Don't Bother With New Years Resolutions

Don't bother with New Years resolutions. Seriously, all the hype is around deciding how you are going to change in the New Year. You know and I know that we are not going to change. If we do it’s only going to be a short spurt and then we are going to go back to our comfort zone.

What is even worse is after we fail at that attempt to change for the better we are then going to end up with this residue of frustration and contempt for not keep our promise to our self. Well, I don’t like feeling guilty and I certainly don’t want to begrudge my self for not keeping a promise to my self!

So Wake Up! Stop beating your self up for not following the unrealistic diet or exercise regimen. Don’t belittle yourself if you did not get all those holiday cards or thank you cards out that you said you were going to do the day after Christmas. It’s pointless.

Do I sound a bit pessimistic? No apologies here. Here is the truth:

“Your past behavior is a promising guarantee to your future behavior.”

I know that sounds like a commercial for a prospectus for an investment house but the entire negative boohoo above is really positive. I know it doesn’t seem that way but allow me to demonstrate. Let’s say you have the following list:

Lose 10lbs

Clean out closet

Finish painting the living room

Make more money

My apologies but I’m already tired, so I’m not going to list any more. Instead let us step back and look at ways that will do more than accomplish basic New Year tasks. Oh, and by the way, this is not about goal setting. That’s an over simplified word for project planning! Project planning works for projects but not for your life.

Here we go:

You are where you are because of who you are.

Who you are is a direct reflection of what you think you are.

What you think is completely controlled by you.

You give your thoughts power.

Actively observing your thoughts allows you to be in charge!

How do you do this? Start slow; this is like turning a huge ship at sea.

Start by observing your actions in the morning. Take the unconscious and make it conscious. For example, when you brush your teeth in the morning become really aware of brushing your teeth. Notice, but do not hang on to, passing thoughts as you brush your teeth.

Take it to the next level: Begin acknowledging, but don’t analyze thoughts as they move through your consciousness. Let me clarify, if you find your self worrying about all the tasks you need to complete for the day, just acknowledge “I’m thinking about all the tasks I need to complete today” and then let that thought go.

One more step; begin to spend five minutes a day actively observing your thoughts. This can be during a quiet time for you or after a prayer. Just silence, no talking to your self or anybody else, just observing.

Consciousness is what changes lives, communities and worlds. Once you start down this path you will find your self accomplishing the goals and tasks that you have set out to complete and this time you will not get in your own way.

So this New Year Be Well [http://bidetservices.com/products.html] and Be Aware and allow the grogginess of every day to fall away and open your self to an awareness that is more effective and lasting than forgotten resolutions. If you would like to learn more about how to effectively do this you may consider reading Every Day Zen by Charlotte Joko Beck. Oh, by the way Happy New Year!

Use A Mortgage Calculator To Guide Your Home Equity Loan Decision

The difference between a home loan and a home equity loan lies mainly in that the home equity loan, also known as a second or even third mortgage, is issued at a higher interest rate. This interest rate is lower than you could expect to pay on a credit card, but it will be still higher than the original interest rate.

Use a home equity mortgage calculator to see what releasing different percentages of your equity makes to the payments required. The mortgage calculator then allows you to compare whether this is the best course of action open to you.

The alternative which may be more attractive financially is refinancing your home completely. This is where the mortgage calculator can really work for you. There are a number of options when refinancing, especially if you have a substantial amount of equity in the home. By inputting these, one at a time, into a mortgage calculator you can create a list which will allow you to clearly see which option benefits you best.

Home equity loans often seem far more attractive to the home owner than they actually are. This is because the lender is hoping to seduce you into signing your property into his hands. Find out all the details and use your mortgage calculator. See if what you calculates matches what they want you to sign for. Later you may find that it wasn't such a good idea as your home suddenly becomes under threat of foreclosure because of some contractual obligation that you hadn't fully understood.

Only in extreme circumstances should you even consider a home equity loan that completely strips your property of any value over mortgage total. Keep your payments affordable by using the mortgage calculator and always factor in an additional percent or two on the interest rate.

Refinancing your home is a major step, but as with a first mortgage this is the only claim on your property. If you take out a home equity loan instead, then you will have an additional lender who has a financial stake in your home. If you decide that you much prefer the terms on the home equity loan, and the mortgage calculator seems to bring it well within your budget, then make sure you read the small print carefully.

You need to know what the payments are for: are they just interest which will leave a large capital balance payable at a later date, for example? Make sure you can afford these additional monthly payments.

Here are a few don'ts that will help you in the long run: * Don't lie to yourself or your mortgage calculator. * Don't over-estimate your income under any circumstances; treat overtime money as "extra" if possible, and not part of your usual salary. *Don't over-estimate the equity in your home in the mortgage calculator. This can lead to false hopes which your property appraiser will quickly dispel.

If you are hoping to use the released capital to make home improvements, these should add value to your property. Look into this carefully to find out approximately how much you'll be increasing your property's value before committing to either the loan or having the work carried out. Failure to carry out the work means you are still responsible for the loan, but that you have not created any new equity.

Austin Healey Sprite - A Fun Little Car

The Austin Healey Sprite had so many nicknames it is nearly hard to keep track of them all. This was the original bike shed car. The ultra low cost and size of this sports car was made so a chap could just store it in their bike shed out back of the house and drive it occasionally. This car was also dubbed the first modern affordable sports car.

This car was first seen by the public on May 20 1958, just before at the Monte Carlo Grand Prix. This affordable little car went on sale for 669 British sterling pounds or about $1500 USD at the time. It was originally designed to have movable headlights on the bonnet that would rotate up to give it a sleek appearance during the day. Because of weight and price concerns, this was removed and the headlights were made to be stationary, which lead to the famous bugeye or frogeye look, and nicknames.

This unique looking, 2 seater sports car took both England and America by storm because of its low price and it was fun to drive. The low cost was mainly contributed to the parts that made up the car. While the body was original, that was the only part made specific for this car.

The power plant of the car was originally an Austin A-series engine with a displacement of 948cc. It produced 43 bhp at 5200 rpm. The code of the engine was 9CC. Both the Austin A35 and the Morris Minor 1000 had this same engine, with a few modifications. The Austin Healey's version had a set of larger win 1 1/8" SU carburetors that supplied the fuel.

The rack and pinion steering was the exact same that was used in the Morris Minor 1000. The rest of the suspension parts were taken from the BMC's parts bin, which significantly reduced the cost of manufacturing this car.

The body and frame work was a first of a kind for a British sports car. This was the very first unibody or monocoque, as the British put it, which was used on such a small car. This design was inspired by the much larger Jaguar D-Type.

To make the car more structurally sound, the bonnet and front fenders was a one piece design that was securely attached to the firewall. Another feature that was unique to the bugeye was that no trunk lid was available. This made the rear of the car stronger and reduced the cars flexing when in motion. To access the rear compartment, the driver would have to lean his seat forward.

What would appear today as an aerodynamic feature was actually a cost saving feature back when this car was introduced in 1958, this was the absence of exterior door handles. For access to the car, the driver and passenger could either reach inside and use the interior handle or just climb over the car door.

This first Austin Healy Sprite was the Mark I model. There were a total of 48,987 cars of this model produced from 1958 until 1961. The top speed was only 82.9mph, but getting there was fun.

Pepper Mythology: Flavorsome Folklore

Peppers, hot sauces and salsa have all played a part in folklore and mythology. Here's a taste of what's been written and passed down over the years: In astrology, Capsicums or chile peppers are considered part of the dominion of Mars, the ancient God of War. In the late 17th century, Fuentes y Guzman wrote that people who ate red peppers would be protected against poison. The ancient Incas, believing that peppers would be a disruptive influence, banned chiles at initiation and funeral ceremonies. Forget garlic, holy crosses and silver bullets. Chiles were often considered the best deterrent against vampires and werewolves. They were burned to protect against attacks from these creatures of the night. In addition to being a werewolf and vampire deterrent, hot peppers have often been used in witchcraft both to excise demons as well as ill humors from individuals. In many cultures, chile peppers are often seen as a way to ward off the "evil eye." In Trinidad, according to the fiery-foods.com web site, East Indians wrap "seven red pepper pods with salt, onion skins, and garlic skins in paper" and pass it seven times around a baby to "remove najar, the evil eye, which is believed to cause unnecessary crying." The same web site mentions that in the deep South of the United States, there is an African-American legend that in order for peppers to be hot, you must be angry when you plant them. Don't let the bed bugs bite. Chiles have long been used as a fumigant for vermin such as bedbugs and rats. Jethro Kloss, quoting the "Standard Guide to Non-Poisonous Herbal Medicine" in his book "Back to Eden" writes that a peculiar "effect" of eating peppers is that if someone is "thoroughly saturated" with capsicum and dies in the desert "the vultures will not touch the body on account of its being so impregnated with the capsicum." Even today myths and folklore continue to abound about the power of chiles. The Transcendental Capsaicinophilic Society's tongue-in-cheek web site is dedicated to "worshipping spicy food." Its site (http://www.io.com/~m101/tcs/) includes the "Litany Against Pain" chant which is to be repeated silently when someone is tempted to complain of the burning derived from eating fiery foods and chiles:Teach me, Chile, and I shall Learn. Take me, Chile, and I shall Escape. Focus my eyes, Chile, and I shall See. Consume more Chiles. I feel no pain, for the Chile is my teacher. I feel no pain, for the Chile takes me beyond myself. I feel no pain, for the Chile gives me sight.

Promote Good Health and Positive Energy Flow in Your Home Using Feng Shui Design Techniques

Feng Shui Architecture Feng Shui home decorating has become a popular technique in the modern world. Although this practice is centuries old, many people turn to it to optimize their homes for personal growth and well being. You can either alter an existing home, or if you plan to build a home, make a point to do so with Feng Shui home decorating in mind. By using the right layout, you can create a private space that promotes good health and positive energy.

Plan Each Room Position is everything in Feng Shui design. If possible, this should be taken into consideration before your home is built. Long before you worry about Feng Shui home decorating, consider where each room will be placed. A Lou Pan, or Chinese compass, is often used to determine the best location for each room in the home. This compass determines the direction of qi flow. Even if you do not have a Lou Pan, you can use a traditional compass much the same way.

These tools are used with the Eight House theory as well as the Flying School theory. The Eight House theory is used as a general guide and incorporates the compass direction and the person's birth date to determine the best layout. The Flying School theory provides more detailed information and is generally used after the preliminary Eight House reading.

Ceiling Height Ceiling height comes into play with Feng Shui home decorating. Although a high ceiling may create a feeling of openness, this design choice is not recommended for all rooms. Some rooms, such as sleeping areas, are intended to feel more intimate and cozy. In these areas, avoid high ceilings. Exposed beams are also considered a poor choice in Feng Shui home decorating. It is believed that the visibility of a beam can lead to a poor flow of qi which can result in relationship and health issues.

Shape and Focus Most home designs feature square and rectangular rooms. Although this sounds common, it is actually an idea shape for the flow of qi. When an oddly shaped space is incorporated into a house design, the qi will not flow evenly. This cannot be compensated for with Feng Shui home decorating. The uneven flow can create a lack of focus in the room, which can lead to many other problems in the inhabitant's life.

Another similar problem involves circular staircases and other unique designs. Much like an oddly shaped room will cause qi to bounce and flow improperly; a circular staircase will cause it to spiral. However, this can actually prove beneficial if correctly place. Make a point to position circular staircases near a positive source in the home. This will distribute the positive energy throughout the area. When the staircase is placed near a negative source, then the negative energy is instead distributed. This can have a severe impact on all Feng Shui home decorating in the living space.

These are just a few of the Feng Shui home decorating techniques that will help you optimize positive energy flow in your home. Next you need to consider what type of furniture you will want to put in your home and that will be covered in a future article. Remember; Feng Shui home decorating focuses on harmony and position. A well designed home can result in a pleasant environment that nurtures positive energy and happiness.

See Why Your Team Needs the Top Softball Bats This Season

How many times has the other team's 9 hitter beat you deep? Are they really that good at softball or do they have superior equipment? Truth is the quality of the bats you use make a huge difference in how you hit. That is why it is vital to own the top softball bat available for your team and the trick is that the top softball bats can not be purchased at your local sporting goods store. They must be purchased online. Still not convinced you need to shell out 250 bucks on a bat? Let's break it down then.

Higher Priced Slowpitch Bats Have More POP! The fact is the ball is not going to jump off a hundred dollar Sports Authority bat like it will one of the top softball bats. The reason it's hard to find these great bats at retail stores because they don't think people will shell out 250 bucks on a softball bat. But the truth is how much is making the playoffs worth to you. The top softball bats will turn those fly outs in the outfield to home runs.

The Best softball bats stretch the field! When you add pop to your order you end up hitting the ball a lot farther. When another team burns you deep what is the first thing you do. You back up. Most times you back up to much and then the team starts dropping in cheap little base hits and the next thing you know you got an inning that will never end. You can only do this with one of the top softball bats on the market. If you don't stretch the field then the outfield will move in and with four outfielders playing shallow it's almost impossible to get a hit, let alone a big inning.

The Best Softball Bats last longer A bat has a limited number of hits in it before it dies. Even the top softball bats will die eventually but compared to the cheap bats at Modells and Dicks it will last a lot longer. So you will really end up saving money by investing in one of the top softball bats. The top softball bat out there can be found in the link below a long with 2 other really great options. I suggest picking one of them up so this year your team has a shot.

Trust me if you get one of these bats your team will thank you. Infact they will probably chip in just so they can use it. Trust me the secret is in the equipment. Get a great stick and thank me later.