How To Start Writing Articles Successfully

You have probably heard that writing articles is one of the best methods that you can use to promote your online business. You might resist the idea of writing your own articles, because you don't think you are any good at it, or perhaps you might think that it is too hard to find a topic to write about.

Well, in this article, I hope to share with you some tips on how to become a successful online writer --- even if you don't believe that writing is a task that you are prepared to tackle.

Now, let me share some information about me that few people realize...

I do not consider myself to be an expert on the subject of writing. And honestly, my English is not very good at all. It is really hard to tell, isn't it? Keep reading.

You see, I am from Norway. And as you might imagine, I speak Norwegian fluently. For me, English is my Second language --- not my first.

Despite my limited English skills, my articles consistently get reprinted on lots of websites and in lots of newsletters. I have even been published in ezines that have hundreds of thousands of subscribers! And, my latest article has only been in circulation for one week, and it already shows 220 results in Google.

I cannot think of another way of getting that many one-way links to my site so quickly and so easily.

How to Find Topics for Your Articles -

The first thing that you will want to do is to look at your website and ask yourself some very important questions.

What is the theme of your website?

What product or service do you sell?

Do you have a forum on your site? If you are stressing for an idea about what you can write, then use one of your forum postings. (I do this all the time. Sometimes, I can take my response directly from my forum, and I send my answer out as a stand-alone article to the various article directories.)

Do you find yourself answering the same questions over and again for people who are interested in your products or services? If so, sit down and construct your answer in such a way that it can be used additionally as an article to promote your website. Send your answer to the person who asked the question, and then release your answer as an article. I have spoken to many writers who have told me that this is how they got their own start writing articles.

These are only a few ways to develop the topic of an article you might write. You should always try to write about a topic that interests you, and that you think can benefit others to read. Don't hold yourself back with the excuse that you are not an expert in the field that you are writing about.

Everyone on the planet has something to contribute to others. There are things that I might know that you don't know, and I can share that information with you. And, believe it or not, there are things that you will know that thousands of other people including myself have no knowledge about. There will always be something that you can teach to me and others.

Finding the Time to Write -

You may think it takes a lot of time to write, and that you're not able to add this task to your already tight schedule. But, if you would only set aside half an hour every day to write, you'll soon have a couple of articles finished every week.

The Tools I Use When Writing -

Most text editors will have the features you need to write your articles. Writers use a wide range of software applications to help them with their writing tasks. Some of the applications that people use include:

* NotePad - Preloaded as a part of Microsoft Windows

* UltraEdit32 - http://www.ultraedit.com/

* Sun Office - http://www.sun.com/software/star/staroffice/

* Microsoft Word/Office - http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/

Personally, I use Notetab Light which is a free text and HTML editor. You can download this editor at: http://www.notetab.com/

Beyond your basic text editor, it is nice to have some kind of spelling tool to double-check your work. I strongly recommend that you do not rely too much on the software spelling tools alone. While good, these spelling tools seldom do a good job fixing even basic grammar problems. These spelling tools also miss words that are spelled right, but used incorrectly in the context of the sentence. Examples include: their and there, and week and weak.

When you consider the damage that a poorly written article can do to your reputation and your ability to sell goods and services from your website, it begins to make a lot of economic sense to have someone proofread your article before you release it to the public. The fees that you will be asked to pay for proofreading services will more than pay for themselves by presenting a stronger, more professional image for your website and business.

One place you can go to get good quality, proofreading services is: http://www.ideamarketers.com/services/proof.cfm

Or, if you plan to have your article distributed, and you would like to get it proofread at the same time, you can visit: http://thephantomwriters.com/x.pl/tpw/index.html

Places To Submit Your Article -

I will only list 5 websites here, where you can submit your articles:

- http://EzineArticles.com/

- http://ideamarketers.com/

- http://goarticles.com/

- http://contentdesk.com/

- http://submityourarticle.com/

If you would like to find a longer list of websites, where you can submit your articles, you can visit my forum at: http://everypleasures.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=17

It is my hope that having finished reading my article, you will decide for yourself to write at least one article for the purpose of promoting your own website. I hope I have given you the confidence to try this promotional method for yourself.

I honestly believe, if you would use this method just once, you will see positive results. If you use this method twice, you will see more good results. And if you are like me, and you write five or six articles to promote your online business, you will be sold on the value of using articles as a promotional tool.

Torgeir Sunnarvik is the owner and webmaster of http://www.everypleasures.com/ His site offer free ebooks,

ebooks with reprint rights and review of business ebooks. He is also the webmaster of: http://onlinestocktrading-blog.blogspot.com/

Delegate or Drown

Why waste your precious time working on tasks, which are definitely not your forte when you can delegate or invest your money on a product or service which will free up your time? You can then focus on the more important areas in your work and your life.

Debbie's Story

Debbie was the Director of her own computer company, employing four staff.

Debbie had a hectic lifestyle. She worked long hours, had three children and a husband to organise and on top of that was in the middle of a major renovation of her own home. To make matters even worse, she was also studying for a Bachelor of Computer Science!

No wonder she was stressed out!

Here was a situation where she had overburdened herself unnecessarily. She had far too much going on in her life and something was about snap!

Debbie was unable to sleep properly with all the worry and strain of juggling everything and had neglected her own self in the process.

Debbie looked tired and haggard when I first met her. She was 15 kg overweight and looked at least 10 years older than she really was. She had lost touch with what was really important to her. Debbie was trying to be superwoman!

She had taken on far too much and was forced to review her lifestyle (or lack of it) or she would either have a nervous breakdown or die in the process.

The Solutions

In working with my clients I always get them to write down all the activities and responsibilities they are currently involved in, both at work and home.

By writing them down you can clearly see what is really important and what isn't. You can also see where you fill up your day with unnecessary activity.

With Debbie there were many areas where she could free up her time to give her the time for herself as the number one priority and get some sanity back into her life.

Before Adding, Look at Subtracting

I suggested to Debbie that she needed to look at which activities and responsibilities she could defer, delete, delegate or outsource.

This is what she chose to do:

Defer her Computer Science Degree until the following year.

Organise a building company to project manage her home renovation. Up until that time she had been organising the whole project on her own!

Hire a babysitter with a car who could pick her kids up from school and run them around to their activities. The babysitter would also cook the dinner and do other light domestic duties.

Utilise her bookkeeper much more by delegating to her basic administration tasks, which she was very capable of doing. Her bookkeeper was only employed three days a week and was delighted to work an extra day assisting Debbie with other tasks.

Attend her local gym at 6.00 a.m. three mornings a week and once on the weekend. She also sought advice on her diet.

Within four weeks you could see the change in Debbie. She was more confident now that she has taken control of her situation. Her life was getting back on track!

The Final Word

It's really easy not to invest money in yourself.

Do you spend money on your car, your computer, your business, your home and other 'things' in your life?

Are you not worthy enough to invest in yourself? Is the price you pay for neglecting yourself really worth it?

What can you defer, delete, delegate or outsource so that you can have more time for living your life?

About The Author

Lorraine Pirihi, principal of The Office Organiser (http://www.office-organiser.com.au) is Australia's Personal Productivity Coach

Lorraine specialises in working with businesspeople showing them how to dramatically boost their productivity, reduce the stress and the mess in their lives and have more time for enjoying their life.

We Offer a Broad Range of Services and Products including:

Coaching for small business owners and professionals

Keynote presentations and workshops

Books, CD's, DVD's and on-line learning programs

Take action today! Contact Lorraine to discuss your specific needs at lorraine@office-organiser.com.au

Microsoft Great Plains Integration Manager ? Advanced Techniques

Great Plains Integration Manager scripting and translation - overview for programmer, software developer, database administrator, IT specialist

Microsoft Business Solutions main middle market ERP application - Microsoft Great Plains has multiple integration options: MS SQL Scripting (stored procedures and views), ADO.Net programming, Microsoft SQL Server DTS packages. You certainly can deploy such SDK tools as eConnect. However here we would like to show you how to program the simplest user friendly tool: Microsoft Great Plains Integration Manager.

We assume that you are familiar with Microsoft scripting technologies: Visual Basic for Application (VBA). You should be aware, however, about poor performance of Integration Manager. We recommend it for low volume of complex transactions. It is good tool, if you are importing about 100 transactions per day from text file (when you need to come through empty lines or something not matching the template to filter integration lines). If you have thousand transactions and performance is critical - switch to SQL Stored procs or Dexterity custom process server.

1. VBA Scripting ? Launch Great Plains Integration Manager, open your integration, right click->Properties, switch tab to scripts, open Before Document script. Now place this code in it:

If Left(SourceFields("F4"), 4)="THRU" Then

SetVariable "DocDate", Right(SourceFields("F4"), 8)

End If

If IsNull(SourceFields("F1")) Or IsNull(SourceFields("F7")) Then

CancelDocument

End If

It should mean that you can create DocDate variable and assign it the value from your query field. The second statement cancels document integration if certain condition met (when line is empty or is not actually integration line - something like comment record, etc.)

Now open Before Document Commit script and place this code there:

Dim MyTime, MyHour

MyTime = Now

MyHour = Hour(MyTime)

If Not IsNull(GetVariable("DocDate")) then

SetVariable "DocNumber", GetVariable("DocNumber")+1

DestinationFields("Document Number")="THRU"+GetVariable("DocDate") &"A" & GetVariable("DocNumber")

DestinationFields("Posting Date")=GetVariable("DocDate")

DestinationFields("Description")="Client Check "+ SourceFields("F1")

If Not IsNull(SourceFields("F8")) Then

DestinationFields("Check.Check Number")=SourceFields("F8")

Else

SetVariable "DocNumber", GetVariable("DocNumber")+1

DestinationFields("Check.Check Number")=GetVariable("DocDate")& MyHour&GetVariable("DocNumber")

End If

DestinationFields("Check.Date")=GetVariable("DocDate")

If Month(DestinationFields("Check.Date")+1)= Month(DestinationFields("Check.Date")) Then

DestinationFields("Check.Date")=DestinationFields("Check.Date")+1

End If

End If

Here you do two things. First you construct check number, using Date and time plus Document number. And the second is even more interesting - you alter check date.

In After Integration script place this code:

ClearVariables

It is good idea to nullify your variables.

2. Translation. Imagine that your are something like collection agency and you need to translate your vendors (from whom you purchase AR) into real vendors (banks). In AP integration open Destination Mapping, select Vendor ID, in the Rule Properties, click on the button next to Translation field, answer No, click on Translation tab and paste from Excel your translation list, something like this:

JOHNB BANKOFAMERICA

PETERP BANKOFAMERICA

MARTHAM CITIBANK

Now your vendors from integration file will be replaced with real vendors from Great Plains.

Happy integrating! if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, based in Chicago, California, Colorado, Arizona, New York, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Canada, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer; akarasev@albaspectrum.com

Rock of Ages

William Jennings Bryan said: "Christians desire that their children shall be taught all the sciences, but they do not want them to lose sight of the Rock of Ages while they study the age of rocks."

It may seem incredible to those who do not know that the Churchians created the Devil as a means of keeping their flock in fear - who also think the Devil is a Pagan concept. The fear of death was not a Keltic concept and they weren't moved to assign all their wealth to some rich church when they approached death in order to avoid joining the Devil. Some Christian fundamentalists sell the idea that the age of rocks was a way that the Devil sought to lead Christians astray and these same people would have you teach your children the "Rock of Ages" has more veracity than the geology that proves we've had a long time on this earth to develop and learn what kind of Divine soul we are blessed with.

ASIATIC LAWS OF UNIVERSALITY IN THE 'STUPAS':

In other books I have explored the Dolmen and Round Towers of the ancient megalith Builders which resemble the symbolism of Man as represented in the steeple. They are part of the era after the truly great megaliths were built in places like Stonehenge and Poverty Point. The real meaning behind the form and structure may be similar though. Mircae Eliade was one of the Eranos Conference attendees with Jung and Campbell who I draw much insight from, in my studies. His scholarship is open and elucidative for me and I sincerely hope the reader will enjoy taking a journey with him to Barabudur. It is not easy for those of us in the present intellect-focused or faith oriented theology to integrate all aspects of how we might learn. Perhaps a simple suggestion to leave all preconceptions aside will suffice. So take off your 'thinking caps' and put your heart and soul on the front burner while the rose-coloured glasses of ego or faith diminish into the distance.

"On the subject of Barabudur, the famous temple on the island of Java and the most beautiful monument in Asia, whole libraries have been written. Purely technical explanations have been attempted taking account only of the laws of architecture; endless controversies have been joined over the religious and magical meanings hidden in that colossal monument. Dutch Orientalists and architects have published over the past fifteen years books of great value on Barabudur. The names of Krom, Van Erp, and Stutterheim must be mentioned. The last of these, in a work of 1927, laid the foundation for a true interpretation of the temple: 'Barabudur is nothing less than a symbolic representation of the Universe'. From this intuition Paul Mus's investigations start. The beginning of his book consists of a history of the controversy, an exposition of the principle hypotheses, and a critique of methods. Examined in turn are theories of the most illustrious India specialists, art historians and architects. Then Mus undertakes to discuss the problem. It must be remembered that this gigantic volume is preceded by an 'avant-propos' of 302 pages in which the author establishes the validity of his methodology. In order to justify the symbolic function of the Javanese temple, Mus emphasizes a truth often remarked by Orientalists: that if the Buddha was not represented iconographically for several centuries, it was not due to incapability on the part of Indian artists, but to the fact that a type of representation superior to images was essayed. 'That would not have been a defeat of plastic art, but rather the triumph of a magical art.' When an iconography of the Buddha was adopted, the symbolism was poor by comparison. The 'aniconic symbol' of Enlightenment (the wheel, etc.) was much more powerful, more 'pure', than the statue. Ananda Coomaraswamy also has published evidence for this thesis in his 'Elements of Buddhist Iconography'. (12) The conclusion to be drawn from this is that Buddhists, as well as Hindus (and Asians in general) {As well as the Sauk Indians we showed are from the area of the Great Wall and were Buddhists before the loss of magic represented by the change to graven images or iconography.} before Buddhism, used symbolism more effectively, precisely because the symbol was more comprehensive and 'Active' in the magical sense than plastic representation. If the Buddha was considered to be a god (as he was, in fact, immediately after his demise), then his magical 'presence' was preserved in anything emanating from him." (13)

A human statue or even a Gothic building representing the Temple of Solomon such as the Templars built into European cathedrals, does not convey the same representation of the 'Universe' or cosmos that runs through the veins of all living things. Many ancient beliefs were aware that spirit was within minerals and plants too: we are not this attuned and it is hard for us to see the vectors and lattices of energy in all things. Those who have read the 'Tao te Ching' or 'I Ching' understand a little of these energies that interact and CHANGE or grow with purpose. The 'Wheel of Life' in the Tarot is meant to capture some of this magic just as the dreams of North American Indians have been captured in the circular artistic wheels that sell in all so many souvenir stands. But it will be a long time before man again understands his exquisite interconnectiveness. We know too much to see such elegant simplicity of the spirit that is all around us. The Buddhists say 'All is Within' and the completion of the phrase is "the UNIVERSE!" I honour all myths that assist the 'oneness' in respect of the creative or intelligent design that so many insist is GOD. Here is an excerpt from my book Cherokee People (will return) to consume or cogitate upon.

In a moment we will return to my encyclopedia for more on the Zodiac because the mounds are a way of connecting to the cosmic energy which comes to earth and through which it passes and is part of. For the moment let us re-visit our present book's early academic (Kenyon) as he actually (surprisingly) opens doors to the trepanning, skull deformation and 'Obscene Ritual' (Skull & Bones and the Bush family of Nazi leanings) of the Dragons and other Illuminized cults of elites.

"Let us return, finally, to the burial mounds of Ontario. These appear to be related in some complex fashion to the neolithic revolution. Their primary function, in all probability, was to mark the locations of sacred places and to establish territorial occupation. The sites they occupied were used as ceremonial centres for the loosely organized bands that occupied the surrounding areas (cf. Speck 1915). After spending the winter scattered throughout the band territory in small family groups, the people would assemble at a traditional spot, probably in the spring when fish were spawning or in the fall when beds of wild rice would be ready for harvesting. Only at those periods would food resources have been sufficiently abundant to maintain the entire band at one place.

These assemblies provided an opportunity for social interaction on a broader scale than would have been possible throughout most of the year. It was during such periods, too, that the chiefs and other leaders of the group would discuss band affairs with the various family heads and elders. But above all, such occasions provided an opportunity for all of the band members to participate in those rituals and ceremonies that reaffirmed and sustained community sentiments.

The nature of the ceremonies themselves cannot be determined at present, although we are offered a few tantalizing clues as to the subject matter around which they revolved. Most of the available data are derived, of course, from the burials found within the mounds and in submound pits.

In Northwestern Ontario, {Site of the Nipissing magi and Mediwiwin group who are influenced by Masons of the Christian Mystery School Complex or Rosicrucian Dragons.} the skulls that have openings in their occipital regions are reasonably clear evidence of power transfer. The individuals whose skulls were opened would have had some unusual and highly valued personal characteristics; the occipital openings made it possible to remove their brains and to transfer those characteristics from the dead to the living. This would have been accomplished through a religious ceremony that included eating the brain that was the seat of such wondrous powers. {I detail this in many books - and the modern Thalami research that is showing merit to the Cosmic Thought Field.} The eating, of course, could have been either actual or symbolic. {The Communion and Eucharist is derived from the earlier rituals of this sort. Only the most powerful elites get to eat the thalami for the much needed melatonin, iridium and rhodium.} In either event, the highly valued qualities would not be lost to the band through death but would be preserved through reincarnation. {The living cells as close to still living as possible are most needed and some of the old seers would end their lives during this ritual as they would have known throughout their life ? it would happen.}

Such practices were probably much more widespread that the archaeological evidence would suggest at first glance; for we know that highly valued characteristics are often located in organs other than the brain. {Thus the Biblical 'Devoted Ones' shown in Cahill's Gifts of the Jews were harvested for hearts too ? as in the Aztec rituals and Moshe who also became impacted by these Dragons like the Prince of Palenque.} Our own western European culture, for example, locates many of its most highly prized characteristics in the heart. The point is that power transfer was probably much more widespread than current data suggest, simply because the removal of most organs for this purpose would have left no skeletal evidence?

One of the major ritual acts of the people, however, was the building of the mounds themselves. For it is almost certainly an error to look upon mound-building primarily in terms of engineering. {Especially the lesser and more mundane imitations of the period he is focused upon.} We must see it, rather, as a by-product of sociological processes; that is, we should look upon mound-building as we look upon the performance of a ballet or drama in our own society. Theatres may arise as a result of our interest in such cultural pursuits but the significance of a ballet or drama resides, surely, in the performance itself. The play's the thing! Once the mound was built, of course, it would have served, as it does a theatre, as a backdrop for other rituals. For once again, it is through such rituals and ceremonies that human groups are bound together and that individual lives are shaped to ancestral patterns.

The masked and painted skulls from Hungry Hall were part of one such ritual. And when it was over, the skulls, like the props of a drama that had run its course, were tossed rather carelessly into the corner of a grave." (14)

Author of Diverse Druids

Columnist for The ES Press Magazine

Guest 'expert' at World-Mysteries.com

Succeed with a Positive Mental Attitude

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." ? Thomas Jefferson

Without a doubt, Mr Jefferson offers priceless advice. Indeed, a positive mental attitude is awesome in enabling you not only to reach your goals, but also to lead a more fulfilling life.

Maintaining a positive mental attitude can take you to heights you find unbelievable. And the good news is that there is no rocket science involved in developing a positive attitude.

When you consider, for example, a world class athlete, you will see that he or she is totally focused when training, as well as when competing. There is no first place for anyone who does not have a positive mental attitude.

Sure, it's easy to say you should have a positive mental attitude, but how can this be achieved practically?

Here is an idea you can use. Find a newspaper or magazine article of an account where someone overcame great odds, or just a story that you find inspiring. Now, when you tend towards feeling negative, or when you feel things aren't going axactly according to plan, read the article. Do this regularly at the start, and as time goes on, you reduce the number of times you read the piece. And read the same piece every time. You will be amazed at the results.

Your mental attitude towards your goal, and towards life itself, can mean the difference between success and failure. When things don't go according to plan, ask yourself: "How bad are things REALLY?" You'll find that just by asking this simple question (and answering it honestly) your attitude will be boosted considerably.

And remember the words of Mr Jefferson, "nothing on earth can help the man [or woman] with the wrong mental attitude."

Colin Dunbar is the creator and owner of eaziGOAL.com - the complete goal setting program: ebook, workbook and software. Author of Invest In Yourself, he also publishes the award-winning "eaziGOAL Times". Subscribe today.

Saturated Fat Diet Piles on Pounds Around Organs

Having a large amount of such "visceral fat" is associated with increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, said Dr. Kerry Stewart, an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

It's not clear if switching to a diet containing more unsaturated fats, like those found in vegetable oils, will reduce or prevent the accumulation of visceral fat, Stewart said.

However, there are many reasons to eat diets low in saturated fats, including lowering one's risk of heart disease and high cholesterol, according to Stewart.

"Our study would suggest that less visceral fat is another reason," Stewart said.

The research was scheduled to be presented Sunday in Chicago at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting.

In the study, Stewart and colleagues asked 84 people between 55 and 75 years of age to record their diet over a three-day period. The participants were nonsmokers who did not have heart disease or diabetes and lived a sedentary lifestyle.

The researchers then performed abdominal scans to measure the amount of visceral fat, and measured the patients' waist circumference relative to their hip size.

The bigger the waistline in relationship to hip size -- those with potbellies, in other words -- were more likely to have high amounts of visceral fat padding organs.

And a diet higher in saturated fats with respect to unsaturated fats was associated with more visceral fat.

Visceral fat, unlike fat that accumulates just under the skin, is not visible. According to Stewart, men tend to have more visceral fat than women, even though they might have the same amount of fat in the abdomen. This might partly explain why men develop heart disease at a younger age then women, Stewart said.

This study is part of a larger one that is examining the effect of exercise on the heart health of middle-aged and older people and will also assess the effects of exercise on visceral fat levels.

Joel Mosley is a graduate of The Masters College with a degree in bio-mechanics and has been a professional trainer in the fitness industry for the past 11 years. He has been a certified personal trainer for 9 years, with one year as the #1 trainer at Gold's Gym Santa Clarita. Joel was a Santa Clarita Spectrum trainer for 1 year, and at Santa Clarita Athletic Club he was one of the most desired and requested trainers, always listed in the top 3 trainers for 4 years straight. Joel has maintained his own in-home private personal training business in Santa Clarita for 5 years. He was an amateur boxer in Michigan for 6 years, was a junior Golden Gloves champion, and has been a professional boxer (state licensed) for 3 years. Joel has UCLA certified training, CPR certification for adults, babies and children, and is certified by AFAA. Joel's private clients have increased their bone density by up to 13% (2-3% is considered "good" by the medical community). As an actor, Joel has appeared on such shows as Battle Dome (UPN TV) and Extreme Gong.

More info - http://www.bodyscienceusa.com/

Wedding Invitation Tips and Advice

You're well into planning your wedding and have finally decided on the design of your wedding invitation. The wording has been chosen and the guest list is well on its way to completion. Here are some additional wedding invitation tips and advice that you should also be aware of.

* If children will also be included as guests, you can choose to write out their individual names on the addressed envelopes or put "and family". For example:

Mr. and Mrs. Bob Simpson, Cathy and John
or
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Simpson and Family

* If the children are older teenagers (say 16 years of age or older), you may wish to send them an individual invitation, just like you would an adult.

* If you don't wish to include children at the ceremony, do not include their names or "and family" on the outside of the envelope. It's suggested you add "Sorry, but children are not invited", "adults only" or something similar somewhere on the invitation to make it clear. If you wish to include them at the reception, but not at the ceremony, you could note this information on the response card?or on the invitation itself at the bottom in some fashion.

* When issuing invitations to a guest who is single, it is polite to put "and Guest" on the outside of the envelope so that they have the option to bring along a companion. For example:

Mr. Ralph Jones and Guest
or
Miss Sarah Campbell and Guest

* Be forewarned. Usually 7% to 10% of the guests who respond with a yes will not actually attend the wedding. In addition, 20% to 30% won't make it to the reception. This can wreak havoc when budgeting for a sit down dinner. You may want to consider a buffet style dinner instead.

* In some cases, you'll want to invite people to the ceremony, but not the reception or vice versa. If so, then you will need two sets of invitations printed. One that includes reception information and one that doesn't.

* If you don't receive a reply from some guests by your reply date, do not hesitate to call them. It is important that you know how many are attending so you budget accordingly.

* If you decide to order invitations, be sure to do so at least 4 to 6 weeks before they are scheduled to be mailed. If you plan on mailing your invitations around the 15th of March, order them between February 1st and 15th.

* Double, even triple check everything before it gets printed. This includes invitations, response cards, envelopes, wedding programs, etc. whether you're doing them yourself or your having them professionally printed. Check for spelling errors especially.

* Always order extra invitation envelopes and response card envelopes. There will inevitably be a few mistakes when addressing these and you'll want to have a few extras on hand.

* You should mail your invitations at least 6 weeks before the wedding date and indicate that you would like a response at least 3 weeks before the wedding date. So if your wedding date is July 1st, mail your invitations by May 15th and ask that they respond by June 7th. This will give guests time to receive their invitations and reply by mail, which in turn, gives you time to firm up catering plans, seating arrangements, etc.

* If your wedding is going to actually be held on a beach or other outdoor area, be sure that you let your guests know this, so they can dress appropriately.

Rose Smith has been providing helpful information on wedding planning for many years. For wedding theme ideas, articles and resources, visit her website Wedding Themes and More at http://www.wedthemes.com. Visit Wedding Planning Guides for a full range of wedding planning books at http://www.wedding-planning-guides.com

Popular Adirondack Chairs - Everything You Need To Know

Adirondack chairs were invented during the early 1900's by a vacationer who was looking for ways to furnish his summer home. By utilizing materials found around his Westport, NY, vacation home, Thomas Lee crafted a unique chair that caught the attention of a local carpenter and would eventually gain widespread popularity.

The chair was made out of eleven slats of wood, had wide armrests, and was unique in that both the seat and back angled so that it would sit better on the steep mountain terrain of the Adirondacks.

While looking for a way to increase revenue, a local carpenter and friend to Lee, Harry Brunnel, started crafting the chairs. In 1905, he applied for a patent and the chair that later came to be known as the Adirondack chair was dubbed the "Westport Chair." For the next twenty years, Brunnel lovingly crafted the Adirondack furniture and watched his business grow and flourish.

Today, the furniture is individually handcrafted by skilled craftsmen who have taken the basic design of the Adirondack chair and, while keeping the integrity of the original design, added to it variations that make the chair versatile enough to be used in any outdoor setting. Available in several different styles including rockers, gliders, love seats and styles geared toward children, Adirondack chairs are not only durable and comfortable they can be used outdoors in all seasons.

Although Adirondack chairs are normally made out of treated wood such as teak, cypress, mahogany, alder, eucalyptus and southern yellow pine, they are also available in plastic. They can be finished using a wide pallet of stains, painted over 29 colors, or customized with hand painted details to compliment your d?cor. You can also choose from a large array of cushions to add unique design elements to your space. As you can see, the possibilities are endless.

Perhaps what makes Adirondack chairs so popular among consumers today is their comfort. Identified by a high, angled back and sloping seat, the chairs are made with comfort in mind. After sitting in one of these Adirondack chairs, it is not hard to imagine a lazy afternoon spent in the garden while napping or reading your favorite novel.

Adirondack chairs are also very durable. Made out of solid, treated wood that is resistant to both rot and insect infestation, Adirondack chairs are virtually indestructible in any climate. They are also affordable. Depending on what you want, the price for Adirondack chairs starts out at approximately $200 for each piece. Of course, different styles and the addition of customized options can raise that price considerably.

In order to keep the cost of your selection in perspective, compare the cost of Adirondack chairs to other outdoor furnishings. Although Adirondack chairs may be priced a little higher than other types of furnishings, you will have to replace other furnishings after a few years. On the other hand, Adirondack chairs will remain beautiful for years to come.

If you are still not convinced that Adirondack chairs are for you, take a few minutes to browse through the huge selection that can be found online. You may be surprised by what you find.

Jennifer Akre is a successful business owner of numerous outdoor furniture websites such as http://www.eAdirondackStyle.com. Her sites provide information and product about Adirondack Chairs & Adirondack Furniture and other various decor such as teak furniture and garden benches.

Save Money On Home Improvement Projects

Many of us avoid home improvement projects due to their expense. Granted if you are contemplating a "second-story" addition to your home, or the construction of a new "game-room", then most likely you will need to hire a general contractor to complete this task. However, if you are interested in projects like painting a room, removing acoustic texture from the ceiling (I just did this), installing laminate flooring, wallpaper, landscaping, etc. then you may be able to accomplish the task(s) all on your own, or with minimal assistance.

My Personal Experience

I recently undertook the task of remolding my den and living room areas. I knew what I wanted the final product to be, however I was extremely hesitant to begin the work due to a lack of knowledge, the fear of failure, and/or making damaging, irreparable mistakes. You see, in front of a computer I'm extremely proficient, however with tools and manual labor, I do not have much experience, so naturally I was a bit intimidated.

Two things changed my mind about the whole scenario. I bumped into a long-time friend who was known for his skill with tools and a knack for wood carving. I informed him of my remolding ideas and the underlying fear of the whole task. He laughed and said that what I wanted to do it would not take much in terms of "professional skill" and it would save me about $2,000 in labor costs!

Once he put a price tag on the amount I would be saving, I was immediately intrigued. For me to save $2,000 of my own money, I'll definitely try my hand at these projects. Wouldn't you?

The second influence that helped me take on this task occurred on my first visit to Home Depot (popular hardware store in southern California). I was lucky enough to run into a wonderful, polite, knowledgeable employee who took his time and explained the in's and out's of what I was about to undertake.

One side note, I could not have accomplished what I did without the help of Home Depot. I'm sure other hardware stores have pleasant, knowledgeable staff members also, but since I always went to Home Depot and since I was beginning to learn the locations of the items I needed, I simply stayed with them. Kudos to Home Depot!

Keep in mind that if the store employees are NOT assisting you in a pleasant and courteous manner, LEAVE and don't come back! Don't let their rudeness distract you from your overall goal - that's what's most important, not the personality of an unfriendly person. Go elsewhere if you do not like how they're treating you. Take it from me, someone who had NO IDEA of what he was doing, there will be some employees who will go out of their way to assist you. Once you find someone like this, keep going back to them. That's what I did. I probably went back to my assistant about fifteen times over the three month duration of my project sometimes to buy things, sometimes just to ask a few questions.

Ask For Help When You Need It

There are basically two ways to ask for help - verbally or indirectly. Depending on your personality and how comfortable you are asking "strangers" for help, the verbal method may not be for you.

That's ok! Don't feel bad or downhearted. That's just your personality, nothing to be ashamed of, so don't start thinking you can give up just yet! :-)

Personally, I have no problem talking to anyone about anything. That's just how I am. If you are somewhat similar, then I suggest taking my approach and talking to as many people who have knowledge in what you want to do.

If you would prefer to remain as anonymous as possible, then the Internet and library will be your goldmine of information. The library may be a tad outdated when it comes to the most recent, creative home improvement projects, but check it out just in case. If you do find a book online or at a store that would be perfect for what you need, ask a librarian if they could "purchase this book since your home improvement selections are less than adequate and its important that a library stays atop current trends and events so as not to become obsolete" (or something along those lines ;-)

Also, at Home Depot they have a section of books on literally any home improvement projects you can imagine. They even have chairs where you can sit and read them at your leisure. This would be an excellent starting point for you.

A Look At My Two Biggest Savings

Pergo Style Click-Together Flooring @.49 per square foot X 400 sq ft = $200 Foam Underlay for 400sq ft. = $80 *my biggest saving - found this floor/tile place getting rid of excess stock which was about $4 per foot cheaper than Home Depot! I would've paid in excess of $1600 for this amount)

Sod: St. Augustine @ .59 per square foot: 1500 sq feet *free delivery since purchased through sod.com *second biggest saving - only cost me $885 instead of $2,000+

Handy Tips

Those who are really not concerned about saving money can basically shop anywhere for what they are looking for. However, those of us on a strict budget must put some thought into this if we want our goals to become tangible. For example, when I originally priced Pergo flooring, it was in excess of $4.50 per foot installed. Multiply that by 400 square feet and I have already attained a bill of $1800 (not including tax)!

Immediately I knew this was way out of my budget, but I still wanted to go with a laminate floor. I then started to price locations I found in the yellow pages, Internet, and local PennySaver magazines. I learned that if I were to purchase and install flooring from distributors/wholesalers, I could save more than a thousand dollars! Even better, if I could find a location that had an excess of a particular item in stock, then they would offer this at an unbelievable price (just like the one I found at .49 cents per square foot).

Point is, if you are willing to do a little "digging" and research in order to find the lowest price available on your products, then you will be rewarded BIG TIME (just like I was). However the flip side to that coin, if you are impatient and you want your remodeling to begin tomorrow, then most likely you will have to pay more for what you're looking for. It all depends on both your time and money situations.

Personally, for me, this was not a "must have done in two days" project, so I didn't mind spending two and a half months working on this in my spare time. I did save a ton of money, but it did take me much longer than if a contractor was hired to complete the job. Again, it all depends on your own personal situation. Just keep in mind that saving money on home improvement projects is possible if you are willing to get a little "dirty" :-)

Gregory Thomas has been writing effective money-saving tips for SavingSecrets.com for over six years. Hop on over and you'll find FREE money-saving articles, a monthly newsletter, and even a FREE Ebook download just for stopping by! http://www.SavingSecrets.com

New Rules

Last week I was working with one of my small business clients, a bright and dynamic woman who's passionate about positioning her artisan business for growth. We were talking about her financial picture and forecasting robust sales over the next three years.

As I coached her, she expressed excitement and eagerness to see her dreams turn into reality, yet somewhere, just below the surface, I sensed subtle resistance on her part to fully imagine the scenario we were painting.

I asked her about what she was feeling. After stopping for a moment to "feel into" my observation, she tentatively at first, then heartily agreed. Then she got very curious about her seemingly incongruous resistance to success.

"Sarah", I asked, "What is your 'rule', about financial success? In other words, what belief do you carry (deep down) about money?" It didn't take long for her to respond. "Well," she reported, "if you're financially successful, it means you have to give up on your values and your integrity".

Wow! By uncovering that one rule, Sarah hit pay dirt. She was now free to clearly see that one disempowering rule she had been carrying her entire life.

Taking a look at the rules that drive your thinking is a very powerful activity to help you grow as a person, especially as a business owner. Another wise client of mine once said, "There's no way to separate who we are from what we do". You can have the most empowered business plans in the world and if your inner life and dialog is disempowered?forget it. It's an up hill battle.

What are your 'under-the surface rules' that run your life and business? To explore, ask yourself: Where are you consistently stuck in your business? What are the things that always hang you up? What are the recurring thoughts or themes you could write the book about?

I invite your willingness to explore. You have only strength and success to gain.

Here are some examples of themes we all know too well:

I can't quite breakthrough to financial success

I default to fear and lack

I always feel overwhelmed and exhausted and out of time

Procrastination is my middle name

I walk up to the edge of a challenge and then back away

I avoid

I would suggest that behind every common theme, you have a rule. For example, if you're like Sarah and you can't breakthrough to financial success, you might have a rule that says, "People that make money, sell out." Or, if you are constantly procrastinating, you might have a rule that says, "If I succeed, I'll wind up alone." (Maybe you experienced a parent who worked a lot, and was unhappy and you concluded that success = unhappiness).

Explore where your rules came from by asking: When did the rule get created? What were the circumstances? Ask, if you were to change that rule, what would happen? Who would be upset? Who would get hurt or feel betrayed?

Take heart, you created your rules for a good reason. We all create meaning about life from our experiences and then create rules to keep us safe, secure and sane. The problem comes when we neglect to inquire or challenge the current validity of our rules.

You have the ability to move beyond your limited rules by becoming aware of them, disqualifying them, (if they don't serve you), and then by making new rules based on your current reality. I challenge you to give it a try.

As for Sarah, she created a new rule that says she can be financially successful, maintain her values, fulfill her dream and express her passion in the world. What's YOUR new rule?

It's your life?live it completely!

Helaine is a professional coach and writer, who has been featured in numerous publications, including "O" The Oprah Magazine. She helps entrepreneurs and professional women accelerate their professional success, while achieving a more complete and fulfilling personal life. For a free consultation, contact her at 603-357-8546 to discuss how she can help you accelerate your own success. You may also visit her website, http://www.pathofpurpose.com, or email your questions to helaine@pathofpurpose.com

Finding Your Clients Business Problem Leads to Better Copy

WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?

How do you begin a dialogue with a prospect, be it in person, on your website or in print?

You talk about your client's business problem.

What IS your client's business problem?

Answering this question is the hardest part of marketing. What we all do instead, is focus on our solution, i.e. "what we do."

"We sell network management software."

"We are a business-oriented law firm."

"We trade commodities."

Worse still, we continue talking about ourselves: how many employees we have, how many years we have been in business, where our head office is.

Let's think again. Are you worried about the vulnerability of your IT systems today? Do you dread losing your information assets? Aha, our network management software has worked wonders for clients just like you.

Are you thinking of expanding your business? Do you know how to find an experienced team that knows your industry backwards and can deliver. Are you looking for a team that has done this kind of transaction for many years. A team with the best experience and knowledge of your industry in the country? We don't just deliver wordy legal contracts, we deliver cost-effective business solutions.

Do your clients want specialty products delivered in exactly the way your clients want to receive them, sometimes in custom format? We don't just trade commodities, we deliver service and quality every time, in just the way you want it.

Every good piece of marketing collateral starts by setting out the business problem. Because reading this, your client will say, "finally, someone who understands what I am struggling with." This is your "hook." The hook requires empathy. Later you will apply logic. i.e. why your service is the ideal fit for his problem.

How often do you put yourself in your clients' shoes and wonder what she struggles with? I've seen how hard this is with every client I have ever worked with (save one, he just needed a writer to set out his thoughts on paper.)

I have also seen how transformative it is to do this exercise. When you really understand what your clients' problem is, you also understand the nuances of your solution. Doing this work becomes an exercise in strategy. It helps you answer what you are about in the marketplace.

It positions you. "Positioning," means defining exactly who your ideal client is, what they really want and what you are really really good at. Position yourself correctly and you knock your competitors out of the game.

How important is it to begin your dialogue with your client's business problem. It is crucial. Good writing (and good talking) is good thinking.

Do you have a robust marketing plan to execute against? How clear and persuasive is your website, brochure copy or direct mail? Call Neroli Lacey NOW to win more business TODAY.

About The Author

I'm Neroli Lacey of Beyond Communications Inc. in Minneapolis, MN. I've been helping executives transform their businesses and their lives with outstanding marketing materials since 1995. VISA, 3M and Perot Systems are some of my bigger clients. I have worked with clients in Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Austin, Minneapolis, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin and Delhi. I used to be one of the top journalists in Britain writing for The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Guardian, The Evening Standard, New Statesman, Vogue and Tatler.

Before newspapers I was an investment banker. I grew up in London, England, studying Latin with Greek at Bristol University.

Please visit my website: www.beyondcommunications.com

Or contact me at: neroli@beyondcommunications.com

612-215-3826