Career Check-Up

The end-of-year is not the only time to reflect on how well your career is advancing, whether you should continue in it for the next year, or do something else. You can perform a career check-up at any time during the year, and you can perform multiple check-ups within the year. Similar to an annual physical, an eye or dental check-up, and even your vehicle's annual maintenance, your career needs a close inspection to determine if you are on the right track, if you need to make some minor tweaks, or perhaps to decide that you need a major overhaul that could include re-careering. Like the other check-ups mentioned above, you can ask yourself some straightforward questions to figure out what your next step may be. It may mean that you can make the adjustments yourself, or it might mean you need a professional career expert to help you along the way.

Regardless, there are five important areas that should be assessed: Interests, Competencies, Motivation, Capabilities, and Fit. Here are key questions for each of these five areas to start out with as you check up on your career:

1. Interests: Are you still interested in your present career or has your interest dropped?
2. Competencies: Are you still skilled in the areas you need to be skilled in or do you need improved or new skills?
3. Motivation: Do you have the motivation and drive to be the best you can be in your career, or have you lost the passion and are not sure what motivates you any longer?
4. Capabilities: Do you see growth opportunities, or do you feel stuck in the same type of work, unable to find advancement opportunities?
5. Fit: Do you fit in the current environment you are in, or do you no longer think you fit in the way things are being done, or feel as good about the people and company as you once did?

If your responses to these five questions are generally positive, then you probably only need to keep reminding yourself that for the short term all you need to do is stay on track, monitor yourself, and make minor adjustments. In a way, your annual Career Check-Up is good, so stay the course, until your next regularly scheduled Career Check-Up.

However, if your responses to any of the questions are not positive, then it might be time to make some major overhauls in your career. Your annual Career Check-Up is telling you it might be time for a change. For example, if you are no longer interested in what you've been doing, then ask yourself what you would like to see as part of your next career. If your skills are not up to par, then you need to determine what you need to improve or what new skills you need to acquire. If your motivation is low, then you need to ask yourself what motivates you; perhaps your motivational needs have changed. If there are no advancement opportunities on the horizon, then perhaps you need to make a career or company switch. If you feel you no longer fit into how the company operates, how it makes its decisions, what its values are, then perhaps you need to consider changing companies.

So, if you believe a career switch or adjustment is needed, here is an easy and fun way to brainstorm for ideas for your next career. No self-criticism is allowed in this exercise. Completing the exercise will most likely take several hours, so take your time. You might work on the exercise in half-hour chunks of time until you believe you are done. While this exercise is applicable to all five areas of your career, the example below is only for Interests. So, here is how the exercise works.

Identify any word/phrase that seems to generate interest for you. The word/phrase might be from an advertisement, a song, a movie, a television show, or just a word/phrase that pops into your head, as for example "playing chess." Write "playing chess" on a piece of paper and circle the phrase. After you circle "playing chess," freely think of other words/phrases that come to mind when you think of "playing chess." Write those words/phrases on the same piece of paper placing them around the phrase "playing chess." Circle all those words/phrases. Then connect all the circled words/phrases with lines, sort of like a web. Not every circled word/phrase will be connected to all the other circled words/phrases, just those that in your opinion most relate to one another. Keep identifying new words/phrases that come to mind for each previously written word/phrase; write the words/phrases on the paper; circle the words/phrases; connect the circles with lines as noted above. Eventually you will have many circled words/phrases with lines connecting them. Again, not all circles will be connected to every other circle. If you do this enough times you will see a pattern, sort of like a thread of thoughts. Your "Career Path of Interests" might also look like a highway map, with each circle representing a city or hub, and the lines represent the roads connecting the cities or hubs.

For example, "playing chess" might cause you to think of "strategy" and "winning." However, "strategy" causes you to think of "planning" while "winning" causes you to think of "losing." So, you forget about "winning" and "losing" and go with "strategy" which may cause you to think of "detail" which may cause you to think of "investigation" which may cause you to think of "being a reporter" which may cause you to think of "following the law" which may cause you to think of "being an attorney" which may cause you to think of.... You get the idea.

When you are done brainstorming, you have a career path for your Interests. Repeat the same exercise for Competencies, Motivation, Capabilities, and Fit. Then, analyze all five career paths. It will guide you to a career or several career possibilities. Then, you need to further investigate these career possibilities for more information. Perhaps you need to attend college, or to talk with someone in the career field. There are many other ways of learning more about different careers.

This exercise is based on the functioning of your brain. Your brain has stored millions of pieces of data, some of which you are fully aware of while some of which is in hidden compartments ready to be accessed when prompted. This is what you have actually done in the exercise, prompted your subconscious to tell you what you already know, but are not fully aware of. Further, writing the words/phrases with freedom, seeing the words/phrases with your own eyes, and then verbalizing aloud the words/phrases causes your brain to make these important connections and alerts you to them. It is amazing how this works.

Small things usually lead to big things. So, repeating the same simple question for different words/phrases, "What does xyz mean to me?" for example, starts you thinking in simple words/phrases that later turns into more important words/phrases. Further, the repetition of the question prompts your brain to access information that is stored away in the hidden compartments previously mentioned because repeating the same question over and over again forces you to think more thoroughly. Repetition also facilitates repeated behavior and increased memory.

While you may get "thinker's block" and not be able to think of words/phrases at first, do not give up. Motivation and persistence pays off, and that is crucial for learning more about your next career. Also, if you notice that the process becomes easier each time you repeat the process for each of the five areas, consider challenging yourself to think of more complex words/phrases.

Career Check-Up

Attract Positive Energy With Feng Shui Crystals

In the art of feng shui, the vibration that brings peace, harmony and positive energy to a space is derived from crystals. Though feng shui crystals are mainly used to enhance the beauty and dcor of a room, some also believe they have healing properties and bring balance to the environment of a home or office. One of the feng shui principles states that our bodies are interconnected with all that surrounds us, in either a positive or negative way. Thus, we can increase harmony and the flow of positive energy by placing objects of high vibration around us.

While feng shui crystals store energy, the specificity and properties of the energy depend greatly on their nature. Most are formed naturally deep underground over millions of years. There are also artificially created crystals but most believe they lack the mineral elements that attract the positive energy, balance and prosperity of the natural ones. The aspects of your life affected by the crystals vary with the type. For example, strong feelings of love and romance are centered on rose quartz. It can also help with feelings of lost love and grief. Place two large size rose quartz in the southwest corner of your bedroom for greatest effect. Hematite can be placed by the front or main door to protect from negative vibrations. They are also used in children's bedrooms to calm their anxiety and help with their difficulty getting to sleep. Large crystals can be placed by themselves on a shelf or table, you can also use several smaller stones placed in a bowl.

Periodically, feng shui crystals must be cleaned and maintained. Cleaning for the first time acts as a purification process and resets the vibration to adjust to its new owner and surroundings. Once acclimated to a new space, most followers of feng shui believe that these gemstones can be used for protection from negative vibrations, to increase concentration, combat insomnia and give a sense of peace and stability. They also add a stylish and exotic flair to any room or office.

As with most things, the price of feng shui crystals increases with size. Research the kinds you need for different effects in various locations in your house. Bigger is not always better, especially if you have a limited budget. Online stores and websites may offer discounted rates on the feng shui crystals you are looking for. That way you'll get the ones you need without spending a fortune. Just be sure that it is a reputable establishment so you can be assured you are getting the best quality for your money.

Cheri Brennan is a planning and organization specialist. To get more articles, tips and resources about Feng Shui, please visit http://fengshui.newinfohighway.com

Richard Bach

Child Custody Laws For Grandparents - Society's Safety Net

Child custody laws for grandparents are an important safety net in today's complex society. It wasn't that long ago, one hundred to two hundred years, over the millions of years of evolution, that families lived and died within a fifty-mile radius of where they were born. The only means of transportation for much of human history was walking.

When humans could only walk there was a much tighter extended family unit. Today, a car or jet can spread a family far and wide in a matter of hours. With physical separation of families comes emotional separation as well. Because of the transient nature of our residence, the extended family unit suffers as a consequence: Divorce is at an all time high.

One of the most important human relationships that are at risk is the grandparent grandchild relationship. Courts have realized that child custody laws for grandparents are an important stabilizing factor for this very reason. When grandkids can have visitation with their loving grandparents they have a better perspective on where they came from and where they are going.

Grandparents usually love their grandkids deeply. It is a different type of love than the love they have for their own children. Since they are usually removed from the task of having to raise the grandchildren they get to have "the most fun" with the grandkids. The term "spoiling them rotten" is used a lot. As grandparents age their grandchildren often become their greatest joys in life. They see the life cycle continue, one which they started.

To learn more about the history of child custody issues from a grandparent's perspective visit Child Custody Laws for Grandparents or GrandparentsCustodyRights.com

George S Clason

Good Explanation of Old Testament Tithing

Metal Stair Tread Brackets
2 X 12 Or 3 X 12 Stair Treads

Questioning Old Testament Stories From The Bible

Bill Wilson
Benjamin Franklin

Why Do You REALLY Believe In God - Christians

Stephen Arterburn
Jack Felton

You Shouldn't Believe Everything In The Bible - Spare The Rod

Orison Swett Marden
Earl G Graves

Can You Ask God For Wisdom

Change Can Lead To Suffering
Value Of Change In Your Life

Examples of Prayer and Their Effects on Your Life

Stop Losing Your Car Keys
Guilt Feeding On Your Conscience

Should Christians Buy This Book?

If The Greeks Were Wrong
Believing In Yourself

Do You Read The Bible Regularly

Billy Graham
Beth Moore

Do You Actually Get to Go to Heaven - Christian Thinking

Michael Kerrigan
Thomas B Smith

Was Jesus Really Born On December 25th - Video

Your Hardest Day In Life
Listen To Your Own Advice

How To Protect Your Kids at the Pool

A university statistics professor in the United States, Steven D. Levitt, was struck by how many children had drowned in swimming pools. They were the kind of deaths that don't make the newspaper-unlike, for instance, a child who dies while playing with a gun. He got curious, and went looking for numbers that would tell the story.

After conducting a detailed scientific study, he concluded the following; "If you both own a gun and have a swimming pool in the backyard, the swimming pool is about 100 times more likely to kill a child than the gun is."

Drowning is one of the major causes of accidents involving children worldwide, resulting in serious injury and death. Thousands of tragic accidents involving swimming pools highlight the sad fact that kids and pools can be a very dangerous combination. A number of child deaths have occurred while parents have been looking away, or were not in the vicinity. Other heart-rending events have involved children's long hair being caught in pool water pump inlets, which have also led to drowning.

In a number of cases, accidents happened even though the child knew how to swim. The result of this study serves to highlight the significant hazard that swimming pools present to children, compared to other dangers. Toddlers, in particular, often do something unexpected because their capabilities change daily.

Submersion incidents involving children usually happen in familiar surroundings. In another study, 65 percent of the incidents happened in a pool owned by the child's family and 33 percent of the incidents happened in a pool owned by friends or relatives.

Child drowning is often a silent death - there's no splashing to alert anyone that the child is in trouble. Pool submersions involving children happen quickly. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer a phone. 77 percent of the victims had been missing from sight for five minutes or less.

Here are some easy tips you can use to reduce the risk;

Supervise

Never allow your youngster to swim alone without any adult supervision. It is vital that persons be

around, ready to help if needed.

Does Your Pool have a Fence?

Enclose your pool with a fence at least 4 feet (1.2 Metres) high, and a gate which can be locked. Do not leave the pool open and accessible, as children can fall inside. In many communities having a fence around a pool, with a lockable gate, is a legal requirement.

Cordless Phone

Always have a phone nearby the pool. This should ensure that nobody has to leave a child alone in the pool to answer the phone when it rings. A cordless home phone can be a good solution.

Social Gatherings

During social gatherings at or near a pool, appoint a "designated watcher" to protect young children from pool accidents. Adults may take turns being the "watcher." When adults become preoccupied, children are at risk.

Slips & Falls

A number of children are injured when they slip and fall around the pool on wet tiles or concrete; consider having your child wear a pair of anti-slip pool shoes when around and even in, the pool.

Life Saver

You should ensure there is always a life saving flotation device handy, such as; a lifesaver ring or foam flotation device near the pool. This could be very handy if an adult happens to be around to help rescue a child from the edge of the pool - but who cannot actually get in the pool and swim. However, do not use flotation devices as a substitute for supervision. Remove toys from in and around the pool when it is not in use, as toys can attract young children closer to the pool.

CPR

Every parent and guardian should be conversant in basic Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) techniques in case of any accident. Survival depends on rescuing the child quickly and restarting the breathing process, even while the child is still in the water. Seconds count in preventing death or brain damage.

Jump, Don't Dive!

Teach your children that diving should only be performed in special pools, or in designated areas. It's very easy to misjudge the depth of a pool, or mistake the shallow-end for the deep-end and suffer a serious neck or head injury.

Long Hair

If your child has longer hair, consider the use of a swim cap which will ensure their hair does not become tangled in pool equipment.

Small Water Bodies

Avoid leaving your kids alone even with small portable pools or other water bodies such as buckets or fountains. There is always a danger of drowning occurring even in small bodies of water.

Again, please watch what your kids are doing whenever they are near water. Supervise their activities and never leave them alone in or near any pool. If a child is missing, check the pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom and surface, as well as the pool area.

Roger Hall of COEGA Sunwear develops tips and clothing that provide women and children with Style, Comfort and Protection. Find out how to protect yourself with more popular FREE Tips for active women of all ages, available at: =>store.coegawear.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=20

Ceiling Water Damage

Drawbacks of a Gutter Guard System

Homeowners use gutter guards to prevent debris such as leaves and other particles from clogging the gutter. There are different types of products that people can choose from when purchasing from online stores. A homeowner can purchase them on online stores that sell home appliances or online superstores that retail home and other appliances.

These products should be in good condition, especially during the rainy season, to prevent rainwater from flowing down the walls of a home. One can hire specialized cleaners to do it for them if they do not know how to do it. Most companies that sell home appliances also offer cleaning services for a fee.

Copper Gutter Guards

These are the best for long term use because they do not rust and nor do they rot. Aluminum gutter guards, which are cheaper than most others, are strong. However, they rust when kept in poor conditions. During the winter season, most people experience problems with their gutters, as ice blocks the opening at the top. If a person does not get rid of them the moment they start to build up, then the water may flow over it or against the walls of a home. The freezing temperatures may cause the formation of massive ice dams, thus causing the entire system to over flood. Homeowners can avoid this by having companies install heater cables. This is a costly procedure. However, it is worth the effort and it saves a person the trouble of having to keep unclogging their gutters.

Besides the installation of heater cables, many people purchase gutter guards to prevent ice from forming at the top and falling into the system and blocking it. A homeowner needs to maintain copper gutter guards by purchasing and applying sealants on them regularly to prevent them from turning green. The green color is also called a patina. Some people like it and allow the metal to gradually turn green. Others prefer to maintain the original color and apply the sealant regularly.

Aluminum Gutter Guards

These products also have special sealants that a person may use to prevent them from rusting quite fast. Unlike the green patina, rust will materially impair the effectiveness of the aluminum. Protection and maintenance is important because it enables one to avoid incurring extra costs, which include repair costs or replacements costs. When selecting a suitable solution, one should mull over a number of things such as the circumference of the gutter, the design as well as their functional advantages.

Aluminum, by nature, can be have a natural useful life of about 10 - 15 years. This useful life will vary dramatically depending on several factors including the external environment, the galvanization used and the maintenance employed by the owner. For example, using aluminum products in a house next to the ocean that are not galvanized with some sort of corrosion-resistance coating and poorly maintained is going to have a much shortly lifespan than a zinc galvanized product located in a dry (desert) community with an owner who performs annual maintenance.

From a design perspective, not every product is suitable for every home. Homeowners should try to match gutter guards with the existing system and the type of home. For instance, homes made out of stucco match well with copper, while grey houses blend well with aluminum.

Plastic Gutter Guards

Plastic is another material used in the fabrication process. They come in various colors. Therefore, one can select one that matches their roof. Homeowners can also blend the roof with a gutter guard of a different color though the two should compliment each other. The shape of the product may make a home visually attractive or not attractive at all. This requires a person to compare their shape and that of the product in order to select a suitable piece.

In summary, there are three major types of materials that you can use for your solution, copper, aluminum and plastic. Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.

To learn more about copper gutters, please read the following article at http://www.guttersa-z.com/Copper_Gutter.html It has information about copper gutters.

You can also find other valuable information about gutters, downspouts and more at http://www.guttersa-z.com

Stud Spacing And Wall Framing

Follow Your Instincts When Looking For a Contractor

One of the most popular search terms on the Internet is the word "contractor." People are searching on how to find good ones, recommendations, reviews, and information to back up who the contractors actually say they are. The largest global topic about contractors is "how do I find a good one?"

If you're looking for a contractor, or have recommendations or names, the first step in getting to know someone who's going to be doing work in your home is to call them.

When you call them, set up a sit down conversation about your project. Remind them to bring their license numbers and credentials. Having them provide pictures of past jobs only helps you to see their individual style and how it might coincide with yours. This first meeting is for them to get an idea of the job and for you to feel out your reactions to them being in the home.

My first rule with this is simple: Trust your gut.

If you get a funny feeling having the person in the home, most likely it's not someone you're going to trust to have there and in the long term this can and will cause problems. Not only will they feel like you're trying to "watch their every move" through the whole project, you'll be uncomfortable with the whole process. Avoid this at the beginning, smile and nod, and kindly say "I don't think we're going to be a match."

Second rule: Once you find a contractor you get along with check their license number against the state records.

Simply put, there are many capable people out there who are trained to do your home improvement job the right way. There are also many capable people who don't really follow the rules. To further narrow down the field of people you're going to let do work in your home, compare their contractor license number against state records.

You can easily do this on most State's Public Safety Department websites as well as over the phone. This information will let you know who's up to date, keeping certified and if "everything is in order." Not to say that people who are carrying out of date license numbers are bad, but it means that the state won't protect you against something that goes wrong in the case that something does in deed go "off-plan".

Always trust your gut and always check the information they give you. Just two ways to keep yourself protected, prepared and on your way to finding the right contractor for your job.

Jacob Lee - pioneer basement
http://www.pioneerbasement.com

Surviving As A Contractor

Spiritual Ethical Will - Giving the Gift of Tradition

Spiritual ethical wills are different from a last will and testament. Instead of bequeathing physical assets, ethical wills bequeath personal insights, morals and philosophies. If you are looking for a gift that will keep on giving then invest in the development of a spiritual ethical will.

Parts of an Ethical Will

An ethical will can be formatted in a number of different ways, however, most formats will have the same basic sections. The first section will be the introduction. It will identify who the ethical will is intended for and what its purpose is. The second section will contain personal insights into life, philosophies and values that the writer has. The final section will point out what the reader is supposed to learn from the will, such as cherishing time with their family or learning to be charitable.

Writing Your Ethical Will

Writing your ethical will can be an intimidating process. People who do not write a lot may feel as if the process of composing and editing an ethical will is more than they can handle, or they may feel that they just don't have the time to write one. Fortunately, you don't have to sit down and write the entire thing in one night, nor do you have to write an ethical will that is 100 pages long.

The writing process for an ethical will needs to start with an outline and a brainstorming session. The outline will help you to format your ethical will and the brainstorming session will help you to flesh out the ethical will. There are a lot of brainstorming activities that you can try including word association and freewriting.

The next step is to develop the topics you entered in your outline. To do this you will need to try and write at least one paragraph per topic. You can talk about memories, you can provide examples or you can just discuss your thoughts about the topic.

After you have a first draft completed you will want to put away your will for at least a week. When you take it back out you will be able to look at it with fresh eyes. This will make it easier to edit your will. Start by reading through the ethical will out loud. This will help you to find grammatical mistakes, typos and sentence flow problems.

Get more tips for writing an ethical will at Spiritual Ethical Will.

Developing Wealth Building Habit

Estimating Building Construction Costs - Building Advice

The practice of estimating building construction costs is as important a step as the construction itself. In building a home, a facility or any other structure, it is important to approximate the amount that will be used on the project or come up with an estimate as close as possible to the actual costs. Most construction project failures, be it domestic or commercial, are caused by lack of balance in the anticipated cost of the project and the actual expenses.

Elements of a building construction cost estimate

A building cost estimate should take into consideration a lot of factors. First is the time-frame of the project and the type and size of the building or structure that will be built. Another is labor cost or the wages that will be paid to the workers who will be doing the job. Third is the price of the materials like cement, metal, wood and whatever building supplies that will be used in the structure.

Another important concern is the equipment cost or the cost of the machinery that will be used in building the house or the facility. Subcontractor costs are also significant. And so are indirect costs, which are extras that will be spent outside the primary cost concerns. Aside from these, other expenses such as taxes, compliance costs and certification should be included in the estimate.

Tools of cost estimates

There are a number of tools and services that a building or home owner can consider to come up with an estimate for the project. One is the free online building estimate tool. These free online tools can be easily accessed and can provide a useful estimate for the project. Take note, though, that such tools are very basic and are good only for the start of the project.

Another option is hiring a professional cost estimator. There are a number of these professionals who will be more than willing to lend their services for a certain fee. Check for certification or choose the ones recommended by someone who has already tried the estimator's services. Software programs are also another option. These software packages are used by architects and builders when they make their own estimates and are deemed reliable. However, one might need an expert who knows how to use these programs and how to interpret the data they provide for them to be effective.

It is important to have an estimate of building construction costs before a homeowner or facility builder proceeds with the project. Unless the project will have unlimited budget and the owner can afford to throw a lot of money away, then estimates might not be needed. But then, we all know there is no one in the world who would risk wasting his money on an unplanned construction project, particularly the richest among us.

Learn more about using Construction Cost Data to make accurate project estimates and software that can assist you at => http://www.construction--estimating.com

Plaster And Drywall Cracks

Spiritual Affirmation - Healing Your Inner Self With Spiritual Affirmations

From childhood to adulthood, the knowledge we gain or the experiences we have in our lives only helps us to discover our outer personality and brings us closer to material things of this world. At the same time we sometimes get depressed or fall into a low self-esteem Problem. Spiritual Affirmations help us get out of these problems. Spiritual Affirmations leads us towards a happy and satisfying life with a peaceful mind.

Affirmations are a judgment that we pass or any thought we have. An affirmation is directly linked to our sub consciousness. Affirmations can either be negative or positive which can either guide our subconscious actions to a successful life or towards failure.

Spiritual Affirmations are a form of meditation which when mediated often, have a desirable results. For example if a person has a lack of confidence or self-esteem problem sit in a peaceful, quiet place with some spiritual affirmations in your mind, let the emotions flow to you and start saying the spiritual affirmations aloud, 'I believe in myself' or 'My inner self will always guide me towards right path with decisions that are beneficial to me and others'.

The key behind spiritual affirmations is to let go of all your negative thoughts and trust completely in yourself. Instead of thinking 'This project is too difficult for me' try thinking 'I am capable of anything and obstacles do not effect me or my work'. Once you adopting this kind of spiritual affirmation you will notice a positive and healthy change in your life.

The best way to carry out spiritual affirmation technique is to release your mind of any negative thought, sit in a peaceful and quiet place, relax and visualize any positive spiritual affirmation such as 'My mind is at peace now'. At the same time try to use simple words and sentences which can easily be interpreted by our mind and mind can easily accept it to be true.

Spiritual affirmations not only help to achieve a peaceful mind and happy life but also helps us draw closer to God. Remember God and His blessings as much as possible while utilizing the spiritual affirmation technique. For example "I let my renewed soul thank God for His blessings" or 'I release my old self and reborn with a new pure soul'. The most acceptable and commonly used word in spiritual affirmation is 'Amen' meaning 'so be it'. While some of us use it to conclude our prayer, it can be used for spiritual affirmation.

For a positive result spiritual affirmation needs to be repeated many times for effectiveness. Write down any positive thought you get maybe in a diary, on a piece of card or whichever way is convenient to you. Review them daily to get your mind to completely accept these thoughts. Preferably review them twice a day. Initially during spiritual affirmation technique we will also get negative thoughts. Note down these thoughts as well and at the end of the day review them and try replacing them with something more positive. Once you perform this spiritual affirmation technique on a regular basis you will find a positive change in yourself with a renewed spirit.

Robert Watson is a certified hypnotherapist with the ABH and the NGH, and has worked with affirmations and subliminal messages for over ten years. Visit his Subliminal Messages website for more information about using affirmations and subliminal messages to help you lose weight, quit smoking, have a more positive outlook and more.

Habits To Prevent Losing Things

Small Basement Remodeling

Space is a common housing issue especially in big city living. As the song popularized by Frank Sinatra goes, I want to be a part of it... New York, New York. Most everybody still wants to experience and live through the action of the never-sleeping city. So if you do live in New York, there is still another option to consider other than just learning to live with how things are. The answer to your space crunch lies through looking into the possibilities unused areas has to offer. This makes small basement remodeling one of the best home improvement projects to undertake.

Why small basement remodeling?

- When thinking of adding square footage to your home's living area, this is a more cost-effective alternative than having a home addition where you would need to extend. This would cost you only a fraction of what you will be spending on the later with most or all of the same features. One of the reasons for the great savings is that the structural necessities are already there like the ceiling, flooring, and walls.

- Another benefit for undertaking a small basement remodeling is the ideal location of the area that promotes fewer hassles posed by home improvement works to the family's daily living.

- Since the nature of the space is underground; it is typically warm during colder months and cooler on summer. This factor helps you enjoy the small basement remodeling project results with less energy costs.

There are many ways that you could come up with a finish your small basement remodeling and this depends on your personal needs and preferences. The isolation and originally compact masonry of the place makes it ideal to be turned into a home office, playroom for the younger children, game or recreational room, home theatre or an exercise area. Because plumbing is readily available and easily accessible, the area can also excellently make up for a sauna, additional bathroom, or large custom shower. Other popular small basement remodeling ideas include: a wet bar, kitchenette, and additional room for guests.

When we think about our small basements, the most natural thing to come into out minds is their dungeon-like features. To bring out the most in our remodeling project, you can play with certain elements to make the space as inviting, comfortable and more spacious to look at.

- This area would naturally require heavy lighting compared to most areas in the house. You can provide fixtures promoting intense light as well as maximize the use of windows to let in more natural light.

- Carpets have been a popular choice but are you aware that tiles could do better as flooring? Aside from the durability that it offers, it is also low maintenance. As your small basement is prone to moisture and water problems, this would serve as the better alternative. To make up for the hardness and help with the over-all room design, you can also put beautiful area rugs.

- Light paint colors, horizontal designs and diagonal patterns are great in making the small basement remodeling finish seem much wider.

Eugene Makeev has been in the home improvement industry for a while. His skills and expertise, which have been polished through time, are now used to help New York home owners avoid the common pitfalls in home improvements by matching their needs with the right, prescreened Basement Contractor New York. For more, visit New York Contractors

What Causes Attic Odors And Stra

Preventing Damage to Septic Tanks - Home Repair Advice

Septic tanks, like all other products, need periodic maintenance to function properly. And if something goes wrong anywhere in the septic system, the costs can be huge. Apart from periodic maintenance and inspection, it is also necessary that we use our drainage lines properly. This article discusses the basics of septic tanks and some typical things that we shouldn't do if we want to increase the life of the septic system.

Let's first see how septic tanks function properly for so long without maintenance. Whenever something goes out through the drainage lines in our homes, it goes to the septic tank initially. Visualize of it as a gigantic tank that is usually made of concrete though very old ones are probably made of steel. The drainage lines enter the tank through an inlet tee near the top, while there is another outlet tee at the other end from where liquids leaves the tank and goes to the drain field into the soil.

Upon water entering via the inlet tee, the solid materials often sink to the bottom of the tank make a sludge. Some solids that don't sink inside the water gather at the surface along with grease and oily liquids forming scum. Since the outlet tee is at a certain height, solids from the sludge usually don't pass on to the drain field. Likewise, the tees keep sludge and dirt away from the out and inlet.

Bacteria within the septic tank help to liquify the solids, ensuring that they don't build up too much. This is the manner in which septic tanks continue functioning well - unless damage occurs to them, which it usually does eventually. The issues most often happen when debris reaches the out or inlet. So the only way to keep the system running smoothly is by pumping the waste out of the tank before the sludge or scum become overgrown in volume.

Nevertheless, you still need to be careful in your routine life to increase the performance of septic tanks. Firstly, the drain field should not be damp with rainwater; if it is already overloaded with water from other sources, it would not be able to efficiently absorb the water coming from the septic tank. Likewise, make sure that your internal draining lines are not putting an unnecessary amount of water into the septic tank. A common reason for this can be leaking faucets or overrunning showers. So fix these problems whenever you come across them.

Secondly, do not plant trees close to septic tanks as the roots may grow into the equipment and cause problems. And don't throw all sorts of garbage into your drainage system. Diapers, condoms, napkins aren't usually broken down into liquids by bacteria and would quickly pile up the level of sludge inside the septic tank. Additionally, ensure you do not use chemical cleaning agents in substantial volumes; these cleaners typically eliminate bacteria inside the tanks and hinder the processing of liquefying solids. And most importantly, never drain grease or other oily liquids; these would gather inside tanks as scum and may even harm the soil and drain field if they escape through the outlet.

Take all these precautionary steps and you will rarely face problems with the septic system.

Scott Rodgers is a plumbing professional who has worked with septic tanks for many years. If you want more information on septic tanks or a qualified plumber to help you repair damage to your tank, visit http://www.eLocalPlumbers.com

I Have A Squeaky Floor

What Needs to Change to Become Your Authentic Self?

Becoming your Authentic Self is a process of deprogramming who you were trained to be and rebuilding your perceptions, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors to be in alignment with who you were born to be.

And this means change.

"Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die!"

There is good reason why humans resist change. The inborn survival instinct does not want to risk losing what it has in exchange for the uncertainty of change.

The dilemma for the person on the spiritual path is that you must change in order to grow. My Awakening Your Light Body teacher, Duane Packer, often shared this quote: "If you want to have what you've never had, you will need to do what you've never done."

The good news is that the more spiritually evolved you become, the more tools and skills you have for consciously creating your reality.

Although it is quite tempting to believe that if only the other person (or situation) would change all would be well in our world, at some point in our spiritual growth we come to accept that our outside reality is a reflection of our inner reality. It is said that we don't see the world as it is; we see the world as we are. It is a big leap forward in spiritual awakening to understand that what we experience in our outer life is a reflection of our inner life.

The great thing is we can change our mind any time we want and start focusing on how we want our life to be (instead of focusing on what we don't want and creating more of that!)

As Nelson Mandela has said: "We must become the change we want to see in the world."

A good question to ask when you are not liking a life situation:

"What belief, attitude, behavior, or perspective do I need to change so I can be joyful in this situation?"

Once we get past wanting to blame someone else for our unhappiness, it is not too hard to take the next step and ask what we need to change about ourselves.

Is it possible that something as simple as asking what we need to change in ourselves can turn around a seemingly impossible situation? Yes!

How do I know? Because I have done it. The hardest part is acknowledging that the unpleasant outside circumstance is a result of something inside of me. But as the saying goes, "do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy?" At this point on my spiritual path I have found myself to be "wrong" so often that I am used to noticing my "faults" and owning what is true no matter how embarrassing, silly, stupid (all judgments, by the way) it is. I encourage you if you have a situation that is causing you unhappiness, use it as an opportunity to ask "What do I need to change in myself so this situation gets better?"

I know you will be pleasantly surprised at the results.

Jennifer T. Grainger, B.Msc.,Spiritual Growth Coach & Mentor, Founder of http://www.SpiritualGrowthCommunity.com, an online resource center for people exploring their spirituality. Sign up now for a fr^ee membership and receive Jennifer's guided meditation:"Sitting in the Stillness". In this meditation you will connect with your Divine Self for guidance, inspiration and expanded consciousness. Sign Up Now! http://www.SpiritualGrowthCommunity.com

Structuring Your 24 Hour Day

Property Inspections Are Important

Purchasing a home is quite possibly the biggest physical investment the average person will make in their lifetime. We pay mechanics to examine the insides of our cars, so why not pay an expert to examine the insides of our properties (certainly a far more valuable asset)? The cost is generally in the low hundreds, but could end up saving you thousands. A pre-purchase building inspection could also see the price tag lowered on your dream home.

A property inspection involves a qualified professional thoroughly examining the building for defects and structural problems. Such defects could include water damage as a result of shower leaks or any other leaks, termite damage, timber decay, moisture in sub-floor, poor brickwork, cracks in bricks and walls, roof and footing defects and any other structural problem that may exist. A property inspector can also check for illegal building practices.

All potential home buyers should arrange a building inspection before purchasing property. Of course there are already enough costs associated with buying a house, but it works out a lot cheaper in the long run if you discover a termite infestation or shonky brickwork before signing anything. Building inspections are also useful for settling disputes between neighbors about possible construction work damage, as well as buyer and seller disputes.

Quality property inspection companies will also offer additional services such as pest inspection. A pest inspection may reveal unwanted guests such as cockroaches, mice and wasps nesting in a hidden location. Or worse: termites. Termite damage has the ability to destroy houses before a problem is even realised. Unfortunately they are usually not visible to the naked eye. This is where additional pest inspections can really come in handy.

All good inspection companies will use moisture meters, listening devices, and most importantly, a thermal camera to seek out potential termite infestations. Basically, this camera will detect higher temperatures within the walls of your home, which indicates that termites may be nesting in these areas. Pest inspections will also reveal whether there has been past termite activity in the building.

Some things to check for before buying a house include moisture and mold on walls and ceilings, flaking paintwork, rotting timber and cracks in brickwork and walls. However; arranging a building inspection is the best way to get definitive answers and repair quotes. A good building inspection company will offer a detailed report citing the damage found and estimate repair costs. Images of the defects and expert advice are an added bonus. Make sure that the property inspectors you hire are licensed and have their own indemnity insurance.

This article was provided by Childs Property Inspections: Professional building inspectors who provide a wide range of property inspection reports for Australian homes including Dilapidation Reports Pre-purchase Building Inspections and Termite Inspections.

Electric Dryer Gas Conversion Ki

Dream Walking - Where Do You Go To

Dream walking and astral travelling are very similar. Astral travelling tends to be something you do alone, where dream walking is a more conscious experience where you can choose who goes with you.

It is good to set your intentions when going to sleep. You can ask your Higher Self for help with a problem or you can consciously choose to go on an adventure, using your powers of visualization and imagination.

If you have friends who are open to spiritual experiences, you could chat with them in advance and invite them along on the adventure. Distance is no object, so you can even arrange this on Chat or by SMS messaging in advance.

When bedtime comes, go to bed in a relaxed and happy way and if you feel any tension in your body, just spend a few minutes releasing that consciously, becoming aware of the different parts of your body.

Breathe into these areas and relax and expand your consciousness. Feel the more subtle aspects of the physical body  the organs, the cells and molecules; and become aware of your Energy Body or Aura, which permeates throughout the physical body.

Allow the Electromagnetic Power in your Aura to expand and connect to more aspects of yourself by grounding yourself to the Earth, reaching up with your consciousness and feelings to the planets around the Sun in our solar system and feeling their influence, like archangels guiding one's destiny.

As you connect more and more with your Energy Body and the Energy Matrix of the Zero Point Field, which is talked about in Quantum Physics, feel your chakra centres activating and coming alive. Feel the multidimensional aspects of yourself opening up and connecting you with your spirit family, healing helpers and guides within and beyond the veil. You may feel your power increasing like a magnetic presence or charisma comes around you.

When the energies feel right, remember your intentions at the beginning of the process and who is coming with you. Reach out with your feelings and start a telepathic communication with the friends you would like to take with you. You do this deep in your heart with a faint starring in your feelings; it is more the intention to send the message than anything verbal.

If they are ready too, choose to slip out of your physical body into your Energy Body and choose to focus with your feelings on the images in your imagination. See yourself soaring through time and space. This is a process of transcending your physical body consciously becoming aware if the finer and finer aspects of Self, until you transcend the physical into your light body.

Remember that you do not really travel out of yourself: you just choose to make yourself bigger and move your awareness around inside of your Self, which truly is the whole universe. It is like moving your awareness from your head to your big toe, travel from your head to your toe; you just became aware of a different aspect of yourself. So choose to feel yourself as the Universe in this expanded transcendental awareness and then choose which aspect to be aware of.

It is all about focus of intention and what you choose to create; either alone or with the friends you have chosen to have this experience with you. Connect fully to the senses in your Energy or Light Body. This is like being aware of your senses in Sixth Sense Mode.

Feel your surroundings, the warmth of the sun, the wind in your hair; smell the flowers and the freshly cut grass in the hay meadows. Start a conversation with your friend and hear their voice in your ears. Feel their hand in yours as you walk along together. You are using your powers of visualization, imagination and mixing these with your passion and desire in a very subtle dream state.

Then fully open up your imagination and your Self to the multi-dimensions of experiences you can choose to create in this state of consciousness. Enjoy your Dream Walk. Remember you are only limited by your imagination, in this state of awareness all things are possible. Please focus on the good and life supporting aspects, which will help you and your friends, live a happier more fulfilled life.

When you are finished bring your Light Body/awareness back to the here and now, reconnect with your physical body again and enjoy the rest of your night's sleep. Thank all your friends who helped with this process and send them loving thoughts.

By George E. Lockett SSHA, IIHHT -- HealerGeorge(C) Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Tel: +44 (0)1286 882701 Visit HealerGeorge's web site to experience the power of Distant Healing or listen to HealerGeorge Radio giving Questions and Answer advice mixed with Spiritual Music. You can also enjoy many free benefits on HealerGeorge, like listening to Free Guided Meditations. Why not order HealerGeorge's Latest book entitled "A Journey into The Self - The Multi-dimensional Nature of Being Human" By George E Lockett. It is all available off the web site. HealerGeorge Web Site and New Book

Description: What is this book going to do for YOU? For those who are seeking a complete energetic makeover, as you read it you will feel a stirring and awakening in the depths of your heart. For those who have questions about Shifts in Consciousness, Energy Balancing, and Healing within the body, you will find clear answers.

Creating A Habit

Checking Your Building Foundation

The most important thing when building a home is the ability to keep everything as square, plumb and level as possible. Starting with the foundation, if the foundation is not square or level, the rest of the house is going to be out of alignment.

You've probably heard the saying, start with a good foundation. This applies to the building industry as well. There are quite a few ways to build a square foundation, it all depends on what kind of tools you have, to build it with.

Some of these tools can be quite expensive but it used every day can save you a lot of time and of course time is money.

You don't need expensive tools to build a square foundation. You could actually build a square foundation with less than $100 worth of tools. It might take you a little longer but could be done.

Let's start with the 3 - 4 - 5 rule.

Okay lets see if I can explain this in layman's terms. If no West side of the foundation is 3 foot and the north side of the foundation is for foot, then the diagonal measurement from the southwest corner to the northeast corner would be 5 foot. Out of square building can create foundation problems

This can also be done using 30' x 40' should equal 50 foot. You can use this if the building is large and you need to check it for square.

By measuring the foundation diagonally from each corner, the measurement should be exactly the same. If it isn't, the building is out of square and should be adjusted before the concrete is poured. This measurement should always be checked before you get too far along in the form building process.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.

If your having problems in your attic, find out more at concrete contractor basics and home building ideas.

How Tough Are Concrete Epoxies

Psychic Readings - What is Psychic See-er?

When people talk about psychic abilities, then very imaginative ideas pop up in the minds of general population. Some reckon psychic is some one who can talk to people who have departed this transition, and some others think psychics are God gifted and are able to actually talk to God. Throughout the ages there were see-ers who could see the heart of the matter also communicate with spiritual dimension, getting guidance also predicting and anticipating up coming events.

In our recorded history we come to see the importance of spirituality to all lost civilizations. Example: Aztecs of South America, or ancient Egyptian cultures which really evolved their entire existence around a belief that life is of spiritual nature. Ancient Egyptian society had a very rich spiritual belief system. They have built marvelous temple tombs for their journeys for after life. And not just Egyptian but almost all civilizations throughout ages believed in spiritual realms and try to communicate with those dimensions. When we study history we come to see cave painting which date back to 10000 years before time, where we get to see the rock art in detail, showing shamanic rituals being performed. Shamanic cultures still exists in remotes part of our globe. Still living and practicing spiritual traditions their ancestors left for successive generations. Also spirituality touches nearly every heart in one form or another.

Spiritual beliefs and practices vary for different cultures and societies. And almost all cultures have a spiritual psychic who they consult on regular basis. Psychics are not a new invention in our modern busy lives. They can be seen almost in every culture, making their spiritual journeys to higher consciousness to receive psychic answers, and spiritual guidance. In eastern part of our world these spiritually attuned psychics are named as see-ers. They have the unique ability to intuitively see the heart of the matter in question. Psychic clairvoyants in our modern world are becoming in demand and proving to be very popular amongst spiritually minded people. They provide psychic readings, also some are able to read divination as well, divination is not simply a fortune telling event, as alleged in Hollywood movies, it is more than that, it is being able to see insights of a person or events.

We need to understand the difference between psychic readings and divination readings. They are both completely different subjects altogether, yet they will both prove to be insightful also accurate, if received from a genuine source. Our history has seen psychics, soothsayers, magicians, astrology prediction given by astrologers who study the position of stars, clairvoyant, rune stones readers, psychic - mediums who make the spiritual journeys between spirit world and our normal world, divination kumalak readers and many other spiritual forms of divination and seeing.

As science evolved so did knowledge of our universe, science answers many questions, and without the efforts of science we could not make so many new discoveries we find to be useful for us. And scientific communities will disagree with psychic ability being real, as most scientific scholars do not believe in the existence of soul - spirit nature. Everybody is entitled to their theories in life, which is the basis for advancement, to have theories. Yet the spiritual communities know the accuracy and usefulness of consulting a psychic, and getting psychic readings from them. Genuine psychic advice has and will continue to provide a useful option to those who live their lives believing in the existence of spiritual forms thus receiving guidance from these dimensions. Question should not be as to, are psychics real? Rather the question should be how can I utilize the dedication of these spiritually attuned souls? "Psychics"

We are human beings whether we live in Asia or America, and there were psychics thousands of years ago, and some are genuine psychic clairvoyants today also. Have you ever had genuine psychic readings before? If you have, then your theories about them will be positive in nature. And if you never had genuine psychic readings before, then perhaps you may like to test your theories about them, by getting genuine real psychic readings online, today.

Tolga Savas Dedicated and Trusted genuine psychic clairvoyant, is now offering psychic readings, one of worlds best dream analysis free, psychic chat online, kumalak readings, spiritual guidance and spiritual healing, Kumalak the Mirror of Destiny - Only the Calm Waters will Reflect the Stars

30 Days To Creating Super Habits

How Steel Buildings Cost Less Than Conventional Buildings

Anyone who is considering the construction of a building usually has two concerns: cost and durability. While traditional lumber buildings are usually the norm, metal buildings are quickly gaining popularity for many reasons.

Metal buildings are available in many shapes and sizes to fit even the choosiest consumers. The first step should be to determine your budget. You will quickly find that you can have a larger, better equipped building if you choose a steel building as your primary building material. If you are expecting your new building to be warm in the winter, then ensure that insulation is included in the cost.

Ensure that when you are purchasing a metal building that the exterior panels and trim are coated with a protective paint, otherwise you will have to add the cost of the paint into your budget as well. Items such as doors and windows are typically not included either.

Before you go with the lowest cost steel building, check to see what the total costs are. Here at Absolute Steel, we will always figure out what your total costs are or at least estimate them for you. Many companies will give you a low price but when they add in freight and other costs you will find that you are paying more. Furthermore, most companies engineered plans do not include the foundation and concrete which you'll need to include to obtain a building permit. Also check the thickness of the metal and try to get the thickest metal you can afford, as this will ensure that your new building can stand up to the elements.

No matter what type of building you choose the cost of laying the foundation is not included, unless you are purchasing through a construction company, in which case it should be included in the cost (along with labor). Absolute Steel metal buildings are easy to assemble yourself, so you can save on labor costs with a metal building after your foundation is laid.

Freight costs also need to be considered when you are choosing your building type, and again a metal building is a better choice. Most all our building quotes include shipping so at Absolute Steel this is not a concern. Pre-fabricated metal buildings come pre-cut and packaged, so you are only shipped what you need and there is very little waste. Since metal buildings weight much less than lumber the freight costs are typically much less.

Even if the cost of a lumber versus metal building were exactly the same, you would still save money by choosing metal. You will likely never have to spend a dime on maintenance on a metal building as it comes coated with a protective paint that means it won't rust. There is also no chance of your metal building being susceptible to insects, rot or other common lumber problems.

The lifespan of a metal building is much longer than other materials since it stands up to all types of weather conditions. When a metal building is finally demolished, it is 100% recyclable so you don't even have to pay for disposal. From start to finish a metal building is easier to assemble, less costly to ship and put together, requires less maintenance, and lasts longer than lumber. It is easy to see why metal makes a great choice for building material when you want a strong, durable building that is easy on the pocketbook.

For more information on steel buildings, visit AbsoluteRV.com.

Oh God The Contractor From Hell

The Missing Years of Jesus Resolved

Shrouded in mystery, fable and legend, nevertheless the Bible recorded the birth of Jesus Christ and follows His life up to about 12 years old.

To this day Jewish male children undergo Bar Mitzvah at the age of 13. This was not recorded by the Evangelists. Indeed, the life of Jesus is not considered again till the age of 30.

To accept that Jesus was just at home with His family is a plausible explanation, but not in keeping with the Gospels that say at the age of 12, Jesus was at the Temple, and the people marveled to hear Him.

Certainly, after His Bar Mitzvah, He would have been technically a man and no longer a boy, and would naturally continue to marvel the people. It would have been His right to speak in the Temple. There is no such record.

There is much speculation, but a lot of recorded incidents and connections. One very important one is Joseph (Saint) of Arimathea. Certain he was a rich man, and certainly he was able to speak (in Greek and /or Latin) to the Roman governor at a very sensitive moment, so he was certainly influential.

He gave his own tomb for the burial of Jesus, and paid for all the necessary burial formalities. There is no question he was close to Jesus, and as a member of the Sanhedrin, would have defended him in that assembly. There were more connections, and many very plausible.

Joseph of Arimathea was certainly wealthy, but how did he amass his wealth? Arimathea, is not a town or district at all, but a Greek compound word meaning Harima Theo (by the Grace of God).

He most likely came from Ramle or another town. He was said to be in the trade of metals; tin precisely. This would have theoretically put him in contact with England, where tin was mined and sent throughout the Roman Empire.

More speculation has Joseph related to Jesus directly. It is been written by early Church fathers that Joseph was the uncle of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Certainly the Gospel has them familiar as when Joseph was burying Jesus in his tomb, he was accompanied by Mary (the mother of Jesus), and Mary Magdalena.

Jesus Himself was familiar with Alexandria in Egypt (where He grew up) and as a major center of learning (the Library was there), Jesus would have also spoken Egyptian.

Since where there is so much smoke there must be fire, the story of the young Jesus being accompanied by Joseph, his uncle, on a journey to England is certainly possible.

The legend records the journey home, but with a diversion to Greece, and then into Asia Minor. There it is said that Jesus and Joseph departed, with Jesus joining another wealthy traveler with his son.

At the time, there were Buddhist missionaries all over Asia Minor, and indeed as far as Rome and Egypt. It is plausible Jesus had encountered one or more, and thus found His interest and way to India.

There are many records from early travelers to India having been shown or heard about Jesus time there.

The famous James Churchward in his major work Mu the Lost Continent describes such an encounter. There have been many others including Notovitch in 1888.

Aside from the fantastic speculation, many of the diversions from classic Judaism appear to be oriental in nature, and very specifically Vedic in nature.

Where the Jews were waiting for a Messiah, the Hindus have their belief in Avatars which are human incarnations of God.

So the missing years perhaps saw a journey from the Holy Land to Egypt, to England, passing central Europe into Greece, Asia Minor, and the Hindu Kush all the way to the Himalayas.

There, Jesus would have found the perfect environment to slowly become the world Avatar that He has indeed become.

There is no Hindu which does not accept Him as a divine incarnation.

Here is William Blakes poem Jerusalem which alludes to such a visit

And did those feet in ancient time

Walk upon Englands mountains green?

And was the holy Lamb of God

On Englands pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine

Shine forth upon our clouded hills?

And was Jerusalem builded here

Among these dark Satanic Mills?

Bring me my Bow of burning gold;

Bring me my Arrows of Desire;

Bring me my Spear; O clouds unfold!

Bring me my Chariot of Fire!

I will not cease from Mental Fight,

Nor shall my Sword sleep in my hand,

Till we have built Jerusalem

In Englands green and pleasant Land.

There have been many theories on Jesus the missing years and we hope you find our view thought provoking.

More free information

For more thought provoking articles on http://net-planet.org/newage.html visit our website for more articles, features and downloads at:

http://www.net-planet.org

Stopped Losing Your Car Keys

How Hard Is It To Build Straight Stairs in California

Thinking of doing it yourself. wondering if you can do it. The Contractor down the street made it look easy. But how am I going to build a set of stairs for my house. It starts with a little information, maybe a book, I know I will surf the net and get the info. Why bother with spending the time looking on the internet for a article or book on how to build stairs. I have done it and that's why I wrote a book and their are more books coming on how to build stairs.

My goal is to write a book on every way of building stairs. I am going to make the stair building books easy to follow with lots of simple illustrations. I understand that getting one book on stair building that explains how to build 500 different types of stairs with 3000 illustrations might not apply to you. These books are nice for a building professional or a master carpenter but are difficult to understand.

I have made these books easy to follow with the use of illustrations that only apply to the set of stairs you will be building. The book "How to Build a Strait Set of Stairs" is a complete stair building guide for a strait set of stairs with a 2 x 4 handrail. In this book you will have access to formulas for decimal conversions to fractions. Then you will be able to locate the exact mark for certain measurements. It isn't hard to build a straight set of stairs with this book and the website links provided for you.

If you feel comfortable with a hammer, tape measure and a circular saw. You will be amazed with the results. I have been helping people build stairs for almost 30 years with this easy to follow stair building system. I have trained other carpenters to build stairs with most of them telling me the same thing. How easy it was to build but they thought you had to be a master carpenter in order to build a set of stairs. The main reason for this way of thinking was that when it was time to build the stairs on the job guess who would build the stairs. The Master Carpenter of course.

You can do it with a little help from a friend. www.stair4u.com Get some help from the best home improvement contractor in California.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Electrical Outlet Problems

Extend the Life of Your Patio With an Outdoor Heater

The concept is pretty cool. Provide your guests with an outdoor heat source that extends the comfort range of your patio or deck during cooler evening hours and give you the use of your outdoor living spaces well into the fall and even winter if you live in a mild climate area.

These outdoor patio heaters are large, usually over 6 feet tall, and need a heat source such as propane. The best ones provide even heating a full 360 degrees around it so guests can be gathered in many groups around the unit and still be warm.

I wouldn't say they're incredibly stylish, although if you have metal decor like a hanging star or garland or perhaps metal wall sconces then the patio heater will at least look like it belongs. But how can you argue with a 6 foot cylinder pumping out 40,000 BTU's?

They cost about $250 or so, depending on which store you buy it in and which sales you capture. They are obviously more popular during the winter months and are nearly impossible to find in a retail store during the summer unless you catch an inventory clearance event. Our best advice is to buy one in late winter or early spring when they'll probably be on sale and then use it the following fall.

When you're shopping for a patio heater you need to consider these things:

1. the size of your patio or deck
2. how much space you actually need to heat
3. if you want a large fixed heater or a portable one
4. if you care about the fuel source, such as propane, electric, or natural gas
5. how you'll protect it when not in use.

The issue of protection is often easily solved with a patio heater cover. In fact many of them come with a free cover as incentive to get you to buy.

For more information on propane patio heaters and electric patio heaters please visit our website.

Building Safe Stairs

Ramadan - Fasting in 2009

Ramadan is the time of the year when Muslims must obey one of the five pillars of Islam, fasting. Fasting is an important step all Muslims must take.

What time does fasting begin and what time does fasting ends depends on the rising of the sun and setting of the sun. You can find out what day Ramadan begins and the last day. It is customary to open you fast with dates, which are very inexpensive and can be bought from many shops, if not than something sweet will do, such as fruits etc.

When a Muslim man or woman fast they are learning how precious life is and how we should be grateful for what we have and feel as others less fortunate then we are.

Tips for fasting. There shouldn't really be any tips on Ramadan or fasting as that would perhaps defy the whole point God found Muslims to complete this task every year. But there are some things Muslims can do. Drink plenty of water before starting your fast to avoid dehydration as you are not permitted any foods or liquids of any kind while fasting.

For all of you who want quick facts about fasting than here goes, Please remember these are guidelines.

1. No eating or drinking during fasting times

2. No smoking or taking of illegal drugs

3. No sexual activities

4. No behaviors which are considered harmful

5. Fasting is not allowed during menstrual periods.

6. Medical conditions which would require you to break your fast is allowed.

Remember this is a fast of not just food but also of the soul, of our daily luxuries.

This is the time of contemplation and spirituality.

Shazia Shah is a practicing Muslim and has been a driving force behind the Muslim Matrimonials website http://www.muslimandsingle.com and http://www.asians4asians.com With Muslim Members from all over the UK and rest of the world.

Getting Up Earlier

Boy's Room Paint Ideas - Have a Little Fun With It

Most children like their bedroom to reflect their own personality and interests. With a bit of imagination and a few pots of paint a plain boy's room can be turned into a place of their very own. By all means surprise him - but it won't harm to get some ideas and feedback from the intended resident.

Themed Boys' Rooms

A popular way of making over a boy's room is to theme it according to their interests and passions. Whatever the boy's favorite subject or activity there is likely to be a theme that can complement it. At the risk of gender stereotyping, popular choices involve cars, trains, cowboys, marine themes, outdoors, outer space and sport. Especially if you're on a budget, the important thing with choosing a theme is to make sure that the key features of the theme can be achieved in paint.

Expressing a room theme using paint can involve little more than choosing a suitable color scheme (perhaps a sports team's colors) and recreating motifs associated with the theme. At the other end of the spectrum is the creation of a full-on illusion. If your son is adamant he wants to live in a tree house, you can use paint on all four walls plus ceiling to create that fantasy, using accessories to provide the finishing touches. With faux brickwork (easy with stencils) you can fake a room in a castle or, with trompe l'oeil portholes, the appearance of a ship's cabin.

Imaginative ways to use paint in themed rooms are legion. A young car fanatic might be amused by road markings painted on the floor or faux tire tracks stenciled on the walls. You don't have to stick to murals or borders depicting cars. If the theme is the Wild West or a castle, you can use faux painting techniques to simulate a distressed or antique look. Metallic paints can be used to simulate chrome, bronze and metal features appropriate to a particular theme.

Bear in mind when choosing a theme for a boy's room that children's passions can be short-lived and you don't want to have to redecorate when the fad passes.

Color Schemes and Paints

Themed rooms often invite particular color schemes and treatments. If you're not going for a theme, consider a color scheme that doesn't show the dirt that many small boys seem to attract. Washable, scuff-resistant paints are recommended for active boy's rooms.

Special Paints

Special purpose paints can add humour and fun to a boy's room. A young astronomer might appreciate the constellations in luminous paint on the ceiling, for example. Chalkboard paint is a great idea for children's rooms and serves a practical purpose. It only comes in black and green though you can make your own in other colors. Painted on walls or doors, chalkboard paint allows kids to draw on the walls without doing permanent damage! Magnetic paint is another fun invention that will allow a boy to pin up his favorite pics using magnets.

Getting your boy's room ready? Visit ThatPainterLady.com for tons of decorating ideas and find popular nursery theme ideas for boys too.

What To Do If Your Home Floods

How Do We Know If it is Spiritual Love Or Just Physical Pleasure?

Love is spirituality along with the actual realistic knowledge of knowing there is someone other than oneself in the picture. Spiritually as if your heart is not in your own body, it inhabits the space in the heart of the person you love, with that person's heart inhabiting the space in your own, as if indistinguishable who is who, and it does not matter. Physically there are two, though spiritually there is only one, and that one is love, body, mind, and spirit. It can not be broken, ever, period, at least if it is absolute love from the infinite timelessness of our spiritual being, in the present body.

Simple, yes if it is realized that our nature is love and our spirits are free of complications or delusional illusions of what someone else may tell us. In other words when we listen to anyone other than ourselves in the realm of our own spirituality in consideration of love we give up our truth and become as deluded as the ones telling us what to do or who to love. Delusion is rampant in to-days so called intelligent society because of the ego of the experts (supposedly experts) who give out guidance as if there were no tomorrow, even though they may say they are not orders it is implied that if you do not follow their guidance you will be left out. Our media circus is great at that one, and unfortunately many seem to be unable to reject or ignore the zoo keepers. It is akin to actors in Hollywood, or anywhere for that matter, being the character in real life as well as the part they play, so they really are confused as to who they are for the most part. Hence all the idiocy we see coming from so called celebrity status.

What is the circus selling? Pure and simply sex in all the glory it has. Glorification though of sex is like being blissfully ignorant, even though most buy it, or so it seems when we look at statistics of who watches what and what movies sell the most tickets. No there is nothing wrong with sex, or even liking it, and obviously it is a beautiful aspect of life, though it is perhaps the least understood in all that we aspire to understand. Difficulty is the fact that spirituality and sex go together, while sex can be apart from spirituality nothing comes from just sex by itself. Our deficit in spirituality leads to a loss of value to the human condition as well as some of what we see going on in the economy right now, greed for only pleasure/money/sex with no actual work being done.

Pleasure is not a bad thing, though sexual pleasure just for the sake of pleasure is what tears at the very foundations of our human existence, especially in the way of our spiritual realm. Spiritually we have occupied many bodies, we do not know how many, though the fact of our spirit remembering minute, less than perhaps molecular pieces of our past memories is why we behave the way we do, along with of course the cause and effect of our present surrounding. If from childhood we live without any trauma whatsoever we may grow up with full faculty of our own spiritual being, truly knowing who we are all the while not needing any type of mind altering substance or wanting to be altered. Rare indeed, and yet that in itself does not mean the spirit is ready for enlightenment, or love, though perhaps it may help, for example in the area of sex, it is known instinctively, no matter male or female, what is means to be attracted to the opposite sex and why as spiritual purity enables such innocent attraction to manifest with an intimacy which has nothing to do with the physical nature of the body. Of course one will know something is there, though with again the innocence of love. If there is a beginning to true or absolute love it is here in the innocence.

Just for the sake of looking at things from perhaps what some may call a rather different perspective, think of making love as something that everyone sees, not only those involved, hopefully a male and female who actually love one and other, in what we will say is in the spiritual realm. We will leave religious dogma out of the equation for now. When we leave the body at death of the body our consciousness or spirit searches for a womb, unless it has become as god consciousness or enlightened, in order to have a new body to house the spirit. How many spirits are watching when those in love are making love? Choose the womb carefully from Tibetan Buddhism is the relevancy of how and why spirituality is the most important factor in life, as in we are responsible for our own choices. In other words if we are not making love, we are not in love and sex is the only factor, the spirits who are ignorant may end up in a womb they are not meant to actually be in at that time (hence birth control, as in take away responsibility) and may need to start the search all over shortly thereafter, how ever unfortunate it is. Choose the womb carefully.

Sex for sale, narcissus, egotistical, sociopathic exhibitionism and or voyeurism are some of the factors of the spiritual deficit in the world, there is no love or spirituality in this scene. Like it our not religion is meant to be a structural support of love and spirituality, as human beings have always needed some kind of structure to help in behavior, which is why we are not still beating each other with sticks, hopefully. Our spirit is the foundation with love being the transporter which allows life in the physical body to exist, and why spirituality is the actual basis for the foundation. Point is this, the unrestricted sexual behavior of a non-spiritual nature confuses our own consciousness along with all the other spirits involved with our personal behavior.

Depression, irritability, anger, frustration, anti-social behavior all are part of the consequence of our behavior of any type in the realm of sex, be it physical or mental. Drugs, which by the way alcohol is one, are the emotional strength to delude the body and mind that all is just great. Our spirit knows, yet our mind and body pay no attention to the signs and leaves the spirit in the dirt. Of course this is why when it comes to the sex trade, no matter what is happening, drugs are a necessity to keep girls, boys, women, men in the game to profit from, another words exploit without spiritual consequences.

No consequences, is just a lie or delusion that goes with the behavior, even for those who may not actually partake to the extent of some and seem to keep their senses for the most part. It is like standing at the edge of a cliff thinking you are able to fly when you jump. Deviant behavior of a sexual nature must stop before any type of spiritual awakening is enabled. Love making is not deviant behavior, even though it may not be spiritual, though when it is done for an audience other than the female and male involved it turns into deviance, known or not. Usually this type of sexual behavior is not done without the help of some type of uninhibited mind altering substance, which bears repeating, or just plain delusion that there is nothing wrong with it.

In a free society such as ours here in America we must not try to control any-ones' behavior other than those who break the law. Our constitution was and is written in order to allow freedom of all people here in the United States. Behavior is something which is ones' own responsibility, owning up to it is another story perhaps, and spirituality does not necessarily need to be a part of any-ones behavior at least consciously, although it is always there waiting in the background to let us know when we have screwed up, ignored or not.

If love is based on spirituality it will be known to anyone involved as intimacy and innocence will allow the female and the male to actually get to know each other before any physical contact of a sexual nature takes place. When the time comes the female will let the male know what is going to happen or not, or how much, which is completely normal when all is right with the relationship. Meaning it is the female who controls the situation, yet this does not mean or imply she is somehow to blame when things may not go right. Problem is man, usually is the one who pushes or forces something which is not totally wanted, though interestingly younger boys, or young adults will respect the wishes of the girl before an older man will, which again is normal as the spirit is not yet pushed aside in the young man who realizes there is something more at play here than just sex. Point here is man will at times use force to control the woman, and this is and has been and most likely will remain the problem as long as man deludes himself into thinking that he is the one in control of woman. It is kind of a paradox as most men know this already though do not want to admit it because they want to think they are the boss though they know they are not, which ignorantly is why they continue with the stupidity. Of course not all men are stupid, which is why so many people are happily married and do have spirituality in there lives, mainly though because of and through the spiritual nature of woman, as she instinctively knows what is love and what is not because she has the womb the spirits keep wanting to enter.

What can be perhaps the most significant in importance is when there is a true spiritual connection between the female and male there will never be any force what so ever in any part of the relationship. Force is not needed at any time in the union of the female and male, it is the force of nature which is absolutely the way the universe intended in the realm of physical intimacy between the female and the male, as nature is what does and or has brought anyone together in a spiritual union. Fact is we may at times think this will not happen, though with a spiritual nature kept solid through discipline and will we do find we are brought together with someone to love in a spiritual way, which is one reason why they say, and it is true, patience is a virtue. Physical pleasure, or just sex will not happen under those conditions, the spiritual universe will not allow narcissus, egotistical, or a sociopaths behavior to exist in those conditions. Love, absolute spiritual love, is what the universe allows, period.

George Merritt is a Certified General Contractor, Welder, Writer, Machinist always learning something new, and never gives up hope on the love of life and the human condition in the quest for truth, love, peace, and joy among other things.

http://www.georgetmerritt.com

Backup Plans Feel Good

Shower Stall Curtains

Most people prefer to relax in bathtubs. However, some people have other equipment that allows them to have a quick bath. The equipment is built in the bathroom to prevent the seeping out of water as you bathe. The equipment is available in different colors and designs. Besides, there are different sizes and prices to suit you.

Some types are door less and they make the bathroom look different and neat. The equipment can be beautified using shower stall curtains. These curtains are a cheap way of providing a refreshing relaxing environment. The curtains make the place appear elegant and stylish. They are available in different colors and patterns. You should choose according to your taste.

Shower stall curtains are available in various materials. Most are made from vinyl. The curtains can be customized to suit your needs. You simply need to consult the concerned company. For the door less type, the curtains must very long. This is to prevent water from splashing onto the toilet and messing up the floor. It prevents accidents that can occur when water is on the floor.

To obtain shower stall curtains, visit the household department of a nearby mall. You can also order from the Internet. Different companies showcase their designs from which you can choose from. You can easily compare prices and choose your that suits your pocket. If however you are not satisfied with what the companies offer, make your own curtains. You can get ideas from various web sites on how to make the curtains.

Peter Gitundu Researches and Reports on Shower Curtain. For More Information on Shower Stall Curtains, Visit His Site at SHOWER STALL CURTAINS

You Can Also Add Your Views About Shower Stall Curtains At My Blog here SHOWER STALL CURTAINS

Wood Flooring Problems In Bath

For the Best Spiritual T-shirts - Full of Faith T-shirt Expressing How You Feel About Jesus

This started about 4 years ago when I was at church hearing the preacher say when God is with you all things are possible no matter how it looked. that word started stirring me up on the inside. I know I wanted to started my own business but what. I know I had drawing talent but I did not know how I was going to put it to good use. I prayed about it everyday asking God I wanted to your my talent to glorify you. it took awhile it did t happen over night.

It was about 3 years later. One night God puta vision of a logo in my heart; I quickly woke up and drew it on a sheet of paper. Still I did not know what it meant at first because I still wanted to use my drawing talent for God. Then it hit me I seen alot of t-shirts but very few that Christian can wear that would express how they felt about God. Then I know I was on to something very special. I took my drawing talent and started making design for the christian to show how much they love God using my talents to focus on Jesus in a way that never been do before.this t-shirts are a powerful witness tool for christian of all ages. there is a t-shirt that will please everyone. but for the most part I just one of many trying to do my part in getting the word out that Jesus is here now and forever more.

My Name is Thomas Gathers born in Brooklyn New York now living Lynchburg, Virginia, with my wife of 14 year Gwendolyn and my 2 year old daughter Brookelyn. I am one out of seven children. My life was not easy, but my parent Annie & Ancil done their better to make sure that we had everything we needed. I had friend but sometime they were up to no good. But when I met my wife for the first time there was something different about her. She had Jesus in her life something I really didn't know about. But the more time I spend with her the more I wanted what she had. Joy, peace, happiness. then that special day on 11/21/01 when I accepted Jesus Christ and the rest is history. My life was changed forever I never know life can be so wonderful with Jesus in it.

Finding Something You Don