Chart Numerology

It is becoming more and more popular to look for a personalised chart. Numerology can certainly offer you just that.

In fact you can easily find numerous sites on the Web today offering free Numerology charts.

But have you stopped to consider exactly what you’re probably getting?

The technological age has made much progress, computers being in the forefront but it has also quashed many freedoms.

Charts, whether they are based on Numerology or Astrology etc are after all metaphysical subjects.

Being Metaphysical means that these subjects are based on observation and experimentation rather than theory.

Surely for all their benefits computers cannot observe or experiment. Only a human being can do this.

I hear some of you saying that you agree with me, but that a computer program can be written by a human and therefore a chart can be still be relevant even though it originates from computer software.

I’m not saying that a Numerology chart created wholly from computer software will be completely wrong. I’m sure that it will pick up core elements and work out the correct numbers.

But when the whole chart is put together how can a computer give a correct overall picture from the sum of many pre-written component parts?

Only a human can interpret the sum of all the parts correctly.

So what do you get from a Numerology Chart?

The most important number in anybody’s numerology Chart is their Destiny number.

This is worked out from your date of birth and represents the lessons that you have to learn during this lifetime.

It shows you your potential, strengths and limitations.

More can be discovered by using your name as it appears on your birth certificate and translating that into numerical form.

You can discover your Soul Urge (how you’d like to be), your Quiet Self (how you dream of being) and your Expression (your talents and abilities and how you present to the world at large!)

So we’re already working with a possible 4 different numbers in different positions in your chart. Numerologically what does this mean?

Software produced charts will correctly calculate the right numbers but can they then relate each number to each other?

Maybe some numbers are harmonious in those positions but maybe some are not and then how do you know how to act for the best, to ease that disharmony?

Only a personal Numerologist with experience of how the numbers interact can correctly portray an individualised chart.

A detailed chart will then go on to include events from your past.

I find this very important, because if the past isn’t presented at all, or is presented incorrectly, how can a client have any faith in anything written about times to come?

Aswell as Karmic lessons, any Arrows of Pythagoras, Sub-cycles and Peaks- a chart will also include a detailed look at the present year you are on.

To me, the mass produced charts are entertaining but don’t tell all and fundamentally do not help you understand yourself and your potential.

Neither can you email the software at a later date and ask questions about what is written in your chart!

Numerology is the sacred ancient art of numbers.

If you do ever require a personalised chart. Please choose Numerology, but treat yourself to a comprehensive chart written and interpreted by a real person.

‘To thine own self be true’

Let me be your personal Numerologist. All of my readings and insights are worked out by me. I don’t use software at all. I put my 14 years experience and psychic flashes into everything I do. It costs nothing to join my free newsletter which you can subscribe to at my site http://www.oceannumerology.com

Offering Choices – A Good Marketing Practice

Ever notice how easy it is for someone to say “No?” Make it easier for them to say “Yes” by offering choices in your marketing.

If you’re a Realtor, rather than asking a listing prospect if they’re ready to list today, ask them if they’d like to list for 3 months, or for 6 months. If you’re trying to get an appointment with buyer prospects, ask them if they’d like to view homes on Friday or Saturday. Or ask them if they’d like to schedule time to see 3 homes or 5.

If you’re selling shoes ask if they’d like them in brown or black. If you sell furniture, ask them if they’d like the couch, or would prefer the whole set, with chair and ottoman to match.

That’s called an “assumptive close” because you go forward assuming that your prospect is going to say yes rather than fearing that they’ll say no.

It serves two purposes – the first being a change in your own attitude and the vibrations you give off. Your fear of a “no” could actually cause it to happen! We all give off vibrations all the time, and the one you want to give off is confidence. Confidence in yourself, and confidence that the product or service you offer is a good thing for your prospect.

The second reason is that as humans we all want to feel in control of our lives. We don’t want to be forced into a corner and we intensely dislike the “Now or never” ultimatum. I know, a whole lot of marketers use it, and some customers fall for it – out of fear.

But as a smart marketer, you’re in the business of creating lasting relationships with your clients – not one time orders based on fear of loss. You’ll gain their respect and their confidence when you offer them choices – even if that choice is waiting until next week to order.

If you’ve done the right things to collect your prospect’s names, you’ll be reminding them again in a few days. You can even tell them so, if you like.

You can use the same psychology in your on-line marketing and postal mailings.

Rather than offering a yes or no choice, offer 2 or 3 ways to take advantage of what you have to offer. Depending upon your product, it could be colors, styles, sizes, length of service, amount of service, or combinations of products and services.

For instance, if you have information products, why not offer individual e-books or bundles of 2 or more? Explain the difference between your books so your prospect has a clear understanding of which is best for his immediate needs – or why he needs them all.

If you’re selling a newsletter, offer choices in the length of the subscription. Of course offer discounts for longer terms, but let that be their choice, not your demand.

Whatever you’re selling – be it your services or your products, find some way to offer your buyers at least three choices – “no”, “yes this,” or “yes that.” And don’t mention the first one. They already know they can say no.

One caution – don’t overdo it. Remember that your goal is to make it easy for your prospects to say “yes” to something. When you offer too many choices you make it harder, so they’ll fall back on “no.”

A recent test showed that grocery store shoppers who were offered samples of a new jelly/jam brand chose a flavor and purchased when there were 4 or 5 choices. When they increased the number of choices to 15 or 20, they didn’t buy at all. Making the decision was simply too hard, so they walked away.

So, balance is once again the answer. Avoid only one choice, avoid too many choices. Always make it easy for your customers to say yes, based on a few good choices.

Marte Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter who specializes in making people feel good about buying products or services – or donating to worthy causes.

She has extensive experience in writing search engine optimized web copy, direct sales letters, postcards, space ad copy, press releases, and more. She is also available for marketing plan creation and editing services.

You can visit her at http://www.marte-cliff.com While you’re there, sign up for her marketing ezine. When you do, you’ll also get access to reports that will help you get better results from your own writing.

Top 10 Training Metrics

Is it time for you to measure the effectiveness of your training programs? If you’re not sure where to start, these Top Ten Training Metrics can help.

Measuring the effectiveness of training is a very difficult task, for stakeholders, training departments and end users. If you are a training manager or company stakeholder looking for ways to measure the effectiveness of your programs, these ten metrics are a great place to start.

One: Increased retention. Most Human Resources departments measure the rate of retention in all or various jobs. Many times, the front line, high turnover jobs are the ones that receive the most attention. If newly trained employees feel ill-equipped for the job, they are more likely to leave within their first 90 days. When you measure training success this way, higher retention points to a successful training program.

Two: Increased sales. Many organizations can track efficiency based on sales. If training is heavily geared toward a sales or customer service force, an effective program will eventually increase sales numbers. You can also measure product knowledge training as part of a sales number – poorly educated sales people usually do not make the sale. Dollar figures and unit sales make good metrics, but be sure to balance any metric with other factors that can influence sales numbers.

Three: Increased operational efficiency. In highly regulated or production-oriented businesses, managers look for more efficiency, which raises the bottom line. If your training programs teach skills, look to management’s efficiency metrics, as a baseline, before and after the training intervention. If you are building a new program or product, look at the efficiency numbers to obtain direction on training course content.

Four: Customer service results. Any organization can link training to customer service, which can be both internal and external. Customer service is also one of the easier place to start: one well-written survey can identify a host of customer related issues that can be addressed by training programs. Remember that training may not be the only solution to those issues. If your organization already has a customer survey in place, use those metrics to cross check your programs. When your programs impact the survey items, you can correlate an increase in customer satisfaction back to training.

Five: Company-defined scorecards. Training outsourcers tend to use client-defined criteria to determine training effectiveness. If your organization has a wide variety of possible measurements, sit down with management, and stakeholders, to create a custom scorecard based on expectations and the training programs that need to be in place.

Six: Cost of training. This is an internal training department measurement. In high turnover organizations, lowering cost per student can be used as an effectiveness measurement. Cost of training could also relate directly back to retention – if you’re spending less on new hire training, your retention may be higher. Work with your stakeholders and the HR department to determine training costs and where you want those numbers to be.

Seven: Return on Investment. ROI has long been a “catch all” metric. In some cases, it’s easy to define ROI, but in more cases it’s increasingly difficult. If you deliver soft skills training, it’s hard to put a dollar figure on the return. There are numerous ROI calculations available, so if you’re thinking about using an ROI metric, look for the formulas and plug in what you can. If you are part of a numbers-driven organization, you’ll be able to make friends with the stakeholders by defining and measuring concrete ROI.

Eight: Revenue generation. This metric appears most likely as a combination of sales numbers, operational efficiency, and customer service. If an organization shows increased revenue, a solid training program can be part of that increase. If your organization is rolling out a new revenue generator, such as a product or service, that is generally the best time to use revenue generation as training metric.

Nine: Instructor performance. Instructor evaluation is an important internal measurement. The results can come from student and manager evaluations, and must take into account the instructor’s presentation skills, knowledge of the subject, projection of organizational values, and adherence to instructional guidelines. The good part about instructor performance as a metric is that it can also be used as an external measure. When training is under discussion, training managers should be the first to praise their instructors for delivering quality instruction in every course – and instructor evaluations provide the supporting evidence.

Ten: End-user satisfaction. Your audience can measure effectiveness quicker than anyone else, both immediately following training and after a given time period, such as 30 or 60 days. The immediate results, sometimes referred to as “smile sheets”, can give you a picture of what happened in the classroom. The delayed results can tell you if the material is useful or not. Plus, end-user surveys are great tools for proving effectiveness with management.

Remember that training metrics may take time to put into place and show results. It’s also important to obtain buy-in from your stakeholders while you’re determining how to measure results. Use these metrics to start with – and use them whenever you’re developing or revamping training programs. Once you can prove bottom-line effectiveness, your credibility will go a long way.

Copyright 2008 Bryant Nielson. All Rights Reserved.

Bryant Nielson – Managing Director and National Sales Trainer – assists executives, business owners, and top performing sales executives in taking the leap from the ordinary to extraordinary. Bryant is a trainer, business & leadership coach, and strategic planner for sales organizations.Bryant’s 27 year business career has been based on his results-oriented style of empowering.

Subscribe to his monthly ezine – Lengthen Your Stride! ™ – and learn the legendary secrets of top business achievers at: http://www.BryantNielson.com

Incredible Hulk

“How do I know I won’t keep changing?” an anguished Dr. Bruce Banner asked himself in one issue of the Incredible Hulk comics. “Into that brutal, bestial mockery of a human – that creature which fears nothing – which soon despises reason and worships power! Soon, the sun will set again~ And here I sit helplessly, fearing I may again become the Hulk!”

Poor Dr. Banner’s anguish began when he was performing bomb tests. Seeing teenager Rick Jones driving towards the test site, Banner rushed to stop him and in the process was affected by gamma rays. While Rick Jones was unaffected, Banner began to transform into the Hulk.

Originally, Banner’s transformations were triggered by the rise and fall of the sun. Later, his transformation would be triggered by emotions, most notably anger.

Sometimes grey, sometimes green, the Hulk debuted in 1962, but soon faced cancellation. The character did not enjoy a successful solo run until the 1970s. During his solo series, Banner gave his cousin, Jennifer Walters, a transfusion, leading her to become the She-Hulk. This in turn added even more guilt to the Hulk’s already burdened conscience.

In the 1980s and 1990s, a major arc was introduced that explored the possibility that Dr. Banner had been mentally ill before getting hit with the gamma rays. In an effort to explain his Hulk persona (the one who offered such fun phrases as “Puny humans! Hulk smash!”) writers introduced the theory that Banner had been abused as a child. As a result, Banner had suffered from Dissociative Identity Disorder, his mind’s way to try to deal with the abuse. The gamma rays merely magnified those problems. During this time, Banner underwent hypnosis as a way to combine the Hulk parts of his personality with the calmer Banner part. The result was a Hulk that was more cunning, powerful, and intelligent than before.

In the 2006 story, “Planet Hulk,” the Illuminati, a group of covert superhero leaders, decided that the Hulk was a potential risk to Earth that needed to be eliminated. Thus, they sent him into space to live on a planet uninhabited by other sentient life. The ship malfunctioned, however, and landed on the planet Sakaar.

Sakaar was a violent planet, which seemed to fit Hulk’s personality. After being captured, Hulk became a leader of the rebels and eventually rose to emperor status. But his happiness was short lived, as his rocket exploded, killing his pregnant lover, Caiera and destroying the planet.

A vengeful Hulk returned to Earth, determined to make the Illuminati pay for what they had done. Tragically, however, Hulk found out that it was one of his own allies that destroyed his ship and he was taken into custody by S.H.I.E.L.D.

Essential storylines:

~ Planet Hulk
~ World War Hulk
~ Illuminati
~ Future Imperfect
~ Crossroads of Eternity

Follow the exploits of rockers DEMON TWEAK and the racing clan HARD DRIVING HEROES, as they battle the evil trickster Loki at http://www.classic-comic-books.com. Also read articles on your favorite classic comic book heroes written by our resident historian VIRGIL THE STORYTELLER.

The Various Benefits of Using Mobile Phones

How important is the mobile phones in human life nowadays?

Billions of people in the world today realize how essential mobile phones are their lives. Mobile phones have become a part of everyday life for many individuals and some could not even manage to last an hour without them. This is also the fashion trend nowadays. If you do not own a cellular phone, you are not in. They turned out to be the personal dairies of a lot of people. Mobile phones have even become the timepieces as people are more likely to check the time in their handsets. This device calculates, wakes people up, and reminds them of all occasions and appointments.

Many of mobile phone models feature FM receivers and the user can just turn on the music to be calmed while traveling or driving. (Just don’t make a call while driving!) And if you like videos and games, mobiles have them, too. They also feature cameras, making it easier to capture crucial moments. This technology enables mobile phone users to access the Internet.

In choosing the right mobile phone for you, needless to say you want something that can give you the best features, with easy and convenient attributes. The fantastic benefits of mobile phones are in store, yet they also have certain challenges. For instance, travelers aren’t so sure whether handsets will work when they are traveling from one place to another. However majority of mobile phones companies offer international roaming technology wherein one can get in touch with anyone from anywhere in the world. With roaming features, sending text messages and calls can be inexpensive and less stressful. The price per call is cheaper than when using landline phones for long distance calls.

One of the most remarkable values of mobile phones is during emergencies, may it big or small. We never know when we or our loved ones may need to make an emergency phone call. In situations when finding public phone is difficult, mobiles are the answer to your need. These devices are also very functional for businesspeople and trading companies because they can easily get in touch with their clients.

Both SMS and calls are exploited by business people to market and promote their products. Through mobiles, one can do finances updates and banking these days. They help find out the latest news through text messages sent by means of subscribing to certain services. There are mobile phones that provide you the information such as names, number, and even the exact map of who is calling you.

Mobiles are of use to the elderly and handicapped, as well. Like for example, the visually impaired have their “talking mobile phones” wherein they can read the text messages. These special talking mobile phones are feature phones installed with software to make it “talk”. Since the unit talks, the visually impaired can read his messages without having a sighted person read it for him.

Mobile phones also provide the user the confidence to get out and go places because they know they can avail assistance if needed. The cost of the mobile phones is similar to other models of communication. If you can have a family plan, your expense for monthly cell phone service can be much cheaper than the cost for using landline service. You can have the chance to call anytime, anywhere.

For more information on SMS jokes and Christmas SMS lease visit our website.

Choosing an Assisted Living Home For Your Elderly Parent

Making the decision that your elderly parent needs more than assistance in their own home is a difficult one. However, finding an assisted living home that meets your needs can ease the process. What sorts of things should you consider when choosing an assisted living home?

1. Proximity. If possible, choose a home that is close to your own so you can visit often and spontaneously. Knowing you are just a few minutes away will be comforting to your parent and will ease the transition.

2. Caregivers. Visit the home during each shift to meet the caregivers. States require training and certification, but you should look for experienced caregivers who genuinely enjoy caring for the elderly. Sometimes you can tell by the expressions on their faces if they are happy there, or just going through the motions. Ask how many caregivers there are per shift, and how many residents live in the home. Try to find an assisted living home with a high caregiver to resident ratio.

3. Meals. Visit during mealtimes. It is important that the food served be nutritious and delicious. The elderly eat less as they age. Appetites diminish over time, and taste buds degenerate. Food must be appetizing, fresh and high quality so that the amount eaten provides adequate nutrition. Ideally, choose an assisted living home with a nutritionist on staff, or one that consults with nutritionists for meal planning. Be sure the home caters to dietary needs and offers substitutes for restricted items.

4. Activities. Activities should nurture the body, mind and spirit, and create community. Ask for the monthly calendar of activities. Are the activities interesting, fun, engaging, varied? The primary reason the elderly are placed in assisted living homes is concern for their safety living alone. An assisted living home should not only be a safe place, but one of community for your loved one. Are residents in the common areas, or are they all sequestered in their rooms? Do they speak to each other at meals or during activities, or are the only voices those of the caregivers?

5. Amenities. Amenities can add much to the quality of life in a care home. This is where care homes can differ significantly. Ask what makes their home special. Do they nurture the body, mind and spirit? Do they offer holistic therapies? Special programs? Do they have doctors that make house calls?

6. Volunteers. Befriend volunteers, as they can be eyes and ears of anything amiss with the home. Homes that are interested in the well being of their residents will often utilize volunteers, such as for reading out loud, helping residents with writing cards or checks, etc., because it allows them to offer more to their residents.

7. Pets. There are organizations all across the country that train pets and their owners to provide therapy visits. Visits with animals are particularly appreciated by the elderly, especially those with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Find out if volunteers come to the home, and what they do for the residents.

8. Cleanliness. Is the home neat and clean? Do the bathrooms look and smell clean? Are the common areas tidy? Do the residents look groomed and are their clothes clean? (Residents have rights and they are free to refuse showers, food, medication, assistance with dressing and hygiene, all of which can cause a resident to appear uncared for; however, the resident’s doctor, guardian or relatives are to be notified so that any underlying issues can be addressed. If all the residents appear to be unkempt, there may be an issue with the care being provided.)

9. Violations. States have regulatory agencies that keep track of the violations of assisted living homes. It may not concern you that much if a care home failed to chart one of its routine fire drills, but it should concern you if there have been multiple claims of abuse, neglect, or safety issues.

10. Cost. Care homes usually have sliding fees based on the size of the room, whether it is a suite with a private bath, and the level of care the resident requires. The more care, the higher the fee. The larger the room, the more the cost, with suites being the most expensive. Personal items, such as Depends, other hygiene items, denture creams, medication, etc. are all the responsibility of the resident. Meals and snacks, assistance with daily needs such as getting up, going to bed, bathing, toileting, cleaning, laundry service, activities and entertainment are usually included in the monthly fee. Find out what is not included in the fee, so that there are no surprises at the end of the month. And do not be afraid to ask what their policy is in raising fees: do they give notice, how often have they raised fees in the past, do they anticipate raising fees in the next six months?

Take a checklist or list of questions when you visit care homes. Make sure you get the answers to all your questions so that you are fully informed when making your decision. When you’ve done your homework and narrowed it down to the best 3 or 4 that meet your needs, if possible, take your parent to tour the homes. Allow your parent to select the one that feels right for them. You’ll ease the transition by including your parent in the decision-making, and you’ll both have peace of mind that you’ve made the best choice.

Karla Roberts is owner and visionary of Sharon Gardens Holistic Assisted Living Home in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her vision is to create an environment that uplifts, fulfills and soothes the body, mind and spirit of all who enter Sharon Gardens: residents, caregivers and visitors alike. To ensure their well being in every way, holistic therapies and treatments are a routine part of care of the residents and caregivers.

Sharon Gardens will be the recipient of donations through the author’s work with Humanity Unites Brilliance (HUB). The intention is to give free care to the elderly who have spent their lives serving others and do not have the funds to pay for needed assisted living.

For more information on Sharon Gardens Holistic Assisted Living home, visit us at
http://holisticassistedliving.org/

For more information on how you can positively impact the world and your life, visit
http://hubaz.com/

Insurance Marketing in a Down Economy? 3 Deadly Mistakes Insurance Agents Make in a Recession Part 2

How you can THRIVE During A Recession?

Insurance marketing is the key to any insurance agency’s survival. And in part 1 of this three part series I covered the number one biggest mistake insurance marketing mistake most insurance agents make in a down economy.

So now lets cover the number 2 Biggest mistake made by insurance agents in a down economy.

But first let me say that this BIG mistake is something that most insurance agents make even in a good economy and probably is one of the biggest leverage points I personally used when I built insurance agencies from scratch.

What is the number 2 biggest insurance marketing mistake?

The mistake is Not staying in touch with your clients on an ongoing consistent manner with several types of media and NOT always in a sales motion.

This is a HUGE insurance marketing mistake that far too many insurance agents make. Why is this so important?

Here is an analogy, think of your insurance agency as a brick building and each client represents a brick. Your ongoing, consistent insurance marketing is the communication that is the mortar that keeps the bricks together. And there are several forces trying to separate the bricks and bring your insurance agency tumbling down. I need not name all of the competition that insurance agents face, but one of the subtle constant forces blowing against your agency during a recession is the media.

That is why your insurance marketing machine must stay in touch with your clients. Because you must combat not only the on slaught of the competitions constant poaching of your insurance agency, but you MUST beat down the medias slanted view on the economy. Here is the bottom line. The media loves negative news. Period.

Always has and always will. Why? Well, you would be ignorant to think that it has anything to do with reporting the truth. Truth is way down the totem pole as far as what they are wanting in a story, but the reason they love to promote negative news is one thing and that is it sells. Period.

It is one of those perverse peculiarities of humanity. We all gawk at an accident and it is no wonder the National Enquirer is the number one selling newspaper and has been for years! (If you do not believe me then look it up. I know, shock, gasp, despair – but true).

So you must use your insurance marketing to stay in touch with you clients on an ongoing consistent manner using several types of media and the reason you must use several types of media is because your clients have a short attention span and they get bored faster than a 3 year old watching Hamlet.

Plus, some of them prefer to read, some prefer to listen, some prefer the combination so you must be sure to fill your clients heads with positive counter acting information to overcome and inoculate them from the infectious disease being spread by the negative media. And you must use your insurance marketing to touch base with your clients not only in a consistent fashion, but probably of even more importance you must NOT be trying to sell them in every communication.

So if you are one of the 97 percent of insurance agents who have clients that only hear from you when there is a bill or when you want to sell them something then this is your wake up call.

I hope you have found this information helpful, but more importantly I hope you use this information to implement an insurance marketing system to help you grow your insurance agency.

To get your FREE GIFT and discover more unique and powerful profit producing proven insurance marketing solutions including breakthrough Direct Response Marketing tips to generate Insurance Leads then please visit the Insurance Mavericks at insurancemarketingmavericks.com

How to Make Massive Movement Towards Your Dreams – Learn From Obama’s “Leap” to President

One of the remarkable things about our new President is that his past did not predict his future. Barack Obama is a classic example of a “Leap Frogger”: someone who bypasses the predictable climb up the ladder (rung by predictable rung) and instead hurdles forward to unprecedented heights.

In other words they chart their own course through what appears to the rest of us as “magical leaps.”

Some examples of Leap Froggers:

• A Minneapolis stripper writes her first screenplay and wins an Oscar (Diablo Cody, “Juno”)
• A young man drops out of Harvard to develop a computer software program, launching Microsoft and becoming one of wealthiest men on the planet. (Bill Gates)
• An American, with a Kenyan father, is raised in Hawaii by his single mother and rises to President after only 4 years on the National Political field. (Barack Obama)

Obama’s rise to President was fast! From 2004 – 2009, he went from State Senator, to U.S. Senator, to U.S. President.

So why don’t more of us make a leap forward in our own lives? For starters you were trained at a young age to climb not leap.

In school you start with grade 1, do all of the assignments, graduate, go to grade 2, get passing grades and head to straight to… grade 3. And yes, there is the occasional student who skips a grade, but a “skip” is worlds away from a LEAP.

After school, you typically end up in the work force with a new ladder to climb. Now there is NOTHING wrong with this system. It’s very efficient. You can set goals for yourself and map out long-term goals to get you from point A to point B and on to point C. I am not poo-pooing that at all. However, when an Obama comes along, it’s as if a superman has entered the scene. Or you may see leapers as “lucky,” as if they just won the lottery ticket of life.

But maybe leaping is something we are all capable of! The following is a list of Leap Frogger traits I put together. Try them on and see how they fit in your own life.

#1 – Allow Yourself to Dream Big. Before Barack married Michelle, he mentioned to his future brother-in-law, that he might run for President. (His brother told him to be quiet about that idea and just meet the family.) Obama had a dream, and it was BIG.

#2 – Allow Your Heart and Your Passions to Guide You. In 1985, Obama left a job with a NY business consultant to become a $13,000 per year community organizer in the South Side of Chicago. Obama says, “It’s a consequence of working with this community that I found my calling. There was something more than making money and getting a fancy degree. The measure of my life would be public service.”

#3 – Surround Yourself with Supportive People and AVOID the Nay-sayers. Some of Obama’s early supporters at the local political level were disgruntled when he chose to run for higher offices. Can you imagine the loss to not only this country but the world if Obama had for one moment let any of their concerns stop him? Don’t let other peoples “stuff” or smallness hold YOU back. The world needs your light, so if you know there is a spot light for you to step into, then no one can tell you otherwise.

#4 – Learn from Your Climb, but Forge Your Own Path. Leap Froggers don’t come out of nowhere. Obama’s career includes tough years as a community organizer, slogging it out at Harvard Law School, and a failed bid for Congress in 2000. In other words, Obama did a lot of climbing, but he also did not let the ladder hold him back from taking a big leap.

#5 – Connect to source. Leapers are full of human spirit. Which is why their trajectories are unparalleled. Spirit is not confined to the 3-dimensional chess board of life. Spirit is connected to source (or God, or Allah, or the Universe, or whatever you’d like to call it) where the old rules don’t apply.

Thank goodness for Leap Froggers like Obama, who don’t hold back but shine their bright spirits, forging whole new paths and worlds for the rest of us to live into.

Where do you want to “leap” in 2009? I invite you to model these Leap Frog traits and start LEAPING towards your own dreams!

Heather Gray is a Soul and Life Coach, Writer and Author of “Real Girl, Real World: A Guide to Finding Your True Self” (Seal Press 2005) and Contributing Author to “Conscious Entrepreneurs: A Radical New Approach to Purpose, Passion and Profit” Go to: http://www.spreadyourwingsandinspire.com to dowload her FREE Success Kit revealing EASY, clear ways to grow and prosper by following your true path.

Adopting From A Dog Breeder

Evaluating and choosing a good dog breeder may take many visits to various breeders for the right match. Be patient. Dog breeders show their canines, so a good place to meet them is at a local dog show.

You will find good dog breeders and not-so-good ones.

A dog breeder raises, sells and often shows dogs of a specific breed, or maybe a few breeds. Top breeders raise dogs with good genetic lines, temperament test every puppy, and test each parent to help ensure against congenital defects.

The knowledge and skill of a good dog breeder has tremendous bearing on how the puppy turns out.

Unknowledgeable and amateur breeders are the source of most health and temperament problems affecting purebred dogs. Good breeders breed only when they have a list of buyers to adopt the dogs. Beware of breeders who create puppies and then worry about how to dispense them.

Genetic defects.

A dog breeder who tests prospective parents for specific disorders before breeding has the breed’s best interests at heart.

• Sire and dam should have a hip clearance from OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) or PennHip (University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program) with documenting certificates.
• Sire and dam should have current eye clearances from CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation). This must be re-done every year and should be certified.
• A good dog breeder will screen for hypothyroidism, Von Willebrand’s disease (disorder affecting ability to clot), epilepsy, and cardiac conditions.

When a dog breeder says they are breeding for temperament, you are on the right path in choosing a good breeder. When evaluating a breeder, this attribute trumps all others. A temperament test is a series of handling exercises performed at 7 weeks or older, to help assess the personality and eventual adult demeanor.

A good breeder will be eager to answer your questions fully.

You want as much information from the dog breeder as possible, to evaluate the breeder and the dogs.

• Ask for a certificate of vaccination stating what vaccines the puppy received, when and by whom. If the puppy was de-wormed, what drug was used and when? If not, was a fecal exam done?
• If the dam is bred too often it may indicate that profit is the primary motive for breeding. The rule of thumb is 5 generations should separate one relative from another.
• Does the breeder provide a 3-5 generation pedigree, a contract to sign, copies of all clearances, and a guarantee? Will the breeder take the dog back at any time, for any reason, if you cannot keep it? This is a test question to know if the breeder is responsible and cares about his dogs or just in it for the profit. Most will offer “health guarantees” for 2 years. A good guarantee states that if your puppy is ill with a genetic illness (e.g. hip or elbow dysplasia, cataracts), the breeder will refund your money or provide another puppy from the next litter, and you keep your puppy as well if you want.
• The breeder should provide information about feeding, training, housebreaking, grooming, and exercise.
• A responsible breeder insists the puppy has limited registration and a mandatory spay/neuter contract.

Allow time to interact with the puppy away from distractions. 10-15 minutes should be allotted to each member of the family.

Things to observe in choosing a good dog breeder:

• Inspect the coat, eyes, ears, dewclaws, tail. No discharge from the eyes or nose? No loose stools? No foul-smelling ears? Coats full and clean without any bald spots? Skin free of red splotches?
• No fleas? No coughing, sneezing, wheezing? Plenty of energy when awake?
• The litter should appear healthy and well-fed. Consider the cleanliness of surroundings – look around for feces not removed.
• Puppies should be raised in a home – not a barn or backyard. Puppies need exposure to gentle handling, human contact, a variety of noises and experiences. They should not be removed from the dam or litter mates before 7 weeks, which could create a variety of behavioral problems.
• Can you meet the sire and dam? How do they behave? Will the breeder provide references of previous buyers?

A good dog breeder will ASK questions, wanting to know your family’s lifestyle, to ensure the dog adoption is compatible and the prospective guardians are committed to the match.

We have existed as a company since 1985, but it was a love of dogs, the dogs that have been a part of our life, and the passing of one dog in particular, Rusty, that inspired the creation of http://www.callofthedog.com and http://www.callofthedogshop.com — created to provide the things your dogs and pets need. Visit us for great information and quality dog supplies! Be sure to see our About Us page as well.

The two sites are dedicated to the dogs we have loved so deeply, and who have given us so much love in return. Purebreds and mixed breeds, but mostly rescues in need of a home. We educated them, but each one has had something to teach us in exchange.

Your Life, Your Reality, Your Thoughts, Your Stability, Your Existence, Your Responsibility

I am, in this article, going to tell some uncomfortable, but real honest truths about reality that you may need to hear like medicine that burns, but heals. Everything you do makes you responsible for yourself, from thinking to action, everything. In a reasoned out and detached manner, I will explain how this rationally works in my life or the life of anyone in this article. When actions are taken, self responsibility is premium when being disciplined and honest in life, and existence. Think about it, everything we do is a cause that creates a result either rational or irrational. Avoiding responsibility is the ultimate dishonesty, and that does include blaming others for problems. Avoiding responsibility at the highest level ruins economies and societies of whole countries. Think about those past few sentences about responsibility, sure it burns, but it is the reality of the situation. The reality of each person in the mirror is your reality, it is as good or bad as you make it.

Sure, I could say unreality. But unreality is an irrational condition that does not count in real existence. Only reality counts, and that is the only thing we are responsible for, our reality. Sure we can avoid or fear all that we want to, but it will still be reality and it will still be there. That bill will still have to be paid in every way. The only solution is to go through the problem, learn the lesson and understand it. There are no short cuts. There are no tricks. All short cuts are a total illusion. Step by step integrations are the only way to exist. Developing genuine competence is the only logical way to work effectively. There is a better way to do it, but it always has to found through creative thinking and productive effort. No hops, skips and jumps about it. This is the way reality works.

The way genuine fantasy and mysticism works is to avoid. It is that simple. There is nothing else to it. When I say fantasy and mysticism, I do not mean religion or science fiction and dreams. I mean by mysticism, avoiding problems irrationally. I mean by fantasy, playing tricks on yourself with short cuts and substance abuse providing “benefits”. Sure, I could be less “blunt” and “mean”, but what value would it be to anyone, including you, me or anyone. None. Sure I am “a pragmatic and ridiculous idiot” to some who read my articles, but when push comes to shove, I do not mind that title, because if it helps myself, anyone, you and genuine reality in a genuine way and sense, then it is worth every word and worth it all. There is nothing to write for a good laugh when it comes to real grit and sweat business and reality. This is life, real existence and everything that counts. It is the super bowl final here every minute we are alive. Every second counts, there is nothing better than what counts. There is nothing worse than what does not count.

If life was not as good as we make it, we would all be nothing but what does not count, which would be an animal existence instead of a genuine, spiritual and human existence and conscious experience. Reality is ours when we are conscious, that means that there is genuine objective volition behind every action, good or bad. That means we have a genuine choice in what we make. I am not saying that whatever happens is alright, I am saying that we have a genuine hand in the genuine choice. So, what am I saying, existence is the ultimate business, the business of handling energy, situations, life and everything that has existence, including consciousness. That is it. Oh, there seems to be much more to it than that, but that is the essence of it all. That is the reality behind all the reality and unreality, energy and existence. There is no real nonexistence, except for mysticism and fantasy which lead to nothing but destruction and foolishness. Indeed, the reality of any situation is all that matters.

My name is Joshua Clayton, I am a freelance writer based in Inglewood, California. I also write under a few pen-names and aliases, but Joshua Clayton is my real name, and I write by that for the most part now. I am a philosophical writer and objective thinker and honest action taker.

I also work at a senior center in Gardena, California as my day job, among other things, but primarily I am a writer. As a kid I did construction work with my Dad which taught me many things like plumbing, hard labor and electrical systems, and I took notes for my Dad’s home poker games at my Uncle Johnnie Gilmore’s house, so I have a lot of life experience, sure. But I went to Cal State Dominguez Hills College, UCLA, and El Camino Junior College and learned a lot, but never got around to getting a degree, just lots of money spent, good grades and some credits. So, here I am currently freelance writing and working at a senior center for a living.

But enough details of my life, what I do is not what I am. So here is what I enjoy, I enjoy reading, listening to music (everything from Beetoven, Strauss and Bach to The Meters, ELO and The Band and Dylan/Garcia and The Grateful Dead also, when they were the Grateful Dead. Well, as you can tell by SOME of the music I listen to, I am a very eclectic person. I am also a deep science fiction fan and as said before, a lover of books. If I were to go into everything it would take thousands of words and I only have about three hundred words here, of which I have used 290 of already. Well, I end here. Thanks. Joshua Clayton.