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Graduation. It is an important event no matter if happens at the end of preschool, high school or medical school. Graduation is important because not only does it mark the end of a season, but it also marks the beginning of something great. It signifies a great accomplishment that has been made by a lot of hard work and a big commitment to finishing well.

I am so glad that graduation exists because I am someone that needs to see the light at the end of the tunnel in order to keep going strong. I need to see the end goal or I often get lost in the busyness of the process. And graduation does just that. It keeps me going, it gives me something to aim for, and it puts an end to whatever I am doing, whether it is been easy or hard.

It is important that graduations are celebrated and that the people graduating feel like the people they love are proud of them. Everyone who has gotten through high school remembers how hard it actually was. The late nights spent cramming for tests or writing huge papers and the long days of taking tests or giving presentations. Learning how to make good friends and surround yourself with good people is just one of the many challenges adolescents face. And who could forget the terror or pleasure of prom? For some, prom is a great memory of a romance filled evening, and others cannot wait to forget the terrible night. Regardless of how good or bad high school was, most seniors look with anticipation toward graduation day.

For teens ending high school, graduation is the one of the biggest events they can imagine. Most can hardly wait to receive their cap and gown and send out countless announcements to family and friends. The families of some seniors throw large parties to showcase the accomplishments of their students. They display photographs of their child from preschool through their senior year, and parents can often be found mingling at the party bragging on how great their child is. And rightfully so. By the time their student walks the aisle at graduation, they have done more than enough to make their parents proud.

High school gradution is significant because for many it marks the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Before graduation even happens students begin filling out applications for colleges or for jobs. They begin planning and dreaming about what their life might become. They think about purchasing a car or a computer, they think about the new friends that are to be made at college. By the time graduation day arrives teens are filled with a mixture of emotions. Some are fearful, some mourn the loss of their childhood, and still others are nothing but joyful about the transition. Whatever their emotion, all students seem to hold one thing in common on graduation day: relief. Relief over being finished with years of schooling, relief over making it through all of the hardships of growing up, and the relief of another summer break about to begin.

Triston Huntsmin loves sharing with people about the importance of celebrating graduation and other significant milestones in life. Learn more about graduation at www.mygraduation.info

During my time as a real estate agent in three different States, I noticed something. There is never a lack of people, magazines, publications or websites that are willing to “help” you market yourself to the public at large. Most of their help comes with a lot of dollar signs, but they can help.

Really, how much could you spend buying signs, placing your one or two listings in a real estate publication and joining networking groups? And what about having a website built? Forget about it. The costs add up to be so high that who can afford the marketing.

One agent told me that being in business her first two years cost her $70,000. So how can you market your real estate business without it costing you a fortune? I mean, didn’t you get into this business to make money?

Publish your own magazine!

I met a man in Las Vegas who was a real estate agent. He was from the north, so I will spare you some of his explicatives, but he mentioned to me how tired he was of the fees the magazines charged just for one page. He said that it was great that every grocery store had them, but was it really $1,000 per page?

He decided to create his own publication and put it out monthly instead of paying the prices for the other free publications that were out there. That one little page in the other magazines brought him some calls, but what if he had more space?

The idea worked like a charm. He decided to print a newspaper like publication. It cost him about $1,500 to print about 2,000 copies which he distributed himself. He put all of his listings in the magazine, and sold spots to other disgruntled agents. The advertising space he sold for about $100 per page paid for the printing in full and he had 2,000 newspapers to distribute to the grocery stores, many of whom were happy to let him post there.

The calls kept coming. He was getting tons of listing business. It seems that people loved the idea of larger pictures for listing their homes and they were excited to give him the business.

He increased his printing amounts month after month, until he had more business than he could handle. His daughter and son, also in the real estate business were getting the benefit of the overflow and today, I imagine that their family has a steady stream of warm leads calling because of their own publication. Fantastic idea!

Build up your own web links!

If you have a website, then you no doubt have tried to find it on Google, Yahoo!, or MSN. You do searches with keywords like, “real estate in Las Vegas” only to find out that you are nowhere near the front page in the results. Then you read that statistically the top three pages are the ONLY ones visited by surfers on a search engine. So, what can you do to help build your site’s ranking and start getting visitors and leads from the Internet?

Search Engine Optimizing is beyond the scope of this article, but you can start building a web presence by finding sites that are willing to link to you. By them creating a link to your site, you can build your website ranking very quickly. Not so much because of the people who will follow that link to your site, but because of the search engine spiders which will follow that link to your site.

Those spiders, are computer programs that are looking for new information on the web all of the time. A link from a site will direct those spiders to look at your site. Then, once there, the spider can analyze your site to see what you are all about.

The more links that point to your site, the better because it is like having ten friends say, “You have to see King Kong”. Spiders go to hundreds of websites daily and if several of them say, “you have to see Bob’s real estate website,” then they will go see it.

How do you find link partners and directories where you can list that won’t cost you a fortune? Start with Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. They are the places you want to be listed anyway. Search for things like “link partners” or “real estate directories”, and then visit those sites to see what it takes to get a link on there.

Only list on the ones that are free and offer a link to your website. Putting your phone number on a site helps none. But having the link is everything.

Bill Nixon runs a FREE real estate directory at http://www.checkmyagent.com

Whether you are a backyard mechanic looking for inexpensive car parts to fill your customers’ orders, or you own a body shop, or even a chain of body shops, you need to find car parts. However, car parts can be very expensive and can really bring down your profit margin. Especially, as a backyard mechanic, if you are fixing cars for family and friends with a pre-set expectation of a price range, expensive car parts can steal the few dollars you might expect to make for your trouble.

EBay can help you find inexpensive car parts. Using eBay, or some other online auction, you will likely be able to find most of the parts you’re looking for at a reasonable cost. And it’s a lot of fun. Here’s how it works:

You’ll need to sign up with eBay and with Paypal, since many people who post on eBay require payment through Paypal. It doesn’t cost anything to sign up with either one of these.

Go onto eBay and search for the parts you’re looking for. You might be able to find them on the main site at eBay.com (or eBay.ca if you live in Canada) or you can go directly to eBay motors, which is an automotive-specific sister site to eBay.

You can browse by the make and model of vehicle, and you may even find an entire vehicle that you can use for parts if need be.

Once you have found the kind of vehicle parts you’re looking for, you’ll want to make sure that you are purchasing the auto parts from a reputable seller. You can do this by looking at their feedback, which eBay posts from previous buyers. You’ll also want to make sure that they ship to your area. For example, if you are buying auto parts from the US, but you live in Canada, you’ll need to make sure that they ship to Canada.

Once you are satisfied that you are purchasing from a reputable buyer and that they will deliver the parts to you, you can place a bid by clicking on the “bid” button.

Part of the fun of purchasing on eBay is to watch the auction draw to a close. If someone bids higher than you, you will need to re-bid on it again if you want another chance to own it.

When the auction closes and you find that you have won, you will need to make arrangements with the seller for payment and shipping. Payment is easy with Paypal, all you need is the seller’s e-mail address. Once your payment has been processed, the seller will send you the car part you bought.

The main advantage of using eBay is that it is a fun way to get parts affordably. The main disadvantage is the time factor: For example, you could bid on a part and lose it moments before the auction closes. Still, for the amount of money you could save, this might be a worthwhile option.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Car Parts Information a website providing information on Car Parts

The male sexual organ can be affected by several penis disorders
ranging in severity from swelling to nerve entrapment and
impotence. These disorders should be brought to the attention of
a trained physician and some of them require surgery.

The simplest penis disorder is the swelling of the foreskin,
which can result from sexual activity, including masturbation.
This disorder is called Oedema and it is practically harmless as
long as the foreskin is in the normal position and the blood
flow is present. However, a doctor’s advice should be sought if
the swelling persists, since this could be pointing toward
chronic heart disease.

Paraphimosis is the inability to more the foreskin over the
glans either from fluid trapped in a foreskin which is left
retracted or from the accumulation of fluid in the foreskin
after intense sexual activity. The condition can be treated by
simple means. If it persists for several hours, a visit to the
doctor is mandatory.

Peyronie’s disease is one of the most common penis disorders. It
is characterized by a curvature of the penis caused by anomalous
scar tissue. Surgery is usually needed only in severe cases of
this penis disorder.

Accidents and hard cycle seats can be the source of damage to
the pudendal nerve. The pudendal nerve entrapment is
characterized by pain on sitting and loss of sensation and
orgasm. It should not be confused with the loss of sensation
caused by permanent nerve damage from diabetes or peripheral
neuropathy.

As with other muscles, the penis can be torn by excessive bent.
Penile fracture should be treated as soon as possible in order
to prevent permanent damage.

Priapism is a painful medical condition in which the erect penis
disorder fails to return to the flaccid state. Potential
complications include ischaemia, thrombosis, and impotence. In
serious cases the condition may result in gangrene, which may
necessitate amputation.

The best-known penis disorder of the penis is impotence, today
known as erectile dysfunction. Impotence is the inability to
reach or maintain the erect state of the penis in order to have
a satisfactory sexual performance.

Is your dream to follow a medical education, but know that you can’t adhere to the demands of a traditional med school? There is now a solution, which is that you can attend one of the many online colleges and universities that offer degrees in Medical Office Administration and Health Administration. Students can elect to complete coursework in computer and software applications, office procedures, medical coding, anatomy and physiology, and much more, including the opportunity to participate in internships.

There are reputable online programs that offer associate degrees in Medical Office Administration and Health Care Administration. In addition to learning how to perform the vital clerical and organizational responsibilities of a highly functioning health care office effectively, students will examine theoretical, ethical, and practical topics related to medical record keeping.

Students that are active in the attendance of Online Medical Office Administration School will talk about ethical, regulatory, and legislative issues related to the day-to-day operations of medical health clinics and offices. Students completing the associate degrees in Medical Office Administration will have acquired up-to-date knowledge in preparation for entry-level positions in modern medical offices. Graduates of Online Medical Office Administration Schools can be able to take up a career as front office medical assistants, admitting clerks, patient services, healthcare supply coordinators, medical records keepers and other positions.

If Medical Office Administration Schools and other types of schools have so far peaked your interest, you can select a school from several excellent places in the US, where you will be able to gain all the knowledge that is obtainable at any quality university and college and also take advantage of not having to conform to the scheduling conflicts of attending one that is not online. Get your medical administration degree from home!

Just because you’re holding your guitar doesn’t mean that you’re playing it, and just because you’re playing your guitar doesn’t mean that you’re practicing. There is a real difference and it needs to be acknowledged if you want to improve your level of playing skill. Some people say they have spent the entire day practicing their guitar when in reality, all they’ve done was sit in front of the TV all day eating cheesy poofs. The sad thing is that they really do believe it was practicing since they had their guitar on their lap next to their cheesy poofs all day. Most of us know someone who does this and we may even be guilty ourselves.

In order to truly improve your skills you really need to avoid any distractions, no TV, no food, no friends and no phone. Just you, a guitar, an amp and maybe some reference materials. Speaking of amps, keep the distortion turned down. Remember, this is practice, not playing. The distortion will only hide your mistakes. You need to hear your mistakes clearly so you can correct them.

If you’re a beginner you might want to practice basic guitar scales or guitar chords. Make sure you have the necessary reference material handy so you don’t spend your time doing things wrong. Keep in mind that what you practice is reinforced so if you’re practicing your scales wrong, then you’ve not only wasted your time; you’ve also reinforced your mistakes.

So what should you practice? Since I’ve never heard you play I can’t tell you what you need to improve on, but I can make suggestions to make your practice more effective.

Don’t turn your amp up to 11 and play every solo you know. This is playing the guitar not practicing the guitar. It might be fun and a great way to blow off some steam, but it won’t improve your skills.

Don’t let practice get stale. You need a variety of things to keep your mind from wondering. Practice your scales for an hour then work on chords or music theory. Mix it up. Just be sure not to over do any one area because you’ll get bored and at that point your practice won’t be as effective.

Don’t just go through the motions. Part of a good practice session is finding problems and figuring out solutions. If you’re having trouble fingering a particular chord, then analyze the problem and try to find a solution. You might think that your fingers are to small or weak, when the reality is that you only need to improve your technique. When I first learned to make barre chords I had a rough time making all six strings sound clear. Now I can make them all sound clear with very little effort. I would also add that I don’t believe my hand strength has much to do with it at all.

Use a metronome when practicing. This will help you improve your timing and make everything sound better.

Learn the basics first. If your beginning guitar you should know and understand the basic relationship between chords and scales. This will help you to better understand the logic of the chord patterns when you learn songs and what scale you should use to solo over top of that particular chord pattern. Check out my lesson “Guitar Scales and Chord Triads” at “www.guitarmetal.com” for a visual reference that might help.

Pick a time of day to practice when you feel most alert. If you’re groggy or unfocused, your practice efforts will be compromised. You might work better if you break up your practice session into several times throughout the day. For example, maybe practice an hour in the morning and a couple hours in the evening. You know when you feel the most alert so take advantage of those times.

Be prepared with things to work on. Don’t just sit down and noodle around for a couple of hours. Before you sit down you should already know what you’re going to work on. This will help maximize your time.

Edward D Cupler is the owner of guitar lessons website guitarmetal.com Offering free guitar lessons to beginners and advanced students. Ed is also the owner of Digitalgreys.com

What Is Design Psychology?

Design Psychology exceeds “traditional” interior design practice by considering the effects of design elements on our five senses, as well as our emotions. Rather than decorating to impress or to follow a certain style, you can choose specific lighting, color, patterns, and other design elements to support your happiness and well-being.

Design Psychology includes an understanding of both physiological and psychological effects of design elements. For instance, our pituitary gland releases tranquilizing hormones when we view sky blue. Knowledge of physiological effects of color can be applied to home decorating to make sure a room uplifts, calms, or energizes.

Our physiological reaction to aspects of design leads to our psychological response. We all know that a trickling waterfall not only looks pretty, but relaxes those nearby. But do you know that certain textures make you feel irritable, while others comfort? Or that undulating patterns uplift the spirit, while geometric patterns cause anxiety?

With an understanding of design psychology you can choose elements of vision, hearing, touch, smell, and even taste which bolster positive feelings and contribute to happy living.

How Do You Get Your Home Decorated and Furnished Right the First Time?

Using design details chosen to encourage joyful living is easy. First, learn about lighting — the most important factor in residential design. Next, use colors appropriate to the natural setting, lighting, and desired emotional response. Then think about reactions to patterns already in the space and add harmonious patterns based on nature; patterns proven to make people happy. Other design details in your home also come into play — sounds, accessories, furnishings and arrangements for comfort.

Once you understand the science of Design Psychology, you can follow your own inspiration and creatively employ design elements.

Just as master artists study the physical body and anatomy, your background knowledge in Design Psychology prepares you with underlying theory. The practice or application of design details in Design Psychology is the ART of Residential Design.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm

Incorporating bodybuilding into my lifestyle has been one of the
best decisions I ever made. My early childhood was marred by the
trauma of sexual abuse. Although these memories were repressed
until just a few years ago, I spent most of my life suffering
from all the classical symptoms of abuse: low self-esteem, low
self-confidence, phobias, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and
depression.

The cycle of abuse continued through my adolescence when, at age
16, I entered into an eight year abusive marriage. I endured
daily emotional and verbal abuse, threats, and intimidation. My
self-esteem continued to plummet and at age 24, when I finally
divorced my husband, I was a physical and emotional wreck. I had
never practiced a healthy lifestyle, had no self-respect, and
the stress of my lifelong abuse had taken its toll. At 24 years
old I weighed 97 pounds, was having daily chest pains, heart
palpitations, panic attacks, and insomnia. I also suffered from
TMJ Syndrome due to stress. My doctors advised me to begin an
exercise program before my condition worsened.

I reluctantly began aerobics and then incorporated a mild
strength-training program. I immediately noticed the physical
and mental benefits of exercise. At that point in my life,
toning and building muscle was not my goal. I needed an outlet
for stress and an increased energy level. However, it didn’t
take long for me to develop an interest in nutrition, building
muscle, and possibly competing. My self-esteem and general
outlook on life improved tremendously as I continued my
workouts.

In January 1998, at age 34, I took my love of the sport one step
further. I hired a professional bodybuilder to train me for the
upcoming Belding Natural Classic Bodybuilding show in Belding,
Michigan. Due to the abuse I suffered, I have always had a
terrible self-image. Even though I never had a weight problem, I
have always been very embarrassed of my body. Competing was
something I never thought I could do, because of this hang up.

At a petite 5′ 2″, I am not genetically gifted with good
muscular development. However, I trained hard, was very
dedicated to my diet, and did exactly what I was told me to do.
I felt a lot of anxiety on April 11, 1998 when I stepped on
stage in just a posing suit. Most of my competitors had better
muscle development and had been training much longer than me.
(Normally, that would have sent my confidence right out the
window.) However, my routine was graceful and my poses weren’t
bad either! The audience was very supportive and my
self-confidence soared. I won a medal that day.

In my mind, I accomplished everything I set out to do. I gained
valuable experience and many of my fears and hang-ups were
conquered. I have never felt such confidence, satisfaction, and
pride in myself. I have come a long way over the years and
achieved many goals, but that contest changed my life
tremendously. It is difficult to put into words, but I have not
felt the same since that day.

Over the years my family and friends have noticed the positive
change in my health, attitude, and self-confidence. I have taken
other steps to improve in those areas and to heal from my past.
However, bodybuilding has been the one thing that has made the
biggest difference in my life. It has made so much difference
that I became a certified personal trainer. Through my new
business, Trinity Coaching Services, I now combine fitness
training and personal development coaching to help others reap
the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I have continued to compete
once or twice a year, simply because it is vital for my
self-esteem.

© 2000 By Monique Rider