Hey, before you slap that harsh political bumper sticker on your vehicle, you may want to be certain of what you're doing it for. Are you aware of all that's going on in politics these days? Do you keep up with your current events and watch the world news daily? One thing that I've noticed regarding the Bush presidency is how he's constantly attacked. Now, I do realize that this is to be expected since he is the nation's leader. The truth is there's no way to have this position and not get dogged by certain individuals and groups. That's just part of the package. Take our current president for example. One thing he's not is articulate. He certainly has trouble forming his arguments verbally. This doesn't make him a horrible leader. There are many factors to consider. So don't peel that back off that anti bush sticker just yet. You may be tainting your car or SUV.
I live in Middle America. You see plenty of stickers on vehicles out here. Now I'm not talking about the anti bush sticker; I'm referring to "Support Our Troops" stickers. I like seeing this. Whether you agree with the war or not isn't the issue. The fact is we have tons of Americans over there fighting for our country. They're doing what al lot of folks over here would never have the guts to do. Therefore let's offer them support in any way we can. It's the right thing to do. You don't have to have your PHD to see that there is a great deal of controversy surrounding politics. This all starts with opinions. We all have them and we all think we're right. Some of us are out looking for an anti bush sticker to voice our position, and others are doing the opposite. One thing I can tell you is that you may want to think about your environment/community before pasting an anti bush sticker on your ride. Like I mentioned, around here that probably wouldn't be the best idea. That is, unless you want to be ostracized and possibly worse.
If an anti bush sticker is what you're searching for, you'll have no trouble finding one online. You can take your pick from a whole slew of anti bush trinkets, stickers, apparel and more. However, I would keep in mind that Bush is our president, and though he may make a few mistakes; he is just human like the rest of us. How well would you do in the White House?
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Relationship Advice
I have been a social worker for twenty five years. During that time I have worked with hundreds of people. My jobs have varied over the years, but primarily I have worked with children and their families. About a year ago I began considering a career change. I felt that I was not as effective with people any more and I was getting tired of budget issues and the ever changing laws that effect human services. I saw an ad on the internet about giving relationship advice. I thought this was intriguing so I responded to the ad.
I needed to supply my resume on line. I was contacted by a person that worked for the company. She told me that the relationship advice was similar to call in radio shows; however the people I would be dealing with would be through interactions on the internet. She explained that many people do not want to seek relationship advice on the air waves for fear that someone will recognize their voice or their story. By seeking relationship advice on the internet they could remain anonymous. She said that my interview would be fielding two calls that wanted relationship advice. One of the calls would be on the telephone and other would be a live chat room interaction on the internet.
I did the two calls with a third person listening in to evaluate my ability to interact with the people calling in as well the quality of the advice I was able to give. The person rating me liked my phone interactions and typed responses and hired me. We made arrangements that I would start part time so that I could keep me other job in case this did not work out.
I could not believe the number of people that turn to strangers for relationship advice. I have found it most helpful to talk to people that not only know me well, but also know my husband. The people that are looking for tips and advice on the internet are usually very rushed. They want a quick answer to their relationship issue. They want a solution that will be easily implemented and long lasting. I try to explain that relationship advice over the phone or internet is very general and is not therapy. I was concerned at first that people would not get the level of service that they may need, however if I did interact with someone that I felt had needs that went beyond relationship advice I would give them referral information to a mental health center. I found that I enjoyed giving out relationship advice and could not believe the situations I was asked to counsel people on. This has turned into an enjoyable full time job that is much less stressful and quite rewarding.
I needed to supply my resume on line. I was contacted by a person that worked for the company. She told me that the relationship advice was similar to call in radio shows; however the people I would be dealing with would be through interactions on the internet. She explained that many people do not want to seek relationship advice on the air waves for fear that someone will recognize their voice or their story. By seeking relationship advice on the internet they could remain anonymous. She said that my interview would be fielding two calls that wanted relationship advice. One of the calls would be on the telephone and other would be a live chat room interaction on the internet.
I did the two calls with a third person listening in to evaluate my ability to interact with the people calling in as well the quality of the advice I was able to give. The person rating me liked my phone interactions and typed responses and hired me. We made arrangements that I would start part time so that I could keep me other job in case this did not work out.
I could not believe the number of people that turn to strangers for relationship advice. I have found it most helpful to talk to people that not only know me well, but also know my husband. The people that are looking for tips and advice on the internet are usually very rushed. They want a quick answer to their relationship issue. They want a solution that will be easily implemented and long lasting. I try to explain that relationship advice over the phone or internet is very general and is not therapy. I was concerned at first that people would not get the level of service that they may need, however if I did interact with someone that I felt had needs that went beyond relationship advice I would give them referral information to a mental health center. I found that I enjoyed giving out relationship advice and could not believe the situations I was asked to counsel people on. This has turned into an enjoyable full time job that is much less stressful and quite rewarding.
Power Walking
There is a walking path that goes past our home. We live on a lake and there are several resorts that are close to us. People use the walking path to ride their bikes, rollerblade exercise their pets and also for walking. The window from our in kitchen eating area faces the path. There is one neighbor that is into power walking and he goes by almost every evening as we are eating our dinner. No matter how many times I see him I get a chuckle out of his power walking technique.
Through the years there have been many people power walking on the path. Most of them must have watched the same video or television exercise program about how to do this. Power walking involves taking long strides and pumping your arms as you walk. Your arms are bent at the elbows and by vigorously swinging them you increase your heart rate and the amount of calories that you burn. It is easier on your knees and hips than jogging, yet it is suppose to have the overall same effect in regards to a good cardiovascular work out. Some people use hand held weights or weighted wrist bands to increase their calorie burn.
The neighbor has his own unique form of power walking. He is quite tall, over six feet five inches. He is quite skinny. In the summer months he wears shorts and a tank top when power walking. He also has his small house dog along on a leash. As he strides down the path he looks like he is almost doing the splits with each stride. His step is so long that the little dog has to run to keep from getting pulled down the path. He also has his arms bent at the elbow. But for some reason he holds them way off to the sides with his fists clenched by his chest. He looks like a chicken flapping its wings.
My husband and I have seen this most days for five years. Last week my husband was gone overnight on business. My girlfriend came over after work to spend the evening with me. We decided to have a casual dinner from the local deli. We ate at the small kitchen table that faces the walking path. My friend had just taken a bite of food when I saw her stare out the window and start choking as she pointed. The neighbor was doing his power walking routine on the path. My friend managed to swallow her food, but then she laughed until she was also sick. She thought this was the funniest thing she had ever seen. She had just regained her composure when he walked past again to return home. This started another wave of laughter. She thinks we should film this and turn it in to funniest home videos for a prize.
Through the years there have been many people power walking on the path. Most of them must have watched the same video or television exercise program about how to do this. Power walking involves taking long strides and pumping your arms as you walk. Your arms are bent at the elbows and by vigorously swinging them you increase your heart rate and the amount of calories that you burn. It is easier on your knees and hips than jogging, yet it is suppose to have the overall same effect in regards to a good cardiovascular work out. Some people use hand held weights or weighted wrist bands to increase their calorie burn.
The neighbor has his own unique form of power walking. He is quite tall, over six feet five inches. He is quite skinny. In the summer months he wears shorts and a tank top when power walking. He also has his small house dog along on a leash. As he strides down the path he looks like he is almost doing the splits with each stride. His step is so long that the little dog has to run to keep from getting pulled down the path. He also has his arms bent at the elbow. But for some reason he holds them way off to the sides with his fists clenched by his chest. He looks like a chicken flapping its wings.
My husband and I have seen this most days for five years. Last week my husband was gone overnight on business. My girlfriend came over after work to spend the evening with me. We decided to have a casual dinner from the local deli. We ate at the small kitchen table that faces the walking path. My friend had just taken a bite of food when I saw her stare out the window and start choking as she pointed. The neighbor was doing his power walking routine on the path. My friend managed to swallow her food, but then she laughed until she was also sick. She thought this was the funniest thing she had ever seen. She had just regained her composure when he walked past again to return home. This started another wave of laughter. She thinks we should film this and turn it in to funniest home videos for a prize.
Romantic Restaurants
Romantic Restaurants
Couples need to have time out for themselves, and they often choose to go to romantic restaurants to do this. This isn’t just something that young couples do, as married couples need to do this from time to time too, no matter how busy they are. After marriage, many couples forget to nurture their relationship and end up drifting apart. This can be remedied by just taking a little time to spend with their spouse. Restaurants are common date spots, but what is considered romantic by one couple might not be so great for someone else.
When you think of romantic restaurants, you may have candlelight and soft music in mind. This is a common theme in restaurants, but it doesn’t guarantee a romantic atmosphere. There are other things to take into consideration. Things such as children running around, loud waiters, or too little space between tables can make what could be romantic restaurants seem like any other place in town. It may take you a while to find the perfect place for your romantic evenings.
I have nothing against children. I really love them, actually. However, when I go out for an evening alone with my husband, I leave my daughter with a babysitter for a reason. Sometimes adults just need that time alone to be waited on, and to not worry if their child is making a mess, eating everything, bothering other people, or just being loud. If your romantic restaurant has a lot of children seated near you, you are going to feel like you are at home rather in a place that is supposed to be romantic. If you make your dinner dates for later in the evening, you are less likely to run into this problem.
As far as I am concerned, good romantic restaurants have not only low light and pleasant music, they also have an excellent wait staff. This means the waiters or waitresses aren’t stopping at your table every five minutes, but they do know to check with you once in a while. Romantic restaurants should also give you space between the tables so you don’t have to worry about being overheard, or you don’t have to worry about hearing what is going on at the next table. This type of place is not as hard to find as you may think. Look around where you live, as there may be the perfect restaurant where you never thought to look.
Couples need to have time out for themselves, and they often choose to go to romantic restaurants to do this. This isn’t just something that young couples do, as married couples need to do this from time to time too, no matter how busy they are. After marriage, many couples forget to nurture their relationship and end up drifting apart. This can be remedied by just taking a little time to spend with their spouse. Restaurants are common date spots, but what is considered romantic by one couple might not be so great for someone else.
When you think of romantic restaurants, you may have candlelight and soft music in mind. This is a common theme in restaurants, but it doesn’t guarantee a romantic atmosphere. There are other things to take into consideration. Things such as children running around, loud waiters, or too little space between tables can make what could be romantic restaurants seem like any other place in town. It may take you a while to find the perfect place for your romantic evenings.
I have nothing against children. I really love them, actually. However, when I go out for an evening alone with my husband, I leave my daughter with a babysitter for a reason. Sometimes adults just need that time alone to be waited on, and to not worry if their child is making a mess, eating everything, bothering other people, or just being loud. If your romantic restaurant has a lot of children seated near you, you are going to feel like you are at home rather in a place that is supposed to be romantic. If you make your dinner dates for later in the evening, you are less likely to run into this problem.
As far as I am concerned, good romantic restaurants have not only low light and pleasant music, they also have an excellent wait staff. This means the waiters or waitresses aren’t stopping at your table every five minutes, but they do know to check with you once in a while. Romantic restaurants should also give you space between the tables so you don’t have to worry about being overheard, or you don’t have to worry about hearing what is going on at the next table. This type of place is not as hard to find as you may think. Look around where you live, as there may be the perfect restaurant where you never thought to look.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
African American Christmas Ornaments
If you are looking for a good African American Christmas Ornament, you might have to look a long way to find something that satisfies your tastes. Yes, there are a lot of African American Christmas Decorations out there, but most of them are really not all that nice. Basically, they are just normal Christmas tree ornaments repackaged as being African American Christmas Ornaments for some cheesy, lame reason. I have even seen plain old glass baubles sold as an African American Christmas Ornament set because they were in red, yellow, and green. Have you ever heard of something quite that silly? I know that I have not.
A lot of the time, a so-called African American Christmas Ornament is actually an African Christmas ornament repackaged to appeal to people who are trying to recapture a sense of their black heritage. For example, many times people will sell a silly little wooden sculpture of some safari animal as an African American Christmas Ornament just because that animal comes from Africa. Even more insulting, sometimes I have seen silly stylized African masks and figurines sold as an African American Christmas Ornament. Talk about perpetuating stereotypes. It is quite a silly state of affairs, if you ask me!
In my opinion, the best way to get an African American Christmas Ornament is to make one yourself, and that is that. You should think of what it means to be a person of color in the United States, and put that into your craft. Use everything about it to make the best African American Christmas Ornament that you can, and I am quite sure that you will not fail in what you are doing. On the contrary, Christmas tree decorations are always that much better if you make them yourself. An African American Christmas Ornament is no different. If it comes from the heart, it is a sure thing that people will see that it is not just another commercial Christmas decoration.
Of course, if you are going to go out and make yourself an African American Christmas Ornament, you probably need to know a few things about how to do arts and crafts. One of the easiest ways to make an African American Christmas Ornament, or any other Christmas decoration for that matter, is to shape it out of clay. Be sure to put a place where it tapers so that you can hang a string from it, bake it in the oven, and you are done!
A lot of the time, a so-called African American Christmas Ornament is actually an African Christmas ornament repackaged to appeal to people who are trying to recapture a sense of their black heritage. For example, many times people will sell a silly little wooden sculpture of some safari animal as an African American Christmas Ornament just because that animal comes from Africa. Even more insulting, sometimes I have seen silly stylized African masks and figurines sold as an African American Christmas Ornament. Talk about perpetuating stereotypes. It is quite a silly state of affairs, if you ask me!
In my opinion, the best way to get an African American Christmas Ornament is to make one yourself, and that is that. You should think of what it means to be a person of color in the United States, and put that into your craft. Use everything about it to make the best African American Christmas Ornament that you can, and I am quite sure that you will not fail in what you are doing. On the contrary, Christmas tree decorations are always that much better if you make them yourself. An African American Christmas Ornament is no different. If it comes from the heart, it is a sure thing that people will see that it is not just another commercial Christmas decoration.
Of course, if you are going to go out and make yourself an African American Christmas Ornament, you probably need to know a few things about how to do arts and crafts. One of the easiest ways to make an African American Christmas Ornament, or any other Christmas decoration for that matter, is to shape it out of clay. Be sure to put a place where it tapers so that you can hang a string from it, bake it in the oven, and you are done!
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