What Should You Do to Become an Artist?

I get asked this question a lot by friends and colleagues who know I'm a self-taught painter.

Most people assume that to become an artist you need to go to art college. And that is one route, but it's not the only route. In fact, for some people, art college is the worst possible choice. Why? Because that process of teaching can dull the creative fire. I honestly believe if I had gone to art college I would have been expelled! Why? Because I don't conform, and the best artists don't, they create their own path.

Do you know which famous artist didn't go to art college? It was Vincent van Gogh, and look what he created? Not bad.

My route to being a painter was by 'accident'. I was looking for a way to express myself when I discovered I couldn't write during my cancer treatment. When I picked up my first paintbrush, an inner door opened for me, and I fell in love with the whole process of painting. For me, it was and still is a way for me to express my voice.

There are almost certainly clues in your life right now about your artistry. Think back to your childhood - what did you love doing? Who encouraged you the most? Follow those clues as they will give you important information about your next steps.

When you have found your medium, set about educating yourself. Leave no stone unturned, and be conventional and unconventional in your approach.

I found practising artists who tutored me, and I educated myself. I found those tutors by following my nose, not because I had great contacts. I just 'interviewed' several until I knew I'd found the one who I clicked with. That's really important. I asked a lot of questions, and became the apprentice artist while I discovered my path, and I'm still learning. Since I began painting in 2002, I've had joint exhibitions, sold my work, and been commissioned by private and corporate clients to create artworks. Not too shabby.

Start by looking within your networks - who do you know who can advise you? If you draw a blank, expand your search, and get creative with this until you find your tutor.

So if you are asking yourself, 'what should I do to become an artist', here is my formula:

Allow your creativity free reign, and then follow the signs. It's that simple.

Book yourself into that pottery class you've been checking out, sign up for that photography class, or better still, grab your camera, drive to the beach or wilds, and start clicking.

And ask yourself: what do I see? what do I feel? And listen to your answers. You'll know what to do next.

Explore your wild side!

Amanda Seyderhelm is an artist and creativity coach who works with individuals to discover and express their voice. To read more from Amanda or to enroll in her weekly video go to her blog http://www.apaintingartist.com/blog and sign up on the form on that page.

Ideas For Having A Truly One Of A Kind Date Experience

We've all been there. We need to plan a date but it can't be just any old, dinner and a movie date. It has to be something special. You want the date to be something that the other person will always remember. It may sound like a difficult decision but by putting a little thought into it. Planning a special, one-of-a-kind date is fairly easy.

The key to planning this great date is to understand your personal style and preferences, as well as your dates. In other words, if the two of you enjoy high energy sporting activities, a trip to the museum may not be the best idea. Planning a date that is against the likes and style of your partner could possibly derail the budding relationship.

Here are some unique date ideas for you to think about before your next big date. They cover a wide range of likes, hobbies, activities, and interests all depending on what kind of couple you are and what kind of date you are looking for.

For True Romantics

• Does it get more romantic than candlelight and soft music? Go all out with a traditional candlelight dinner. Turn on some romantic music, dim the lights down, and light some candles to heat up the romance.



• Plan a weekend trip at a bed and breakfast. There's nothing like a cozy bed and breakfast to cuddle up with your date. It is not only a great stress relief for the two of you but you can also get further connected as a couple.

For Artistic Types

• Pottery classes are becoming a more and more popular date experience for people within the last few months. When you were in grade school you no doubt created an ash tray or paper weight. Now here is your chance to improve on those early year creations to show your date what you can do. You'll definitely enjoy a few laughs with each other.



• Attend a ballet. There are always numerous ballet shows being held at your local theater. Read up on some of the show's background information before you go and impress your date with your knowledge of the fine arts.

For Those Who Love to Learn

• Take a cooking class together. Food can be romantic. Learning how to cook new and exciting dishes can harness that romantic energy. Plus, it also expands your cooking repertoire as a couple.



• Try attending a poetry or book reading. Its one thing to cuddle in bed and read, but it's quite another to hear the author read and interpret their own work. You can then discuss what each of you thought about the reading while you're cuddling in bed.

For Travel Buffs

• Plan a weekend getaway. There's nothing like two days away from household stress and work pressure to recharge those batteries. These kinds of trips are great for your own personal health but they are great for your relationship's health. The trip can be fun and exciting or sexy and romantic depending on what kind of couple you are.



• Climb into the car and just drive. Pack enough clothes for a day or two and just head out head out with no particular destination in mind. You never know what you'll come across when you let impulsiveness guide your way.

For Home Bodies

• Plan a night together and cook a meal. I'm sure you have a recipe book in your house. Go shopping together for the necessary ingredients. Each of you cooks a few separate dishes for the meal and then sees how the other likes it.



• This one is for the couch potatoes or for those rainy afternoons. Take a trip to the video store and rent a few of your favorite movies or an entire season of your favorite show for a movie marathon.

Two Halves Don't Always Make A Whole

I waited all my life for my soul mate. I always knew, somewhere deep down inside myself, that the perfect mate was out there somewhere, waiting for me just like I was waiting for him. His absence had been noticeable for as long as I could remember; it was always as though a part of me was missing.
In my younger days (before my spiritual path took me in the direction of things like reincarnation and karma) I didn't think in terms of a soul mate. I just knew that my "knight in shining armour" would be riding his white horse into my life someday, and he would bring with him everything I needed to be happy.
Fairy tales don't come true, and soul mates aren't always what we thought they would be. Almost everyone agrees that the soul mate relationship is a karmic one, in which souls choose to share life experiences time and time again. The souls plan to come together to accomplish specific spiritual learning objectives in specific lifetimes, just as best buddies on the physical plane might decide to take a pottery class together.
Notice that I never said "soul mates come together within a specific lifetime to share the perfect romantic relationship." Not all soul mate relationships are romantic in nature, and not all are harmonious. Sometimes souls plan to learn from NOT getting along, in which case the relationship is usually fairly short-lived, unless both souls are well versed in the lesson of acceptance.
To some, the terms "soul mate" and "twin flame" are interchangeable, but for me that's not the case. I think of a 'soul mate' as a learning partner, who agreed to meet with me in this lifetime so we could learn and grow from our relationship. That learning relationship could be on any level; we could be friends, we could work together, we could be teacher and student, or the friend of a friend of a friend. It may take only one chance meeting to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish; it may take a lifetime of shared interaction. The connection between twin flames is so strong, on the other hand, that they literally can't be happy unless they're in each other's lives - which is a great karmic way to ensure that the lessons they intended to share are actually shared. Life just doesn't work for either one of them, unless they learn to put their love, on whatever level they may be experiencing it, above all else.
We choose life as thinking, feeling human beings so we can learn to express God's love by the way we think and the way we feel. It's a lesson that takes hundred - sometimes thousands - of lifetimes to learn. We may choose, in-between lifetimes, to continue these lessons with the same souls we've learned with before. That's what makes up "soul mates."
It's a pretty rough row to hoe, when you think of coming together with another soul lifetime after lifetime after lifetime, trying to get 'universal love' right. Because we are thinking, feeling human beings, we have a tendency to let our ideas (or expectations), our feelings (relative to the present relationship or not) and our physical drives (especially sexual ones) be the driving force in our relationships, regardless of what level we may be relating on.
Choosing to respond from a carnal level instead of from a spiritual one incurs karmic debt, which means that we have to be on the receiving end of our carnal response sooner or later. The learning cycle goes on and on and on until we've related enough to know, from our own experience, that responding with love to every person, event and circumstance that comes into our lives is the only way to go.
In the meantime, while we're still learning our lessons on love, we live our lives as thinking, feeling human beings, and each time we meet someone who feels comfortable to us - someone who is so much more familiar to us than the other people in our lives - we think we must be in love. And we LIKE thinking we're in love, because being in love is a driving force in all of us. How could we ever be in a position to learn the lessons we came here to learn if we aren't?
That's when the fairy tale aspect of the soul mate dilemma comes to light, and we begin to realize that romantic love isn't always the driving force in a soul mate relationship. The goal, we come to understand, is the opportunity to choose and express love and acceptance for each other, even if neither of us is who the other hoped we would be.
That's where the most difficult soul mate relationship lessons come into play. We have to make a choice, and it's no easy choice to make. Do we let the 'love of our life' go, because we love them and want them to be in a relationship where they can be accepted for who they are, or do we stay in the relationship, hoping that something that we do on an emotional, mental or physical level will change them into the person we want them to be?
What's a loving soul mate to do?
Lois Grant-Holland is a Life Path Focus Counselor offering Life Path Focus Sessions, Karmic Astrology Charts, Channeled Guidance, Intuitive Readings and Classes and Workshops to spiritual seekers on all positive paths, and is the site facilitator at The A.N.S.W.E.R. - (The Seeker's Resource Guide to Alternative, New Thought, Spiritual Growth, Wellness and Enlightenment Resources.) You can visit her website at http://www.loisgrantholland.com

Look! It's Another New Age!

There's nothing new about "the new age" except the attitude of the souls participating in it. I bet every soul who chose to incarnate into this particular historical era shook their little energy heads and said, "Oh, no! Not again!"
Spiritual enlightenment is the very purpose of life as thinking, feeling human beings here on the planet Earth. The path to spiritual enlightenment is different for every soul, in every lifetime, depending on what lessons they've already learned in other lifetimes and what lessons they hope to accomplish by being alive in this one.
In some lifetimes, for some souls, enlightenment is a very quiet and personal process - so quiet and so personal that hardly anyone (including the soul in question) realizes that spiritual growth is taking place at all. We choose lifetimes in certain historical eras or within certain cultures where spiritual truth is not an obvious issue so that we can focus our learning energies on the more subtle aspects of truth.
When we choose lifetimes in which we are comfortable with the spiritual or religious beliefs of the culture that we are born into, and we have no inner drive to question or go against that truth, we know that confirming the 'dogma' of our spiritual truth is not on our learning agenda.
When we choose lifetimes and/or cultures that put us right in the middle of religious (or spiritual) dissent, we know that confirming our denying our inner truth is a priority in that lifetime, since we are forced to choose between expressing what we really think and feel and/or going against the majority, which is usually not a healthy thing to do. Participation in these cultural learning experiences is a major aspect of soul level planning for spiritual growth.
Just as we might decide, on a conscious level, that we want to take a pottery class, so our soul might decide that we want to be a part of The Inquisition, or The Crusades, or The Salem Witch Hunts, for the experience and life lessons inherent to it. Sometimes we're looking for something new to believe in; sometimes we're looking for confirmation of what we already believe is truth. Always, we are seeking to find God's truth within us. We've all lived enough lifetimes to know that a new New Age begins each time Man as a species finds something, or someone, new to worship.
I don't imagine that early Man (Flintstone era) worshipped much of anything. Every ounce of his energy was required just to survive in his animal-level world. He probably wasn't very aware of what he was feeling at any given point, and - even if he was - he probably didn't have the brain power to give it a name or think about what it meant to his life to be feeling that way. Early Man wasn't much of a thinking, feeling human being at all, but he was certainly an important step in the right direction.
The right direction, of course, is the one that takes us ever closer to reaching our full potential as what we intended to be on this particular level of existence: thinking, feeling human beings. We choose life on this level to experience the power of thought and emotions; karmic repercussions ensure that, by the time we're done, we are fully aware that we create our own reality by the way we respond to the people, and events and situations that make up our day-to-day lives. The way we think determines what we feel, and the way we feel determines how we respond. How we respond determines our present-moment reality.
This New Age is definitively different from the New Ages that have come before. Modern technology has made the world a smaller place than it used to be. In a lifetime in medieval England , we might never have traveled more than five miles from home, or known more than two hundred people in our lifetime. Our opportunities for enlightenment were definitely limited to the present moment here and now. With modern technology, our opportunities for enlightenment become as infinite as life itself; our generation has more opportunities for spiritual awareness on all levels than any other generation before us.
What makes this New Age different is the high-tech, fast-paced environment that offers each soul unprecedented opportunity for spiritual growth. Lifetimes of accumulated karmic debt can be brought into balance by the high volume of personal interactions we experience every day; in fact, if we're a telemarketer, we may talk to more people in a single day in this lifetime than we've talked to in an entire lifetime in a quieter lifetime in a quieter era.
Our high-tech, fast paced world offers us easy access to everything we need to come in touch the purpose of our existence: we are here to live our lives as spiritual beings in physical bodies, with the potential to create our own "Heaven on Earth" through the way we think and the way we feel.
And there's nothing new about that.
Lois Grant-Holland is a Life Path Focus Counselor offering Life Path Focus Sessions, Karmic Astrology Charts, Channeled Guidance, Intuitive Readings and Classes and Workshops to spiritual seekers on all positive paths, and is the site facilitator at The A.N.S.W.E.R. - (The Seeker's Resource Guide to Alternative, New Thought, Spiritual Growth, Wellness and Enlightenment Resources.) You can visit her website at http://www.loisgrantholland.com

Use the Stars as Your Guide To Finding Great Birthday Presents

Having trouble deciding which birthday presents to get for friends and family? Never fear, astrology is here! You can be sure that the recipient will love the birthday presents that you give him or her if you follow his or her astrological sign.
Here are some great ideas for birthday presents for people of particular signs:
ท Aries - March 21 - April 20. An Aries loves both challenges and oppositions. Because of this, a good board game makes an excellent birthday present for an Aries. Try to get one that is especially challenging and competitive like Scrabble or Settlers.
ท Taurus - April 21 - May 20. A Taurus, on the other hand, does not appreciate challenges or oppositions and naturally gets along well with others. A Taurus loves peace and harmony. A great gift for a Taurus is a day at the spa or a yoga class. A Taurus is always helping other people - give him or her a chance to relax and be helped by others.
ท Gemini - May 21 - June 20. Gemini are very analytical and yet still easy going. They are also very attracted to all things modern. Because of this attraction to modern things, Gemini tend to like gadgets. A great birthday present for a Gemini is a new gadget like an mp3 player (or any mp3 player accessories), a unique travel alarm clock, or even a kitchen gadget like an fancy electric can opener.
ท Cancer - June 21 - July 20. Cancers have a very deep sense of humanitarian values. Because of this, you can get away with giving one a donation in his or her name to a favorite charity of his or hers. This is not necessarily a good idea for other people, but a Cancer would truly appreciate the thought.
ท Leo - June 21 - July 20. Leos are born leaders. One of the main downfalls of Leos, though, is that they are not always good with money matters - they are very willing to share their wealth. In fact, a Leo is very likely to give money to charity. A great birthday present for a Leo is a gift certificate to a restaurant or a store… it is much harder to simply give away, so you know that the Leo will have to use it to treat himself or herself!
ท Virgo - August 22 - September 2. Virgos are very observant and can be described as perfectionists. Virgos also have a keen interest in the arts. Give a Virgo two tickets to a play or opera. Take a Virgo to a museum. Give a Virgo a book on art!
ท Libra - September 23 - October 22. Libras have a very high sense of Justice and they often take the side of the wronged. They have a natural affinity to the Arts. Because of this affinity to the arts, a great gift for a Libra is an art set. Give a Libra some paint or colored pencils, etc.
ท Scorpio - October 23 - November 22. Scorpios are always willing to accept something new. Therefore, you can take a Scorpio out to a new restaurant and to try some unusual food for his or her birthday.
ท Sagittarius - November 23 - December 20. Sagittarius people love sports and are happiest when out of doors. Get a Sagittarius a new golf club, a Frisbee, or a ball. Take a Sagittarius on a picnic or on a hike, etc. All of these things make great birthday presents for a Sagittarius.
ท Capricorn - December 21 - January 19. Capricorns are generally very hard workers. Give a Capricorn a break and give him or her a gift certificate for a massage or make dinner for him or her. Give a Capricorn a relaxing novel and a bath set.
ท Aquarius - January 20 - February 18. Aquarius or both honest and tolerant. A game like Balderdash is very fun to play with an Aquarius because it requires him or her to lie! Of course, Aquarius are always thinking ahead, so they end up being quite good at board and card games. Any sort of game makes a great birthday present for an Aquarius.
ท Pisces - February 19 - March 20. Pisces are talented in music and or fine arts. Give a Pisces concert tickets or some sheet music or a guitar. Sign him or her up for a pottery class!
These are just a few ideas for birthday presents to help you out. It is amazing how accurately astrology can often describe a person. It only makes sense to pick out birthday presents for that person based on his or her sign!
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on great gifts, please visit Distinct Gift Baskets.

Homeschool Education - Is it a Radical Or Right Choice?

Is it really a radical choice for parents to decide homeschool? Or should we applause these parents for making the right choice about their children's education?

Some parents nowadays are thinking-out-of-the-box to make sure that their children don't have only the best education but possess also the right values, principles and attitude towards life. There is an apparent increase in the number of homeschool students. According to U.S. Department of Education, there is approximately 1,096,000 students who are educated at home in spring of 2003.It is a big leap (approximately 29% increase) compared to spring of 1999 which has only an estimated 850,000 homeschoolers.

Let us delve as why more parents are now taking the radical choice of opting for homeschool education for their children.

Away from school bullying . This is one of the primary reasons cited by parents who homeschooled their children. School bullying is very prevalent nowadays. The National Youth Violence Prevention stated that there are over 5.7 million youth who are bullied at school. It is about 30% of total youth population in the United States.

It is a disturbing situation with a negative impact to children being bullied at school. Bullied students live a stressful life as they become fearful with possible bullying incidents again. They are scared to be alone like being in the bathroom or in the hallway. Victims will have less interest in attending school also and even the task of riding a bus becomes a terrifying activity.

This results to depression, low self-esteem, physical illness, loneliness and in worst cases, suicidal thoughts.

Most bullied children also find it difficult to learn at school as they struggle coping up with their fear and anxiety. They can hardly focus in the classroom.

Other Safety Concerns. Homeschooler parents are worried about the safety of their children in the traditional school. Safety concerns include drugs, negative peer pressure and accidents. Some isolated cases include children being gunned down or murdered at school. Children's safety at school is unpredictably at stake.

Some homeschooler parents perceived that homeschool children are safer compared to children attending a regular school.

Quality Learning. Parents are the primary teacher and models of the children. A ratio of one teacher to two or three students makes a huge difference in the quality of education delivered to a teacher handling 30 to 40 children in a regular classroom.

Also, the fact that it is their children, education is more personalized and the result is far better. Schedules for homeschool are flexible also so children are not forced to wake up early to catch the school bus and options for what the children want to learn for the day are possible.

Better Person. Parents always want to instill good values to their children. It is one of their intention and hope that their children become a better person but when children attend a regular school, parents can no longer control the other factors such friends, schoolmates and school environment. These are external factors that can influence the children either positively or negatively.

Oftentimes children acquire attitudes from their friends at school. Children are vulnerable to adapting certain manners or attitudes which are relative to the kind of friends or clique they mingle and hang out with. On some occasions, they are negatively influence because of peer pressure. For the child to be part of the group or to be labeled 'cool' at school, sometimes they do things out of their way.

Parents of homeschoolers prefer to train and raise their children the way they would have wanted them to be. They believe that they are more effective in instilling moral and religious values.

24/7. This is the best advantage of homeschool. Parents are with their children 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Experience parents always encourage new parents to spend as much time as they can with their children especially in their growing years. This is the stage where children are still dependent to their parents. Once they reach puberty, they now prefer to spend time with their peers and once they reach adulthood, they will spend more time with colleagues, friends and at work.

Strong bond. As parents and children spend more time together than the average parents whose children are attending a regular school, the opportunity to develop profound bond and strengthened relationship is inevitable.

Homeschool reinforces the value of family.

Flexibility. There are parents who are always mobile because of work related issue. Some parents find homeschool very convenient because it allows them to travel without much constraint. Travelling can be planned anytime as there are no worries of missing the classes or interrupting school activities.

It indeed gives more flexibility to parents and children to travel.

Without doubt, homeschool education offers many benefits to your children and to you as parents though critics always question the socialization life of the homeschool children. Are they really being deprived of their socialization skills?

Homeschool curriculum nowadays have supplement activities like pottery classes, museum visits, karate classes and so on. There are many institutions also that offer and organize different activities for homeschool children. If you can just do a little research and get connected with the right network or community of homeschoolers, you will be amazed with the available socialization opportunities for homeschool children.

Socialization is not limited at school only. There are so many venues that children can develop their socialization skills.

So, is it really a radical or right choice to homeschool? Parents know their children better than anyone else and so does the answer to this question.

Statistics Resources: www.safeyouth.org, www.ed.gov

Cyra Miles is a freelance writer who is passionate in her writing craft. Visit http://www.cyramiles.com or follow her at http://www.thepassionateslave.com to discover more about her passion

Some Helpful Hints For a More Exciting Relationship

I think we can all agree that most relationships are very exciting in the beginning but if you have been in your current relationship for awhile you may have already noticed that the initial excitement you had is starting to subside and you and your partner may be settling into a dull routine. As a relationship progresses one or both partners may be guilty of settling into complacency and may not strive to keep the element of excitement in their relationship. Here are a few tips for ensuring that your relationship stays as exciting as it was in the beginning.
Never underestimate the value of spontaneity in a relationship. Too often relationships lose their excitement because the mates fall into a routine that becomes boring as time goes by. Don't be afraid to suggest new activities in your relationship or to try new things on a whim. Being spontaneous doesn't have to involve big decisions it can be as simple as picking up something new at the grocery store and trying a new recipe for dinner. Whatever you do, just let your instincts take over for a minute instead of relying on rationality. Anything you do that is spontaneous may not work out as well as if you had planned out every last detail but just go with the flow and you'll find your relationship taking a turn for the better.
Exploring a new location together is another way to bring the excitement back into your relationship. Whether you plan an elaborate trip to an exotic location or just take the bus to a nearby city that you have never visited your adventure together will help spice up your romance. Take your time exploring the new location and enjoy the foods and atmosphere that the new place has to offer. Exploring new cities can help bring the thrill back to your relationship.
Still another way to spice up a fading relationship is to sign up for an instructional class together such as a cooking, dancing or pottery class. Working together to learn a new skill will draw the two of you closer as you strive to accomplish a goal together. A class will enable you and your partner to interact in a new way. This new interaction will help to pull you out of a rut.
Spending a night at a hotel is another way to restore the excitement in your relationship. Intimacy is very important in a relationship and if you and your partner have found that this aspect of your relationship has lost it's spice, it's time to shake things up a bit. Choose a romantic hotel, preferably one with a cozy restaurant. Begin by having a wonderful candlelight dinner in the restaurant and then proceed to the room that you have reserved. Setting the mood with candles and dim lighting is also suggested. A night in a different location such as a romantic hotel will go a long way towards rekindling your intimate relationship. Go buy a new sexy negligee or some other nice piece of lingerie just for the occasion.
Gregg Hall is a consultant for online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida. Find more about sexy lingerie at http://www.lingerie-plus-more.com

How to Develop and Maintain Your Mommy Mojo

So what is Mommy Mojo? Mommy Mojo in a nutshell is how mommies like you and I define, develop, and enrich who we were pre-baby. So many of us mommies lose track of who we are, post-baby. We get so consumed with this little bundle of joy that we put aside our dreams, aspirations, bodily goals, and social life. We as mothers are natural nurturers, intuitive beings of society that put others before ourselves. What I like to say is happy mother happy home. The better we tend to ourselves, the better mothers we will be to our children.

Let's take the air mask scenario on an airplane. The flight attendant mentions that if the plane should crash, "parents should reach for the air mask first to get enough air in-take to then be able to properly tend to their children". Life is no different. In fact, daily we should be tending to ourselves as mothers regarding our careers, exercise, marriage, social agendas, and hobbies. This will not only create a more harmonious atmosphere at home, but our children will emulate our ways. We are the example as mothers, and like the good ol' saying holds true, "monkey see, monkey do". If our kids see us putting ourselves first, they will be likely to do the same.

I like to think of releasing your Mommy Mojo in the following ways:

1. Career-create a 9-5 or around the clock structure free environment where your business can be run on minimal hours. Thus giving you the time and freedom to be with your children and at the same time fulfilling that part of you that yearns to be creative and productive in business. Whether you are an entrepreneur or an intraprenuer, find a way to work remotely from home, and less than 8 hours a day. I refer to the 4 Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss when I say that the goal is not to work harder, but to work smarter. Figure out a way to work less, and still be effective, freeing up your time to have fun with your children and participate in activities with them.

2. Exercise-This is a BIG one for me and other Mojo Mommies. It's important for me to start my day with an exercise routine, however every mommy is different. Exercise in a nutshell could mean meditating, yoga, hiking, breathing exercises, walking, hitting the gym, etc. It simply means alone time for 30-45 minutes in the beginning of the day. This is a "time out" for mommy before the storm of the day starts to wind up. I NEED this time every morning because I am able to clear my head of any junk, throw away unwanted thoughts, and create my (short) mental to-do list for the coming day. When I say short list, I mean short. Mojo Mommies know how to keep the to-do lists to a minimum so they can focus on 2-3 monumental tasks throughout the day, freeing up their time to be more present and focused mommies. Keeping tasks to a minimum also frees up our time to take that pottery class we've been longing for over the last few months.

3. Marriage & Relationships-Post baby tends to make us feel as though we can only have a relationship with our little bundles of joy. There was a study done regarding how new fathers felt after their child was born. 87% of new fathers felt an immediate jealousy towards their new offspring simply because Mommy wasn't paying them any attention. We get so consumed with this child from God that we neglect all things and people around us. It sounds like a symptom of tunnel vision if you ask me. Mojo Mommies know how to graciously balance everything, including their love from one intimate relationship to the next. Our partners need us as much as our children do. It's a group effort. What I like to do is delegate to make your partner feel needed and wanted. This simple effort of including your partner and existing siblings will then create a harmonious family unit. This act will be the glue that holds your family together in the years to come. You see, we as Mojo Mommies are the matriarchs of the family. It is up to us to graciously delegate and explain how our families are to be run.

4. Social Agendas-Most of the mommies I know rarely go out without a child on their hip. I can speak for the majority of them, because I used to be that mommy. I was stricken with guilt every time it was a girlfriend's birthday party or my partner insisted we have a romantic dinner out. I felt as though I was depriving my child of their mother. Frankly, my daughter had no idea because she was so young at the time, and even now she practically shoves me out the front door. It is essential for my mental stability to go out at least once a week with adults and socialize. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and I condone it. Whether it is coffee, a cocktail, or a social event. Go! In fact, one of my closet Mojo Mommies makes it a point to go out every Friday to dance salsa at her favorite nightclub. Why should this pre-baby behavior have to stop once we have children? Fill your life everyday with little fun filled activities. Our lives don't stop once we become mothers, it is only enhanced. Our children enhance them. My daughter shows me everyday how to be adventurous, free, and an individual.

5. Hobbies-What is your hobby of choice? Have you taken the time to think about this in the last month? 3 months? 6 months? Clearly it is important to make time for your desires. Whether it is taking that salsa class, or signing up for that book writing seminar you've been thinking of. I encourage hobbies. My daughter at 2 ½ enjoys swimming, and dance class. This summer she will take an acting class. We as mothers are always trying to enrich our children's lives with extracurricular activities that will (hopefully) make them more well rounded. We should be doing the same thing for ourselves. Time is usually the objective here. Mothers always say that they do not have enough of it. That's a cop out. If you are busy, then you are lazy. Busy people don't know how to delegate their workload to other family members i.e. husband or hired help. Learn how to prioritize your desires, and hobbies. Once you make the mental space for it, the physical space will also manifest.

Now that you have read how to develop and maintain your Mommy Mojo hopefully you will start putting these techniques to good use. Take the time every day, preferably in the beginning of the day, to clearly see how you can keep your battery happily charged.

Here's to a Happy Mother, and a Happy Home!

Daniela Rosa Bycoffe
CEO/Stilleto Wearing Soccer Mom

This Just in - Children Deserve Their Own Lives

As much as I hate to admit it, I struggle with trying to control my futuristic visions of my child's talents unleashed on this world. Talents the world has never seen before - or perhaps not seen with the level of talent and skill the fruitage of my belly would produce."So let's see", I say to myself, "she'll start dance class at 3, then drums, guitar, piano, and since she loves Nickel Creek, the violin as well. Then there's a tumble class followed by gymnastics, then a class on poise, yoga, Spanish, softball, and then I add extra lines to the list so I can add more activities later.

Ambitious - you betcha! So when my husband politely informed me that perhaps I should wait to see what kinds of things she might be interested in, I was taken aback. First of all, I don't remember asking for his opinion. Second, if he makes any sense, I just might have to retool my daughter's life plan - and I've worked so hard on it. But alas, he asked good questions, such as: Did you know she is only 3? When will she sleep, eat, or just be allowed to play? Have you forgotten how strong-willed your beloved child is and how she will not do anything she doesn't want to do no matter what you threaten to do to her "Best of Elmo" tape? Too many activities will tire her out fast. Remember what happened the last time you took her in all her tired glory to Publix when there were no more special green "car" carts for children? Are you sure this plan is for her and not for you? That last question hurt! But once I calmed down and thought about it, it was true and I knew it. I did want my daughter to explore her talents but it was so she could experience not just a better life than I, but a more interesting life. What parent wouldn't want that? Our children give us the chance to "get it right this time" meaning we'll do it better than our parents did with us, better than parents everywhere have ever done with their children. We want our children to be an example to people everywhere of just how it can be done. The perfect child is possible - and she came right out of my womb if only I can keep her activity calendar full! I took to my journal immediately! I had to record this vision of myself so I would never forget it. I was already planning to become an overbearing mother trying to run her daughter's life. Boy was I starting early. What would I do if she wasn't interested in my plans? Besides pulling rank and making her participate, I would be devastated and strangely hurt because I was only trying to do right by her.Trying to live through this toddler whose many joys in her uncluttered life include hugs, kisses, and soft tacos made me feel so ashamed. It's not fair to her to subject her to my wants without giving her time to explore her world first. So I set a few rules for myself:


Choose activities that are "interest" appropriate and brief in nature. For instance, she does not care for activities involving clay, mud, or any other sticky substance getting on her hands so a toddler pottery class is out of the question.
All activities are on a trial basis and continuation will depend on her interest and comfort level. I need to make sure I pay for the monthly plan only and not for an ambitious six months worth of classes at one time.
Activities should be scheduled in the morning where possible when she's "freshest". No activities will be scheduled anywhere near her normal naptime.
Per her father - I am to remember these activities are for our daughter. Please allow her to enjoy herself. Allow her to do things her way without being criticized or pushed to become overly competitive. (Oh the Humanity - How will she ever become like me without my input - this is going to be difficult!).

So here we are and I will not lie. I have not completely made peace with tossing her activities list but I am keeping a close watch on the types of things my little one does enjoy - and wouldn't you know it - I think she's leaning toward music and dancing. I think we're going to have a musician on our hands. Sounds like we will need those dance and music lessons, after all!

Stephanie Anderson is a stay-at-home mom turned entrepreneur and owner of the economic friendly company The UnCluttered Mother at http://www.theunclutteredmother.com The company offers inexpensive products for use when the time comes to heroically tackle the clutter in your life or when you just need neat tools and products that help with parenting your munchkins. Ms. Anderson also owns Economy Mom at economymom.com where she offers tools for surviving the economy such as budget management, starting your own home-based business, and managing ourselves in the workplace.

Yearly Guide For Anniversary Gift Giving

Is your anniversary here again? Don't know what to buy your better half? Maybe the anniversary gift guide can help. The guide has been updated with a few gift ideas to make your shopping a little easier.

1st Anniversary- The first anniversary is the year of paper. Paper gifts are not as boring as one may think. It can be as simple as a handwritten poem or as lavish as an airline ticket.

2nd Anniversary - The second anniversary is cotton. A good cotton gift is clothing. Personalizing it makes it even more special. Nowadays you can personalize just about anything.

3rd Anniversary- The third anniversary gift is leather. Wallets and purses are nice leather gifts. There are also tins of leather items that can be personalized as well. (Ex. Personalized leather bracelets or briefcases)

4th Anniversary- Linen is the fourth anniversary gift. Linen gifts include table linens and vacation linen shirts also known as Guayaberas.

5th Anniversary- Wood is fifth anniversary gift. Gift ideas range from gift baskets to furniture.

6th Anniversary- The sixth anniversary is iron. Iron gifts include candleholders and picture frames.

7th Anniversary- Depending on who you ask, the seven year anniversary is either copper or wool. Cooper gifts include vases and bowls. Wool gifts include sweaters and scarves.

8th Anniversary- Bronze is the eighth anniversary gift. Bronze gifts can be anything from a candleholder or vase to a trinket or memorable keepsake being bronzed.

9th Anniversary- Pottery is the ninth anniversary. Sculptures, vases and bowls are the most common of these gifts. A great gift idea would be to enjoy a pottery class together.

10th Anniversary- Tin or Aluminum is the gifts for 10 years of bliss. Jewelry boxes or tin gift containers filled with goodies make great tin/aluminum gifts. Gift basket containers would be a great to incorporate tin or aluminum.

11th Anniversary- Eleven years of marriage equal a gift of Steel. Gifts can be anything from a stainless steel watch or pendant to stainless kitchen appliances.

12th Anniversary- Silk is the twelfth anniversary gift. Silk pajamas and sheets are a wonderful gift. Robes and clothing are also great.

13th Anniversary- The thirteenth anniversary is that of Lace. This anniversary gift's element is more for the ladies. Lace table linens, hankies and nightgowns are wonderful gifts of lace.

14th Anniversary- Ivory is the gift fourteen years of marriage. Imagination is important for this gift giving year. An ivory broche is a worldly gift for your wife and if your husband is open to anything, try an ivory elephant tusk. Not likely huh? How about Ivory soap? At least I tried.

15th Anniversary - Fifteen years of wedded bliss earn you Crystal. Swarovski Crystals set in a pendant, watch or other piece of jewelry is a nice idea. For the simple folk, a crystal vase or personalized champagne flutes add that touch of romance.

20th Anniversary- Twentieth Anniversary is the gift of China. That is pretty self explanatory.

25th Anniversary- Twenty five years of marriage is also known as The Silver Anniversary. Silver jewelry or nice jewelry boxes are always safe bets.

30th Anniversary- Pearl is the gift of a thirty year anniversary. Pearls can be given as a necklace or placed in a ring.

35th Anniversary- Coral or Jade is the gifts for this anniversary. You can find coral gifts such as vases, sculptures, trays or games made or coral. Jade gifts are usually jewelry like bracelets and earrings.

40th Anniversary- The fortieth year anniversary gift is Ruby. Like many of the gifts, jewelry is a good gift.

45th Anniversary- Sapphires represent forty years of marriage. Jewelry

50th Anniversary- The Golden Anniversary is among one of the well known. Gold gifts can be anything from jewelry to golden vases, cups, frames, figurines and other trinkets.

55th Anniversary- Emeralds are the gifts of this year. Jewelry is a common gift.

60th Anniversary- Sixty years of being married most certainly deserves Diamonds. What could be better than diamond jewelry?

65th Anniversary- Blue Sapphires are the gifts of this year. Once again jewelry is appropriate…it's deserved!

70th Anniversary- Platinum gifts are representative of seventy platinum years of marriage. Platinum gifts include jewelry, music boxes, figurines and gift boxes.

75th Anniversary- Once again Diamond is the gift of choice. After seventy five years of marriage, it is most certainly deserving. Best gift…Jewelry!

80th Anniversary- Oak represents eighty years of marriage. If you have been married eighty years than you marriage is stronger than oak. Nevertheless a fantastic oak gift is Oak Home! If you can't afford it, there are tons of handmade oak gifts such as furniture, wall shelves and many more.

Flowers and gift baskets are great gift ideas for those of the more modern times, no matter which anniversary you are celebrating.

Garden Art Ideas -- How to Make Your Planters Into Beautiful Garden Art

Garden stores have so many different types of garden art for your to choose from - there are beautiful water features like ponds and fountains, as well as statues, wind chimes, birdhouses, and so much more. But why not go ahead and make your own garden art? Why not make sure that your garden fully reflects your own personality, and nobody else's?
When it comes to making your own garden art, there are so many different possibilities as to what you can do that it can almost be overwhelming. That is why I am going to focus on just one type of garden art in this article: planters. Check out these fun and unique ideas for your garden pots and planters:
The Spilt Planter
Add a little humor to your garden with a "spilt planter." Find an ordinary pot or barrel and tip it on its side in your garden. Fill the planter part way with soil, and then spread the rest out in front of it as though it has spilled out. Choose a few of your favorite flowers and plant them in the spilled-out soil. Warning: this fun and whimsical idea is one that may have do-gooders coming up and trying to fix the spill… until they see that the plants are actually planted in the ground.
Bathtub Planter
Find a bathtub (a clawfoot tub, preferably) at a thrift store, garage store, or even from your remodeled bathroom. Fill her up with good soil and then plant a small garden! It can also be fun to use a bathtub as a pond. It is even possible to find a way to hook your garden hose up so that you can have water coming out of the bathtub waterspout.
Thrift Stores Gems
There are many other things that plants can be planted into (besides planters and pots… and bathtubs). Why not go to an antique shop or a thrift store and see what you can find! You can plant a pair of cacti in a pair of cowboy boots. Why not plat a snapdragon in a tea cup? You can use vases, pots and pans, tires, helmets, and so many other things as planters. You may not know what item can double as a perfect garden planter until you go out and find it.
Pottery By Your Own Hand
Why not sign up for a pottery class and make your very own planter! Granted, you may make a pot that is only large enough for one petunia, but it is so much fun to create your own shapes and to glaze your pot in whatever color you want. Homemade pots with a flower in each make excellent gifts, as well.
Pot makeovers
If you already have a pot that you like, why not just dress it up a bit? Go ahead and glue a ribbon around the rim or even add sequins, buttons, scrabble letters, or other items! You can also completely makeover a pot - you just need some Mod Podge (a wonderful, glue-like substance) and some magazines. Cut or rip out some favorite pictures from magazines (or use photographs, newspaper, brown paper bags, tissue paper, etc.) and Mod Podge them all over your pot. Use a weather-proofing finishing spray to top it off. (If you are using a terra cotta pot or another pot that breathes and is not glazed, be sure that you heavily coat the pot with Mod Podge before you add your pictures, and consider placing another planter inside the pot to keep the magazine pictures from puckering when you water your plant.
Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and home decor. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on gardening and garden art, please visit Garden Art.

Yearly Guide to Anniversary Gift Giving

Is your anniversary here again? Don't know what to buy your better half? Maybe the anniversary gift guide can help. The guide has been updated with a few gift ideas to make your shopping a little easier.
1st Anniversary- The first anniversary is the year of paper. Paper gifts are not as boring as one may think. It can be as simple as a handwritten poem or as lavish as an airline ticket.
2nd Anniversary - The second anniversary is cotton. A good cotton gift is clothing. Personalizing it makes it even more special. Nowadays you can personalize just about anything.
3rd Anniversary- The third anniversary gift is leather. Wallets and purses are nice leather gifts. There are also tins of leather items that can be personalized as well. (Ex. Personalized leather bracelets or briefcases)
4th Anniversary- Linen is the fourth anniversary gift. Linen gifts include table linens and vacation linen shirts also known as Guayaberas.
5th Anniversary- Wood is fifth anniversary gift. Gift ideas range from gift baskets to furniture.
6th Anniversary- The sixth anniversary is iron. Iron gifts include candleholders and picture frames.
7th Anniversary- Depending on who you ask, the seven year anniversary is either copper or wool. Cooper gifts include vases and bowls. Wool gifts include sweaters and scarves.
8th Anniversary- Bronze is the eighth anniversary gift. Bronze gifts can be anything from a candleholder or vase to a trinket or memorable keepsake being bronzed.
9th Anniversary- Pottery is the ninth anniversary. Sculptures, vases and bowls are the most common of these gifts. A great gift idea would be to enjoy a pottery class together.
10th Anniversary- Tin or Aluminum is the gifts for 10 years of bliss. Jewelry boxes or tin gift containers filled with goodies make great tin/aluminum gifts. Gift basket containers would be a great to incorporate tin or aluminum.
11th Anniversary- Eleven years of marriage equal a gift of Steel. Gifts can be anything from a stainless steel watch or pendant to stainless kitchen appliances.
12th Anniversary- Silk is the twelfth anniversary gift. Silk pajamas and sheets are a wonderful gift. Robes and clothing are also great.
13th Anniversary- The thirteenth anniversary is that of Lace. This anniversary gift's element is more for the ladies. Lace table linens, hankies and nightgowns are wonderful gifts of lace.
14th Anniversary- Ivory is the gift fourteen years of marriage. Imagination is important for this gift giving year. An ivory broche is a worldly gift for your wife and if your husband is open to anything, try an ivory elephant tusk. Not likely huh? How about Ivory soap? At least I tried.
15th Anniversary - Fifteen years of wedded bliss earn you Crystal. Swarovski Crystals set in a pendant, watch or other piece of jewelry is a nice idea. For the simple folk, a crystal vase or personalized champagne flutes add that touch of romance.
20th Anniversary- Twentieth Anniversary is the gift of China. That is pretty self explanatory.
25th Anniversary- Twenty five years of marriage is also known as The Silver Anniversary. Silver jewelry or nice jewelry boxes are always safe bets.
30th Anniversary- Pearl is the gift of a thirty year anniversary. Pearls can be given as a necklace or placed in a ring.
35th Anniversary- Coral or Jade is the gifts for this anniversary. You can find coral gifts such as vases, sculptures, trays or games made or coral. Jade gifts are usually jewelry like bracelets and earrings.
40th Anniversary- The fortieth year anniversary gift is Ruby. Like many of the gifts, jewelry is a good gift.
45th Anniversary- Sapphires represent forty years of marriage. Jewelry
50th Anniversary- The Golden Anniversary is among one of the well known. Gold gifts can be anything from jewelry to golden vases, cups, frames, figurines and other trinkets.
55th Anniversary- Emeralds are the gifts of this year. Jewelry is a common gift.
60th Anniversary- Sixty years of being married most certainly deserves Diamonds. What could be better than diamond jewelry?
65th Anniversary- Blue Sapphires are the gifts of this year. Once again jewelry is appropriate…it's deserved!
70th Anniversary- Platinum gifts are representative of seventy platinum years of marriage. Platinum gifts include jewelry, music boxes, figurines and gift boxes.
75th Anniversary- Once again Diamond is the gift of choice. After seventy five years of marriage, it is most certainly deserving. Best gift…Jewelry!
80th Anniversary- Oak represents eighty years of marriage. If you have been married eighty years than you marriage is stronger than oak. Nevertheless a fantastic oak gift is Oak Home! If you can't afford it, there are tons of handmade oak gifts such as furniture, wall shelves and many more.
Another gift suggestion is flowers made of any of these elements. There are now stores that offer flowers made of cotton, wood, tin or lace. You name it they have it.
Cynthia Marcano is owner of Simply Sinful Baskets. Visit http://www.simplysinfulbaskets.com for great gifts for any occasion.

Yearly Guide For Anniversary Gift Giving

Is your anniversary here again? Don't know what to buy your better half? Maybe the anniversary gift guide can help. The guide has been updated with a few gift ideas to make your shopping a little easier.



1st Anniversary- The first anniversary is the year of paper. Paper gifts are not as boring as one may think. It can be as simple as a handwritten poem or as lavish as an airline ticket.



2nd Anniversary - The second anniversary is cotton. A good cotton gift is clothing. Personalizing it makes it even more special. Nowadays you can personalize just about anything.



3rd Anniversary- The third anniversary gift is leather. Wallets and purses are nice leather gifts. There are also tins of leather items that can be personalized as well. (Ex. Personalized leather bracelets or briefcases)



4th Anniversary- Linen is the fourth anniversary gift. Linen gifts include table linens and vacation linen shirts also known as Guayaberas.



5th Anniversary- Wood is fifth anniversary gift. Gift ideas range from gift baskets to furniture.



6th Anniversary- The sixth anniversary is iron. Iron gifts include candleholders and picture frames.



7th Anniversary- Depending on who you ask, the seven year anniversary is either copper or wool. Cooper gifts include vases and bowls. Wool gifts include sweaters and scarves.



8th Anniversary- Bronze is the eighth anniversary gift. Bronze gifts can be anything from a candleholder or vase to a trinket or memorable keepsake being bronzed.



9th Anniversary- Pottery is the ninth anniversary. Sculptures, vases and bowls are the most common of these gifts. A great gift idea would be to enjoy a pottery class together.



10th Anniversary- Tin or Aluminum is the gifts for 10 years of bliss. Jewelry boxes or tin gift containers filled with goodies make great tin/aluminum gifts. Gift basket containers would be a great to incorporate tin or aluminum.



11th Anniversary- Eleven years of marriage equal a gift of Steel. Gifts can be anything from a stainless steel watch or pendant to stainless kitchen appliances.



12th Anniversary- Silk is the twelfth anniversary gift. Silk pajamas and sheets are a wonderful gift. Robes and clothing are also great.



13th Anniversary- The thirteenth anniversary is that of Lace. This anniversary gift's element is more for the ladies. Lace table linens, hankies and nightgowns are wonderful gifts of lace.



14th Anniversary- Ivory is the gift fourteen years of marriage. Imagination is important for this gift giving year. An ivory broche is a worldly gift for your wife and if your husband is open to anything, try an ivory elephant tusk. Not likely huh? How about Ivory soap? At least I tried.



15th Anniversary - Fifteen years of wedded bliss earn you Crystal. Swarovski Crystals set in a pendant, watch or other piece of jewelry is a nice idea. For the simple folk, a crystal vase or personalized champagne flutes add that touch of romance.



20th Anniversary- Twentieth Anniversary is the gift of China. That is pretty self explanatory.



25th Anniversary- Twenty five years of marriage is also known as The Silver Anniversary. Silver jewelry or nice jewelry boxes are always safe bets.



30th Anniversary- Pearl is the gift of a thirty year anniversary. Pearls can be given as a necklace or placed in a ring.



35th Anniversary- Coral or Jade is the gifts for this anniversary. You can find coral gifts such as vases, sculptures, trays or games made or coral. Jade gifts are usually jewelry like bracelets and earrings.



40th Anniversary- The fortieth year anniversary gift is Ruby. Like many of the gifts, jewelry is a good gift.



45th Anniversary- Sapphires represent forty years of marriage. Jewelry



50th Anniversary- The Golden Anniversary is among one of the well known. Gold gifts can be anything from jewelry to golden vases, cups, frames, figurines and other trinkets.



55th Anniversary- Emeralds are the gifts of this year. Jewelry is a common gift.



60th Anniversary- Sixty years of being married most certainly deserves Diamonds. What could be better than diamond jewelry?



65th Anniversary- Blue Sapphires are the gifts of this year. Once again jewelry is appropriate…it's deserved!



70th Anniversary- Platinum gifts are representative of seventy platinum years of marriage. Platinum gifts include jewelry, music boxes, figurines and gift boxes.



75th Anniversary- Once again Diamond is the gift of choice. After seventy five years of marriage, it is most certainly deserving. Best gift…Jewelry!



80th Anniversary- Oak represents eighty years of marriage. If you have been married eighty years than you marriage is stronger than oak. Nevertheless a fantastic oak gift is Oak Home! If you can't afford it, there are tons of handmade oak gifts such as furniture, wall shelves and many more.



Flowers and gift baskets are great gift ideas for those of the more modern times, no matter which anniversary you are celebrating.

Anniversary Gift Ideas Year by Year, the First Nineteen Years

It's impossible to remember what gift is traditional for each anniversary. This article is perfect to print out or post on your website for easy reference. Plus gift ideas for each anniversary makes it easy, you'll never miss getting the perfect anniversary gift again.
The traditional gift for the first anniversary is paper. An addition of the newspaper from the year you were married, an old edition of a classic book like "Gone with the Wind", a postcard that's of a place meaningful to both of you, board games, plane tickets, football or baseball tickets, photo album filled with memories, write a love letter, drawing or pictures for your cabin, home or office or a gift voucher are all great ideas.
The second anniversary's traditional gift is cotton. New bed linen, attractive underwear or lingerie, cotton towels, a hammock, personalized T-shirt, cotton clothing or a cotton canvas shopping bag with your photo on the front.
Leather is the traditional gift for the third anniversary. Leather, boots, shoes, vest, skirt, pants, wallet, gloves, purse, belt, luggage or briefcase will do nicely. But how about something a bit more updated like leather cell phone case, leather framed photo or leather throw pillows?
Traditional gifts for the fourth anniversary are fruit or flowers. Of course having a fruit basket or flowers delivered to the home or office is appropriate. However, sharing a fresh fruit cocktail, floral bubble bath with floral scented candles set about and rose petals scattered across the bed sounds a lot more fun, exciting and romantic!
The traditional gift for the fifth anniversary is wood. This is a very good year for practical gifts like wooden deck furniture, frames or wooden utensils for the kitchen and new wood fencing. The romantic side of wood could include a weekend in a log cabin, camping in the woods, a walk in the woods, wooden plaques or signs engraved with words of love or an artistic wooden sculpture.
Iron is the traditional gift for the sixth anniversary. Golf clubs, iron sculptures, wrought iron furniture, iron skillets, a new iron or an Ironwood tree are good ideas. Don't forget the possibility of tools, hardware, a wrought iron bed or a set of weights.
Traditionally, wool or copper are gifts for the seventh anniversary. Gifts of woolen socks, scarves, blankets, hats, coats and copper kettles make very nice presents. A new wool suit, copper sculpture or copper fireside accessories are a bit more upscale.
The eighth anniversary's traditional gift is bronze. This is the year to make an impression with a bronze sculpture, antique bronze bell or a trip to a tropical beach with a bronzing lotion for the two of you.
Pottery is the traditional gift for the ninth anniversary. Planters, vases, bowls and coffee mugs fall into this group, so does joining a pottery class together!
Traditional gifts for the tenth anniversary are of tin or aluminum. Personalized license plate, tin of caviar, tin toy car, tin signs or plaques and vintage aluminum serving pieces are fun ideas.
The eleventh anniversary traditional gift is steel. Stainless steel cookware, watches and steel engraved key chains are great but a Calypso steel drum, steel ice bucket and cocktail shaker or modern steel sculpture are unique gift ideas.
Silk and linen are the proper traditional gifts for the twelfth anniversary. Silk lingerie, bed linens, linen table clothes, napkins, handkerchiefs and silk or linen clothing will surely be appreciated.
The thirteenth anniversary traditional gift is lace. Women buy that slinky, lacey lingerie for the men to enjoy! Okay, lace doilies, tablecloths and lacey curtains work too but they aren't near as much fun.
The fourteenth anniversary calls for the traditional gift of ivory. If you have the big bucks this year splurge on a piano or a trip to the Ivory Coast of Africa. The rest of us can enjoy ivory colored bed linen, scrimshawed ivory desk sets or key chains, ivory colored clothing or personalized ivory colored stationary.
Crystal is the gift for the fifteenth through the nineteenth anniversaries. Crystal vases, decanters, candlesticks and crystal faced watches are very traditional. Crystal chandelier earrings or a crystal chess set are more up to date. Billy Crystal movies are fun.
Tradition is wonderful and I hope this list helps in your anniversary gift choices. Many times these anniversary gifts end up as our family heirlooms of tomorrow.
Visit our web site for the complete article "Anniversary Gifts Year by Year for One Hundred Years". Shop for unique anniversary gifts at Log Cabin Fever Gifts & Decor.

10 Great Places To Meet New Women

There are a lot of great women out there just waiting to meet the man of their dreams but finding these available women can take a little creativity. Sure there are plenty of single women at bars and nightclubs but the competition is also tough with many men also trying to meet women and women are usually on guard at these locations so getting through their defenses can be difficult. Instead of battling other men for a woman's affection at a bar, try meeting women in new locations. Specifically locations that sport a high female to male ration will enhance your chances of meeting new women.

A woman's clothing store is a great place to meet new women. Not only is this location filled with women but it is also almost completely devoid of other men. Many men avoid a woman's clothing store like the plague so if you are brave enough to venture inside you will have an assortment of women to choose from. You can start a conversation by asking a woman for advice for a gift for your sister or by complimenting her on her purchases.

The gym can also be another great place to meet new women. While you may already spend hours a day pumping iron in the weight room try spending some time on a cardio machine or drop in on an aerobics or yoga class. These activities are typically dominated by women so engaging in these activities increases your chance of meeting women while at the gym.

Another great place to meet new women is in an adult continuing education class. Many community colleges offer night classes on a variety of subjects. Try signing up for a class or two and you may find that you meet a variety of new women. The key to choosing a class is to not only choose a class that sounds interesting but to also choose a class that is likely to consist of mostly women such as cooking classes or pottery classes.

The Internet is always an option for meeting women. You can try placing a personals ad online or join a dating service to read profiles of available men. There are so many personals sites available that it would almost be impossible not to find a suitable match. Just be sure to exercise caution and not give out your contact information or agree to meet anyone in a secluded location.

Hobby and craft stores are also excellent places to meet new women. Many women enjoy activities in arts and craft and often frequent these types of stores to purchase items for craft projects. More importantly though this is a hobby that does not attract many men so you will most likely be one of only a few men in the store.

Tanning spas or salons can be great places to meet new women. Again, these locations aren't frequented by men so you are most likely to be one of the only men present. If you are attracted to women who put a lot of effort into their appearance the salon is definitely the place to go. Here you will find women who are committed to their appearance and who will appreciate you for your ability to understand that a manicure is just as important to men as it is to women.

If you are in search of a woman with interests similar to yours, a bookstore might just be the place for you. Try visiting a bookstore and only searching sections of the bookstore that interest you. Forget about attempting to determine what section might attract the most women and stick to the sections that hold your interests. You might be pleasantly surprised to meet a new woman who shares your passion for restoring old cars.

Sporting events can also be a great place to meet women who either share your love of sports or are in search of men themselves. You may attend a baseball game and wind up meeting a woman who shares your love of sports or you may at least meet a woman who is trying to meet a man. Sporting events are typically well attended by men so it's possible that the women you meet at a sporting event are trying to put the odds in their favor and use this opportunity to meet men.

Another great place to meet new women is the theater. Women are typically drawn to the arts and if you begin attending local theater productions you may find the opportunity to meet a variety of new women. Not many men take in plays or operas on their own so doing so will help you to stand out from the crowd and single women are more likely to notice you.

Finally a grocery story is a great place to meet new women. Women make up the larger percentage of grocery shoppers so as one of only few men the odds will be in your favor. Also, women typically are experienced shoppers and you can take this opportunity to ask for their assistance in picking out produce or choosing a pasta sauce. Women will be flattered by you asking their advice and may be open to inviting you to their place for a home cooked meal.

While bars and nightclubs are certainly full of available women the likelihood of meeting a woman at these locations is slim to none. Although many women frequent nightclubs and bars in the hopes of meeting a man, these are also locations where women feel vulnerable and are likely to have their defenses up making them unapproachable. Try frequenting other locations and you may have an easier time meeting available women with interests similar to your own.

Looking for events in Vancouver for locals or for those who vacation in Vancouver

How many times have you had this experience that the weekend you had waited for so anxiously has finally arrived, you are all up for fun and excitement, and you don’t know where to go? Plenty of times, as all of us… The truth is there are an enormous number of events being organized in the city; you just need a convenient tool to look for them. Having a list of Vancouver events does benefit both local residents of the city and people who are on vacation in our Lotusland. Having your own list of Vancouver events at hand can give visitors as well as residents the convenience of choosing best events and activities to attend. With the huge variety of events and activities happening all at the same time in the city, you will have an easier way of selecting what to do and where to go if you have a list of Vancouver events. The activities and events that take place in Vancouver cover quite a number of interests, and every tourist and local can find a few for themselves. There are concerts, workshops, exhibitions, conferences, movies, theatrical shows, day tours, and so much more for you to enjoy. Whether you are looking to have some good fun with your family, enjoy the city life alone, or if you are looking to meet new people, there is always a plenty of events in Vancouver to choose from. Some of the events in Vancouver are annual and happen on fixed dates and months each year. Therefore, celebrations dedicated to these events also revolve around these dates, like Mother’s day in May or Father’s day in June. Pottery classes, soap making workshops, flea markets, sailing club open houses and sales are a few examples of Vancouver events and are a special and wonderful present for a mom or dad on their special day. Other events in Vancouver are casual occasions, such as musical concerts or traveling shows. Whether you are in the city on a scheduled business trip and are looking for a reprieve from your daily grind or are planning on visiting specifically for such events, it does pay to know about events in Vancouver in advance. You can plan your days and nights according to these events and according to your interests. For example, if you are a jazz fan, you might want to plan a trip to Vancouver for the Jazz Festival, which happens annually in Chilliwack on the first week of May. If you are into crafting, the Crafting Expo is organized first week of May in Vancouver and is an annual event as well. Knowing what events take place during your stay in the city will help you maximize the time you spend here and will help create more beautiful memories. With a list of Vancouver events to plan your days and nights here you can be sure that there will never be a dull moment during your stay here. How many times have you had this experience that the weekend you had waited for so anxiously has finally arrived, you are all up for fun and excitement, and you don’t know where to go? Plenty of times, as all of us… The truth is there are an enormous number of events being organized in the city; you just need a convenient tool to look for them. Having a list of Vancouver events does benefit both local residents of the city and people who are on vacation in our Lotusland. Having your own list of Vancouver events at hand can give visitors as well as residents the convenience of choosing best events and activities to attend. With the huge variety of events and activities happening all at the same time in the city, you will have an easier way of selecting what to do and where to go if you have a list of Vancouver events. The activities and events that take place in Vancouver cover quite a number of interests, and every tourist and local can find a few for themselves. There are concerts, workshops, exhibitions, conferences, movies, theatrical shows, day tours, and so much more for you to enjoy. Whether you are looking to have some good fun with your family, enjoy the city life alone, or if you are looking to meet new people, there is always a plenty of events in Vancouver to choose from. Some of the events in Vancouver are annual and happen on fixed dates and months each year. Therefore, celebrations dedicated to these events also revolve around these dates, like Mother’s day in May or Father’s day in June. Pottery classes, soap making workshops, flea markets, sailing club open houses and sales are a few examples of Vancouver events and are a special and wonderful present for a mom or dad on their special day. Other events in Vancouver are casual occasions, such as musical concerts or traveling shows. Whether you are in the city on a scheduled business trip and are looking for a reprieve from your daily grind or are planning on visiting specifically for such events, it does pay to know about events in Vancouver in advance. You can plan your days and nights according to these events and according to your interests. For example, if you are a jazz fan, you might want to plan a trip to Vancouver for the Jazz Festival, which happens annually in Chilliwack on the first week of May. If you are into crafting, the Crafting Expo is organized first week of May in Vancouver and is an annual event as well. Knowing what events take place during your stay in the city will help you maximize the time you spend here and will help create more beautiful memories. With a list of Vancouver events to plan your days and nights here you can be sure that there will never be a dull moment during your stay here.

How many times have you had this experience that the weekend you had waited for so anxiously has finally arrived, you are all up for fun and excitement, and you don't know where to go? Plenty of times, as all of us… The truth is there are an enormous number of events being organized in the city. Having a list of Vancouver events does benefit both local residents of the city and people who are on vacation in the Lotusland. Having your own list of Vancouver events at hand can give visitors as well as residents the convenience of choosing best events and activities to attend. With the huge variety of events and activities happening all at the same time in the city, you will have an easier way of selecting what to do and where to go if you have a list of Vancouver events.

Use Your Invisible Power to Visualize Or Imagine and Get What You Want (Part 3 Awareness & Action)

Now that you have used your invisible power to: (a) think of what you want to do, be, and have; (b) made a visualization board and make daily affirmation statements about what you want to do, be and have; It is time to be (c) become aware of events and people who come into your life so that you can take action to make your desires a reality.

Now that you have developed new habits you will begin to notice new people and events will come into your life. (This is called the law of attraction. Yes, this is Rhonda Byrne's book, the secret. You might just want to read this book and or view the video.) They may have been there before, but you might not been aware of them. Now your brain will be more aware of their existence. For example, you will notice a flyer describing a pottery class you've always wanted to take. A discounted trip to Florida will appear in your trade journal. A for sale notice of a bike you've always wanted will appear in a local monthly bicycle newsletter.

An e-mail will appear notifying you of a personal improvement group will now be meeting once a month at your church. The puppy you have always wanted will appear in the newspaper. You will be in the bookstore and a book catches your eye. You pick it up and it contains stories of just what you needed for your personal development and growth. You go to a book reading event and sit down beside a person who just loves to read and explore, "the what ifs of life." All of a sudden while you are walking and exploring the beauty of a garden, the idea of a book you have wanted to write, just pops into your mind. You are having a business problem at work and continuing education brochure with a possible solution arrives in your junk mail.

You must take action to get what you want to do, be and have. How will you accomplish anything if you do not take action. Call that telephone number about that pottery class, rearrange your schedule and just take the class. You realize you have talent and you realize your artistic dreams. Take the vacation days that you have accumulated, and go to Florida. While there you go to church and meet a family who have to sell their small condo. You buy it and have a wonderful place to visit. You just love to walk on the beach. It gives you inner peace.

Call the phone number related to the bicycle you've always wanted. You discover it is just your size at half the original price. Just buy it and enjoy riding it. While riding with a bike club you meet the person whom you fall in love with. Call your church and attend the newly formed personal improvement group. It changes your life forever. Call the phone number and go see the puppy you will fall in love with and who will give you many, many years of enjoyment, happiness and love. Pick up that book in the bookstore, read it, see examples of how the person changed his or her life and discovered true happiness.

That chance meeting a person at the book reading event develops into a wonderful relationship for both of you. When that book title pops into you mind, write it down and the ideas related to it. They will become the chapters of that book. You talk to a friend who is writing a book. That friend mentions it to her publisher who likes your ideas and wants to meet with you. Just attend that continuing education program and you find business solutions to your problem. You make changes at your office. You now are the expert in that area and you begin to get requests to speak at local business meetings. After your presentation you meet a person who wants to pay you for being a consultant at his business. Do not worry about "the how". Just, take action. just, do it! your life will change forever.

Just remember, this all came from using your invisible power, your thoughts, your mind!

Continue on your journey to a happy and joy-filled life.

Anniversary Gifts: Year 6 Through 10

Having spent six years with your partner is reason for celebration! You know them a bit better by now; know their tastes and distastes. It can still be difficult though to come up with original ideas when it comes to anniversary gifts. However, there are plenty of options, if you just give it some thought. Here are some things to jump-start your search.
The theme of year 6 is Iron. If you're going the more traditional way (and your partner likes to cook), consider a set of skillets. Golf clubs are another option, as are decorative items for garden and home. Doorknockers and lanterns also provide decoration for the inside or outside of your home. Last but not least, if you and your partner are into heavy metal music, check when Iron Maiden or another heavy metal band is in town and get tickets.
Year 7 is the year of Wool or Copper. Here of course you have the options of getting blankets, a coat or sweater. You will also find beautiful decorative items and antiques made of copper. If you're looking to take a trip, think Peru (Llama wool) or Chile (it has the world's biggest copper mines) and don't forget jewelry made of copper.
Bronze is the theme for year 8. Again, you can find beautiful antiques or decorative items, such as vases and sculptures. Bronze is also used to make jewelry.
For year 9, you have Pottery or China. For pottery, consider plants in pots (only if your partner enjoys plants), vases and urns or how about a trip to Pottery Barn? If you and your partner enjoy something more relaxing and creative, sign up for pottery classes. Remember that scene from "Ghost"? Well, you get the idea. For china you can be extravagant, like buying a trip to China! If your wallet is not that full, go with the traditional china dishes. Vases, urns and other decorative objects are other options, as well as antiques.
Year 10 is Tin or Aluminum and if you and your partner enjoy the great outdoors, get a fishing boat! Just make sure you have some kind of body of water in your area first. Tea or coffee tins are great as collectables and you can find beautiful ones in some antique stores. If you don't know your options in jewelry, tin cup jewelry is absolutely breathtaking. You'll get items from $25.00 all the way to ฃ350.00, depending on the kind of gems used and not just for women; you can get a great bracelet or ring for your man. Aluminum is also used to make watches, so give him a watch if he has trouble being on time.
Many of these gifts, especially the bigger and more expensive ones, need to be discussed before purchasing them. If your wife collects porcelain figures, don't lug home a huge sculpture made of bronze! And if your house is about to be foreclosed, a fishing boat or trip to Chile might not be in your best interest. A watch might be wiser in that case. Good luck!
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Anniversary Gifts

First Annual Holiday Benefit for Bodanna Studio and Gallery, a Non-Profit Organization

Contact:
Thelma De La Peรฑa





Executive Director, Bodanna





Studio and Gallery





212.388.0078, thelma@bodanna.org




Contact:

Venessa Hammerbacher



Timeless Events, LLC



212.590.2308,






v.hammerbacher@timelessevents.com







New York, NYโ€" December 5th, 2002 โ€" Bodanna, Inc., a not-for-profit, entrepreneurial ceramics studio, in conjunction with event sponsors, present a holiday benefit featuring a cocktail reception and silent auction to promote and support the organization's operations.



Bodanna Studio and Gallery is a cultural venture that uses commercial pottery as a medium for developing job disciplines and artistic potential in gifted young adults from low-income communities. Why ceramics? Ceramics is a hands-on, three-dimensional craft that demands imagination, thoughtfulness, technical expertise, planning and discipline, the same skills required for success in the workplace.



The event will be held on December 19, 2002 from 9:00PM to 1:00AM at The Embassy in New York City, and will feature a cocktail reception, DJ music and dancing, and a silent auction featuring the work of the Bodanna Studio apprentices.



When asked about the apprentice program, Scott Sinclair, founder of Bodanna and Chairman of the Board, said this: โ€œBodanna's social mission is to develop marketable skills in economically disadvantaged young adults through apprenticeships in the ceramic arts. The apprenticeship program enrolls a group of six to eight young adults drawn from the five boroughs of New York City. An apprenticeship at Bodanna amounts to paid on-the-job training in pottery and entrepreneurship. The combination of business and artistic training are unique to Bodanna among job training programs in NYC. For the many capable young New Yorkers with creative ability who are culturally and economically excluded from good job opportunities, Bodanna offers life-changing potential.โ€



Apprentices make a one-year commitment to Bodanna, and may be offered a second year senior apprenticeship. A second program offered is a free weekly ceramics class open to teenagers. Through the open classes Bodanna can serve a larger number of students, up to 180 per year, providing them with the opportunity for creative and personal growth.



As a social venture, Bodanna depends on sale of its products and services to serve its social mission cost-effectively. Bodanna's retail gallery exhibits and sells the work of our apprentices and faculty, and enrolls paying adults in our popular evening pottery classes. As active participants in the commercial operation of Bodanna, apprentices gain hands-on retail sales and marketing experience.



Two tiers of tickets can be purchased. โ€œEvent Friendโ€ tickets can be purchased for $100.00 each, while โ€œsponsorโ€ tickets can be purchased for $200.00. Bodanna staff will be on-hand during the event to answer any questions and accept any additional donations.



โ€œWe are very excited about the event. The Embassy is a beautiful location and compliment to the student's artwork โ€" we are expecting the evening to be filled with fun and excitementโ€, said Venessa Hammerbacher, Owner of Timeless Events, LLC, an event planner and coordinator for the event for Bodanna Studio and Gallery.



The web site http://www.bodanna.org/Pages/invite.html has been developed to provide additional information about the event, allow for a tax deductible contribution, and to facilitate the online purchase of tickets. An R.S.V.P is requested, although tickets can be purchased at the door. Any questions about the event can be directed to Venessa Hammerbacher by phone at 212.590.2308, or via email at v.hammerbacher@timelessevents.com.





Bodanna Studio and Gallery is a 501(c)(3) entrepreneurial ceramics studio whose mission is to foster personal and professional growth in gifted young adults from low-income communities in New York City. For more information, visit www.bodanna.org, or call 212.388.0078.

Cos Cob CT Kids

Cos Cob, CT kids are discovering that there is more to history than dates and events. They are learning through experience that history can be fun. The Bush Holley Historical Society offers programs for children to participate in and learn firsthand how children in historical times made art and all about history. They provide after school programs, summer camps and vacation workshops for children. To learn more on these activities you can visit hstg.org. In addition to these events, they also provide puppet shows, painting classes and origami classes.

Pottery Classes

Lakeside Pottery offers classes on making pottery the old fashion way, on a wheel. They provide classes for the beginner and intermediate potter as well as hold summer camps for children. They will learn to create, decorate and fire their own pottery designs and if they really like pottery classes, they can provide your child with a birthday party. To learn more about the classes, times and cost of pottery classes at Lakeside Pottery, visit lakesidepottery.com.

Gymnastics

Classes Just a few miles from Cos Cob is Westport, CT, home of The Little Gym where children come first in gymnastics, dance classes, cheerleading, Karate and sports skills. With these events they learn skills, discipline and exercise. They provide birthday parties for children and parents survival night. Their classes focus on non-competitive skills and offer camps for children as well. Visit them at thelittlegym.com for more information on all of their locations and events.

Art Classes

Stamford, CT offers children a wide range of art projects for children 2 years old through 9 years old at Paper Scissors Oranges. They welcome parents to join the children in painting, sculpting and play dough classes where they are encouraged to use their imagination for their projects. To learn more about Paper Scissors Oranges visit their website at paperscissorsoranges.com. Find out when classes start and which classes are available. Cos Cob, CT kids have no reason to be bored with the huge variety of programs and classes that is made available to them. You children can learn and have fun at the same time with the variety of activities parents have to choose from. These classes and activities are offered by various businesses that see children as a blank canvas with the potential to become a beautiful piece of art if they are worked with. This year Cos Cob, CT kids will enjoy the summer when you enroll them is a program that stimulates their imagination.

More information on kid activities in Cos Cob, CT can be found at the author's website, http://www.koochoo.com It serves as a growing information portal for information on child activities in Fairfield County, CT

Learn Spanish: Language Schools

If you are interested in studying Spanish in Mexico I strongly urge you to have comIf you are interested in studying Spanish in Mexico I strongly urge you to have completed at least The Learnables and Pimsleur Spanish before coming.
In fact, the more preparation BEFORE coming to a language school, in Mexico the better. Otherwise, I feel you will be throwing your money away.
Here is a convenient list of schools in Guanajuato, where I live, that I am not endorsing but only providing as a resource. Buyers beware and good luck with your Spanish learning adventure
List of Schools:
Mexicana Escuela
Welcome!
Escuela Mexicana is your Spanish language school in Guanajuato. Why should you choose Escuela Mexicana?
ทWe offer the biggest variety of different grammar and conversation classes for all beginning, intermediate and advanced students
ทWe also teach interesting History, Culture, Literature, Politics, Cooking, Dance Classes
ทPersonalized instruction and small class sizes
ทHighly experienced instructors who have a university degree
ทIntensive Spanish conversation classes for travelers
ทYou can start every Monday throughout the year, exceptions possible (starting on Tuesday or Wednesday)
ทFree cultural activities, intercambios with Mexican students, movie nights and guided tours
ทBeautiful environment and family atmosphere
ทEconomical prices
ทLodging at the school www.casamexicanaweb.com or with local families
ทA summer program for English-speaking children
Special Features and Programs
ทTrimester Program - 12 week course: Flexible start date between September and April
ทExperience our total-immersion Plus Program, an intensive, three-week study of Mexican language and culture.
ทIntensive Spanish for Travelers, a personalized program with a duration of 1-2 weeks. The focus is travel survival skills: basic grammar, terms for restaurants, hotels and meeting people.
New !!!
ทInteresting Tours to various destinations in Mexico
ทPottery classes Experience how Mexican Artisans work
Email: escuelamexicana@hotmail.com
###
The Instituto Miguel de Cervantes
About Us...
The Instituto Miguel de Cervantes, founded in 1981, is Guanajuato's first Spanish school. It provides intensive language study and a practical language-immersion experience for individuals and groups. At the Institute, you will benefit from small classes, individualized instruction, and our proven teaching methods.
In addition, you will learn about Mexican history, literature, and art—and you can even try your hand at Mexican cooking and Latin dancing, if you are so inclined. We also offer basic language programs for larger groups, as well as specialized programs for professionals (Spanish for Teachers, Spanish for Medical Personnel, Spanish for Social Workers, etc.).
Our Facilities
The Institute is located in the shadow of the historic Valenciana Mine (still operating), one of the greatest silver mines in all of colonial Latin America. Our physical facilities are unmatched in Guanajuato, offering spectacular views of the city, airy classrooms with natural light, tranquil flower gardens, meandering walkways with fountains and natural benches, and numerous nooks and crannies for contemplation or group discussion (in Spanish, of course).
Why Guanajuato?
The city of Guanajuato was founded in 1554. It became one the richest of Mexico's colonial cities because of the vast silver deposits found in the surrounding mountains. Several silver mines are still operating and are open for tours.
The legacy of Guanajuato's riches is reflected in the fine colonial architecture that graces many of the buildings in the city's historic center. Today, Guanajuato is a medium-sized city of 95,000 inhabitants and is home to the University of Guanajuato, whose students bring a youthful exuberance to the city's restaurants, cafes, and public spaces. The presence of the University also enriches the city's cultural life, with weekly symphony concerts, regularly scheduled lectures and seminars open to the public, and callejoneadas every Thursday through Sunday.
These evening musical walks through the streets of Guanajuato are led by estudiantinas, student musicians and singers. The estudiantina tradition is rooted in Andalucํa, Spain, and was transplanted to Guanajuato in 1972. It has become a unique attraction in this compact city of narrow streets and steep, twisting alleyways.
What We Offer
ทAll levels of Spanish
ทU.S. University credits (optional)
ทSmall classes - never more than 5 students
ทWorkshops and cultural activities: city tours, ceramics, weaving, hiking, mountain biking, salsa and merengue dance, cooking, etc...
ทFacilities Overlooking the city
ทAiry classrooms with natural light
ทVarious accommodation options: Home stays, Apartments, Hotels
ทTransportation to the school and back every day
ทFree Pick up at the airport
ทFree unlimited use of e-mail
http://www.mexonline.com/cervantes.htm
###
Study Spanish in Colonial Mexico and Open Doors to Your Future! El Quijote
- Spanish Language Abroad Programs open the door to Guanajuato and you open the door to history, culture, the Spanish language, all in one of Mexico's most preserved colonial cities.
The charm and beauty of Guanajuato's colonial architecture, quaint plazas and stone streets, combined with the culture and youthfulness of the city's state university, unite past and present to make Guanajuato an outstanding destination for studying the Spanish language, Mexican history and culture.
Picture yourself learning Spanish in this ideal setting and El Quijote will take you there. El Quijote's programs stress language acquisition through total immersion for students at any level of proficiency. Students, given the opportunity to take most of their classes with Mexican students and live with a host family, assimilate the language by living and experiencing the culture.
Come inside and learn how to take the first step towards a fulfilling study abroad program in Guanajuato, Mexico.
For more information on El Quijote - Spanish Language Abroad Programs Please visit our website: www.mexicoabroad.com E-mail: info@mexicoabroad.com
Telephone/Fax: (011-52) 473-731-0297 (from the U.S.)
Write Us:
El Quijote
Saucillo Panoramica Letra "A"
C.P. 36000
Guanajuato, Gto.
Mexico
Expatriates Doug and Cindi Bower have successfully expatriated to Mexico, learning through trial and error how to do it from the conception of the initial idea to driving up to their new home in another country. Now the potential expatriate can benefit from their more than three years of pre-expat research to their more than two years of actually living in Mexico. The Plain Truth about Living in Mexico answers the potential expatriate's questions by leading them through the process from the beginning to the end. In this comprehensive guide, you will learn not only how-to expatriate but will learn what to expect, in daily life, before coming to Mexico. BUY BOOK HERE: http://www.universal-publishers.com/book.php?method=ISBN&book=1581124570