normandy, France

This term was devised to describe the act of defending a position, often a religious one, by using facts and practices. It is commonly used to describe the time when religious people are defending their faith to a group of non-religious critics. It can also be used to describe the scenario when religious people are volunteering information about their faith to outsiders in order to persuade them to become interested in worshipping God. This practice has many responses to questions about God’s existence and some of these can be used when we are challenged about our beliefs in an everyday situation.

Be Prepared

It is always best to have a good knowledge about any topic that you are being challenged about. This also applied to your faith and belief in God, so read the Bible as often as possible and digest the information that you are taking in. Understand the meanings of the parables and try to make the connections between the Torah and the New Testament. It is only by true understanding that your faith will be strengthened.

Don’t Wait To Be Challenged

Instead of dreading that moment when somebody points a finger at you and criticises your beliefs, why not offer some information and see what response you get? Nobody enjoys being on the back foot and you can use this proactive stance to your advantage. You needn’t be too assertive, but offer some insight into your own reasons for believing in God. Ask your friends if they have any specific questions about your religion and see what they come up with. Find out what the most common areas of religion interest them and if you do not have the answers, write the questions down and research the required responses when you have a moment.

The Most Common Questions

Question mark

This will depend on whether or not your friends are being genuine or not, but the following queries tend to crop up more often than others:

  • Why does God allow good people to die young?
  • How did Jesus rise from the dead?
  • Is the Bible true or just a fairy tale?
  • Does the Bible agree with abortion and homosexuals?

Speak To Your Peers

Answering these questions and many more that are bound to come your way, is a matter of choice. The more you truly understand the teachings of God, the better chance you have of finding the answers. Speak to your Christian friends and ask them for advice on these matters. Some sceptics will never accept your answers, but you may find others are more sympathetic towards your religion.

Attached Images:

This post was contributed by Rosy Bennett; she is a member of a beautiful evangelical church in London, Ontario and she is a god-fearing person. She enjoys reading and writing during her free time.

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Impress Your Date: Go Fishing!

As we advance into a new era, we see more of how much fun we can have in this world. From simple conversations over coffee, to classy wine-tasting dates, to laid-back picnics at the park, it’s impossible to run out of ideas on where and how to have fun on a date. And now that technology is on our side, all the more has arranging things become easier. Bookings, research, calls, are just a few clicks away.

Fishing date? For real?

Perhaps one of the more uncommon date activities is fishing. It might even sound silly and corny to some, but fishing dates are actually fun and are a great way to get to know your date. It’s also wholesome and not to mention – enriching. Not everybody has know-how on fishing and what better way to learn it and about it than with your special someone?

Why go fishing?

Fishing is a great outdoor activity that’s not too laid-back, but not too intense either. It will not bore the wits out of you yet will leave you with enough energy to actually interact with your companion. Sure, it’s fun to try out extreme sports activities with someone special, but for first dates? They will only drain the energy out of you and at the end of the day you’ll realize you don’t even know which university she attended in college. Or what her sign is, which is worse.

Planning things out

So, do you simply buy or rent a boat, tow it to the nearest lake, hop in, take out the rods, and wait for a catch? Of course not. The best way to go fishing especially for first timers would be to book a legit fishing guide – it’s the surest way to minimize the chance of first-timer mishaps. Guides are skilled and experienced in their craft, so you can count on them to teach you the right ways to go about the activity. Having guides will also ensure that you catch good fish as they are knowledgeable when it comes to choosing the right fishing spots. You also have the option of checking out some popular fishing sites and book a guide from there.

While the fun part is actually the fishing, the best parts might as well be the cooking and eating. Usually you have the option of cooking your catch yourself, or have the resort cook it for you – exactly the way you and your date would want it! Eating humongous and sumptuous fishes (that you yourself caught) on your first meal together – sweet!

Now, you might be wondering how to reach the proprietor of those fishing sites. This is definitely not a problem as the Internet has it all – just look for the website, and the numbers to contact will be posted there. You will also get a feel of what services they offer aside from giving fishing guides. You can even compare sites so that you find one that fits your preferences best. After it’s all set, all you need to do is hope and pray that she will realize what a “catch” you are.

Attached Images:  License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://office.microsoft.com/

    This article was written by Cedric Loiselle — a highly enthusiastic and knowledgeable writer for many niches. If you are looking for the best, most reliable Venice LA fishing guides, read his articles for more tips and advice. He recommends Plaquemines Parish Tourism for those visiting Venice, Louisiana.

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    I Am Here For You – Helping Friends And Family To Deal With Grief

    RJ002321

    When we lose someone special, it is always going to be an incredibly difficult event to deal with. We often react in a way that others may find hard to deal with, we are all wired differently. But what happens when the loss is experienced by a friend or a family member? Although we may know the person who has passed away, perhaps the friend or family member were much closer to them. It can be a struggle knowing how to react and what to say to them during this sad event. This article looks at some ways in which we can be a boon instead of a burden when this sad time occurs in our lives.

    Listen First

    It is often a very difficult choice to make when you are thinking of the right words to say in order to make your friend or family member feel better. Often the best response is just to continue listening to them, with a few hugs and sympathetic smiles along the way. They will feel the need to talk about their feelings and about the actual events that led up to the passing. The more that they can talk about these things, the easier it is for them to come to terms with the reality.

    Be Patient

    Everyone will have their own way of dealing with grief and you need to bear this in mind at all times. If your friend or family member seems to be taking a long time to process this grief, you should allow them this dignity. Never tell them that they should have gotten over the event already. Acceptance of death is vital if they are to ever have a chance of moving on from these events in their lives.

    Open Up

    It is more than likely that you will also have known the deceased and will probably have some feelings for them. Share these with your friend or family member and they will appreciate this gesture. They will also understand your need to grieve and can often heal faster if they feel they are helping another get through this untimely event.

    Help Them

    When dealing with the passing of a loved one, people will often neglect important daily tasks. Enquire about the daily routine of your friend or family member and offer to assist with these. It may be something as simple as doing a little shopping, or perhaps taking the kids to school. Do not assume that because they seem to be doing nothing that there is nothing to do!

    Be There As Often As You Can

    Although our friends and family member will need some space, remember to stay in touch and check regularly that they are okay. It is common for someone who is grieving to withdraw from society, ensure this does not happen and try to call in at least once a day if possible.

    Understand Grief

    If you have an understanding of the grieving process, you will be much better equipped to deal with this type of scenario. You can find specific books and websites that have a lot of pertinent information with regards to this human condition.

    Attached Images:

    Henry Bale provides services for cremation in CT. Dealing with personal loss is certainly very difficult and feels that friends and family can help a lot in overcoming the grief, according to him. A keen writer, he likes to write about family and personal issues on his blog.

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    Marriage Proposals – Make Her An Offer She Can’t Refuse!

    When that magical moment finally sinks in, and you decide that you really want to spend the rest of your life with your girlfriend, how do you ensure that she will agree to your proposal? Just because you think that you have found ‘the one’, doesn’t mean that she will automatically reciprocate. This article takes a look at the best ways to propose and will give you a little head start when you get down on one knee.

    Choose The Right Spot

    Love of My Life

    If you are a romantic type of couple, you will probably have a particular place that has a special memory. You could do worse than returning to this ‘shrine’ when you are ready to ask the big question. If you don’t have a special place, or you have forgotten where it was, then you should probably not bother making a proposal at all! Asking your partner to marry whilst on holiday is a pretty sweet idea, but try not to do this after a headful of tequila slammers in a noisy nightclub.

    Don’t Be Predictable

    BE Mine ..........

    Many couple have had a frank conversation and plan the proposal together, almost with military style precision. You will be guaranteed a ‘yes’ if you choose this route, but it is rather lacking on the romantic side of things. The beauty of planning a surprise proposal is that slight chance that it could go all pear shaped. Keep the event real and show your partner a glimpse of an exciting future if she agrees to marry you. Apparently over 90% of woman would rather not know about the time and place of the proposal, and statistics never lie!

    The Ring Is The Thing

    Love and Marriage 298/366

    According to some sources, over 10% of ladies have changed their mind when they see the engagement ring. It is unsure if these figures mean that they were going to say yes or no, but it is an indication that the ring has mystic powers. You can get some valuable hints about what style of jewellery floats your lady’s boat. Try and be subtle, but remember the ones that made her eyes jump out of her head!  Her friends will also know more about these preferences than you do, let them be useful for once but try not to let the cat out of the bag.

    A Long Shot…

    Take a knee

    There are still some traditional ladies out there, and if you have managed to snare one, you could do worse than asking her parents first. There is little doubt that this will cement your relationship with your potential father-in-law, but you need to be very sure that your wife to be will be on the same page as you all. Why not ask her mother as well and increase the odds to three against one?

    Just Say It!

    Despite all of these tips and there are probably a whole book of other gems for you, nothing can quite beat being upfront from the start.  Just get down on your bended knee and say the words, “Will You Marry Me?” It worked for millions of young men before you – Good Luck!

    Attached Images:

    David Cartier is a successful portrait photographer in Melbourne and he likes to write articles sharing his thoughts and opinions. You can follow him on Twitter @davidcsvenska.

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    5 Ways To Stop Roommates From Using Things That Don’t Belong To Them

    Roommates

    If you have lots of brothers and sisters you know what it’s like to grow up in a house where you can call nothing your own. Every time you turn around something is missing and it takes you ages to find it. Some things never get returned and some things disappear before you even get the chance to use them. It’s a tough life that you eventually learn to deal with, but when you’ve never experienced it before it can be a little hard to take when you start living with roommates.

    People will steal your stuff if you let them. They will take things without permission and you won’t get them back for weeks. Things will get broken and a replacement is going to come out of your pocket. It’s even worse when your roommates are not really your friends. They are just random people you live with and some of the things they do will annoy you. Check out these cool ways to stop people using things that don’t belong to them.

    Start using labels

    If you have a nice piece of ham in the fridge I’m pretty sure you want to eat it. You didn’t just spend your hard-earned money so someone else could come along and eat it for dinner. Some people are funny and if they can’t see a name on something they automatically assume it’s theirs. It’s going to be better for you when they stop thinking that way, but until that time you should keep a little packet of labels in a drawer and put one on everything you have in the fridge.

    Lock it up

    If something is locked up it’s impossible for anyone to get access to it without a lot of effort. Someone might not think they are a thief because the item they stole was just lying there, but it’s different when they have to break into something. If you want to lock up your room you will need to ask your landlord if it’s allowed because you will need to mess around with their door. You could also keep a safe in the bottom of your closet that is big enough for your valuables.

    Scare them

    How would you feel if you normally picked up someone’s mobile to make phone calls and you seem them stick it down the back of their pants? You know it wouldn’t have touched anything, but for some reason you still wouldn’t go near it. You are scared and they have won. I’m not telling you to do that with any of your possessions that you don’t want anyone to touch, but if you did you would need to do it in front of them so they witnessed it.

    Respect their stuff

    Don’t expect anyone to stay away from your stuff if you can’t stay away from theirs. If you want people to leave your possessions along you have to be very careful not to touch things that belong to them. Once you start asking to borrow something they will start asking you. What can you say to them? It will have to be yes and sooner or later they will start taking it without asking again. Just get into the habit of relying on yourself and you won’t need to use anyone else’s things.

    Monitor them

    Have you heard of keylogging software? It’s the kind you install on your computer and if anyone decides to sneak on you will know exactly what they were doing. You can get all of their passwords and I’m not saying you should hack into their online accounts, but let them know they have been caught and they won’t go near your computer again. They will also have to change their passwords, so they get a little punishment at the same time.

    • License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2012/04/11/12/59/icon-28112_150.png
    • License: Creative Commons image source

    Author of today’s post is Sheldon Lewis. He is an outstation student and stays with his roommates in London. He is well aware that not everyone gets the perfect roommates and so advises people to act cautiously. Webwatchwer software is one good way to keep a tab on their activities and keep your belonging safe.

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    How To Give Your Home A Sense Of Luxury (Without Breaking The Bank)

    There are many reasons that we get up for work in the morning and why we continuously push ourselves harder and harder to keep up with the rat race. Undoubtedly though, one of the main motivating factors for many of us is that we hope to impress our friends and family in order to feel better about ourselves. Creating a great home that looks and feels luxurious will make you look as though you’ve made it and make you the envy of your friends which in turn can give you a huge boost and make all the long hours after five seem worth it.

    But money and success alone won’t make your home luxurious and in fact you don’t even really need to have a particularly healthy bank account in order to make your home look luxurious. More than anything it’s really about style and it’s about design. Here we will look at some of the ways you can make your home seem luxurious and impress guests.

    Give it a Sheen

    A simple way to make your home appear more luxurious and classy is to look after it better and make sure it’s clean and tidy at all times. Use white colours in your décor to reflect more light and make the spaces seem bigger and cleaner, and then make sure that they are polished and dusted when people come round.

    The Bathroom and Kitchen

    Whenever you see videos of real ‘homes of tomorrow’, the kitchen and bathrooms are often the focusses. The reason for this is that these rooms both use a lot of modern appliances and gadgets to operate which can be modernised in a number of ways. Bathroom and kitchen designs thus move very quickly and if yours look out of date this will quickly date your home. Avoid those green baths and sinks then and make sure to invest in things like waterfall showers, hot tubs, soft close kitchen cabinets and stone floors.

    Faux Materials

    If you want to make your home look even more luxurious then using granite or marble floors and hardwood floors is the way to do it. These are classy touches that will never go out of date and that people know are expensive. If you don’t have the money though you can create the same look using stained concrete or polished laminate flooring and no one need ever know the difference.

    Unusual Features

    If you want your home to stand out among the crowd then you need to think of ways that you can make it genuinely unique and different from every other home. This will often mean adding more unusual and fun features. So for instance, why not include a row of bar stools in your kitchen or add booths like you’d get in an American diner? There’s no reason why your custom kitchens should look just the same as every other kitchen and no reason you can’t have a home theatre, a gym or a ‘reading room’ instead of just another ‘spare room’.

    • License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://www.andertoons.com/house/cartoon/1713/original-wood-floors-cathedral-ceilings-and-oh-did-i-mention-trap-door/
    • License: Royalty Free or iStock source: http://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2013/03/23/04/29/marble-countertop-96084_150.jpg

    Gary Mint is an interior designer by profession. He has been in this profession for the past 10 years and believes that houses have now evolved. He finds a latest trend in people is to opt for inexpensive but useful items which give their homes a new look.

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    Top Ways To Improve Productivity When Working From Home

    Working from home requires a great amount of discipline and dedication if you hope to be able to achieve an output similar to what you would be likely to accomplish in an office. At home there is no boss breathing down your neck to ensure that you aren’t ‘slacking’ and there are just too many distractions from the television to the phone that beckon you away from what you’re meant to be doing.

    One of the best ways to prevent this is to think harder about how you want to set up your working environment at home to reduce distractions and encourage productivity. Here we will look at some ways to do that to help you work better.

    Have More Than One Place to Sit

    IMG_7721

    So let’s say that you’re back is getting achy at the desk. You get up, you stretch, you sit on the sofa – and what’s that? The TV remote ends up in your hand.

    In other words, if you want to encourage work then you need to make it bearable and that means making it comfortable. Having more than one place where you can sit and knuckle down is very useful in this regard, so consider having a bean bag where you can recline with a laptop as well as your desk.

    Have Something Good in the Background

    Work-from-home setup

    Having something good on in the background is a great way to prevent yourself getting bored. If you spend all day writing articles and doing nothing else then that will quickly become dry and boring and you’ll start looking elsewhere for entertainment. Conversely, if you have some good music on in the background, or even TV with the sound turned down, then this can add just enough colour and interest to avoid you feeling the need to look for entertainment elsewhere.

    The other thing that’s useful about this is that if you have music on, it will make it harder to do anything else distracting – you won’t be able to watch TV for instance without turning off the CD player so that prevents the ‘just ten minutes’ argument.

    Set Up Your Tech

    2009 Apple Workstation (Top)

    Chances are in this day and age that working from home involves sitting in front of a computer. In that case then you need to make sure that your computer is working so make sure that you maintain it well and avoid abusing it so that it’s always quick to load up and as functional as possible.

    Meanwhile you should also stock up on any supplies you need. This means ensuring you have a spare black toner cartridge to hand so that you aren’t forced to stop printing and having lots of paper in reserve too.

    Shut Off the Internet

    No Internet

    And in the worst case scenario? If you really can’t focus and you find you’re spending all your time on YouTube? Then do what you know has to be done and disconnect the internet until you’ve completed the bulk of your work. You could consider getting your partner to lock you in the study too but that may be a bit extreme for most people…

    Attached Images:

    This post was contributed by guest blogger Shirley Templeton from Blankdvdmedia.com, Canada’s leading online computer accessories shop.

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    Yawning Linked To Fetus Growth?

    The researchers have a come up with a new way of determining the health of the fetus, well according to this new test conducted by Durham University and Lancaster University where in the 3D scan of 15 healthy fetuses was observed it was concluded that yawning is an activity that indicates the health and development of the baby.

    There are some researchers who decline the process of yawning and call it just the opening of mouth by the fetus. However, the difference between yawning and opening of mouth has now been clearly pointed out by the new research where in the duration of opening the mouth was observed. During this research it was also observed that more than half of the times opening of the mouth was for yawning.

    According to the study carried out where in 8 female and 7 male fetuses around 24-36 weeks from gestation were observed the there was a decline in the frequency of yawning from 28 weeks and also that the pattern did not vary between boys and girls.
    And although it is too early to establish the role of yawning, the experts say that it has some concrete role in fetal development and it might help in determining the health of the fetus.

    Dr. Nadja Reissland who leads the team from Durham University’s department of psychology has to say that this study has only underlined the previous researches proving that yawning indicates the health of the fetus and as the development in the fetus increases the yawning decreases. Thus proving hat yawning is actually an indication of a healthy fetus. Although further research is required where in both the mother and the child would have to be tested to conclude that yawning is linked to the central nervous system and has role in the development of the fetus.

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    What Goes Into Making a Perfect Halloween?

    While the whole nation is busy preparing for the spookiest night of the year, there are concerns being raised over safety, economy and the expenditure. In an attempt to make this Halloween a better Halloween the Statesman Journal has gathered some statistical data which is related to Halloween’s Day.

    If you are in the United States then you must know that an average American spends about $26.52 on a Halloween costume as per the survey conducted by BIGresearch for the National Retail Federation for September and October. The survey was able to give the data for each region. People who live in the West reportedly spend more on the Halloween costume than the rest of the country – $44.23.

    The survey also revealed that while an average American spends $21.05 on candy the Westerner spends about $24.15 on the same. And while the rest of the country spends about $20 on decoration the Westerners spend about $32.

    As for the safety Halloween is considered as the deadliest day for child pedestrians. A study conducted by State Farm and Sperling’s Best Places about five and a half children each year during the Halloween making it the most dangerous among the holidays. The time between 6 – 7 pm is the most dangerous hour and the children between the age group of 12 and 15 years are the most at risk followed by the ones between age group of 5 and 8 years. As a precaution one must carry torchlight and something reflective on their costumes. As for other precautions the trick-or-treaters can keep to sidewalks and crosswalks instead of darting in front of the vehicles.

    The popular costumes include a number of fantasy characters like Witch, Pumpkin and so on. A Census report suggests that Oregon has as many as 627,242 trick-or-treaters targets and around 30 chocolate manufacturing units. Thus, let us make this Halloween a Fun affair not a tragic one.

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