02.29.08
Posted in Writing at 10:05 pm by admin
These days there’s an extreme makeover for just about everything. Your body, your house, your family, your finances…the media loves a stunning ‘before and after’ and a compelling story to go along with it.
After almost 20 years of being involved in the Christian publishing industry, I have come to the conclusion that self publishing, indeed, needs an extreme makeover. Most people would agree that the word itself conjures up all sorts of bad connotations. Amateur covers, typos, and bad grammar are often the hallmarks of self published books. That’s why self publishing really does need a whole new look, where you can’t tell it’s self published!
I work with authors on a daily basis who have tried to save money by having a friend design their cover, or worse yet, designing it themselves. Others have their best friend (who just so happens to be a former English teacher) do the editing. And then there’s good old Mom, who tells them the manuscript is just perfect the way it is and doesn’t need any help at all.
With any extreme physical makeover there are phases of improvement. First is the inner aspect-diet and nutrition, emotional and hopefully spiritual health, then the outer-makeup, teeth, hair, nails, skin, and finally the attire-your wardrobe for all occasions with matching accessories. Let’s move this parallel over to a book project and take a look at the top ten book beauty flaws you’ll want to avoid.
First and foremost, we’ll start with the inner flaws that must be avoided if you want your work to be taken seriously:
1. Insufficient expert editing: Your content must be compelling. Many authors tell me they don’t need any editing because God gave them the words and He doesn’t want them messed with. I often have to remind them that “God has better grammar than that!” More often than not, the authors I meet have completed their manuscript with a lot of “telling” rather than “showing,” typically very little dialogue and other fiction techniques, and usually way too preachy, without sufficient personal experiences to back up the points being made. Frequently the writing is not as tight as it needs to be and transitions are confusing. All of these weaknesses are due to the lack of expert editing by a professional in the industry. If you really want your message to communicate effectively, do not shortchange yourself or your story by skimping on a good content edit or rewrite if necessary. Your editor may see areas that need to be expanded to emphasize a spiritual point. Or they will likely point out an example or story that doesn’t really fit or need to be included. Don’t let your pride get the best of you. Be willing to admit that, while you may have an incredible story or message, you may not have the skill needed to make your manuscript healthy and there is absolutely nothing wrong with getting the help you need.
2. Lack of competent proofreading. Don’t think you can be your own proofreader, or you can have a friend or family member do your final proofread. Many things can happen in the typesetting process so you cannot assume that a final proofread is unnecessary. Remember, you are too close to the material. You know what should be there, you know what you are saying, and even if it’s not there on the page your brain will insert it as you read along. Believe me when I say you cannot trust yourself to do a proper job of proofreading. Make sure this gets done once, if not twice, after the book has been typeset and before it goes to print. You want your message to ring with credibility and the one thing that can ruin it is typos in your printed book.
Now that we’ve insured the inside is well fed, healthy, and emotionally stable, let’s move on to the outer flaws.
3. Looking Self-Published: Have you ever picked up a book and known within seconds that it was self published? When I ask this question in my workshops, hands quickly shoot up and heads move up and down. Asking what it is about the book screams “self published” a litany of reasons are shared….wavy binding, ugly cover, typos, bad writing. The last thing you want to do if you’re going to self publish is to look self published! Your goal should be to have a book that looks just as good as one from a big royalty publisher.
4. Amateurish Cover / Terrible Title: We all know the saying “you can’t judge a book by the cover” isn’t true at all. You can and you do, and so does the buying public. If your cover looks sloppy, overly simple or too busy, uses 3-d fonts, clip art, or common fonts like Times New Roman, Courier, Arial or Comic Sans, or overused fonts like Papyrus, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Combine an unprofessional cover with a bad title and you’ve got a sure-fire recipe for disaster. Your title must be short and to the point and the sub title must precisely describe the mission of your book. One author we worked with was a perfect example of this. His original title was “Controlling Your Anger Before it Destroys You, Your Family and Your Future” and his cover was designed by a friend with red background, black edges, and big white letters taking up the entire cover. After we finished his extreme makeover, the new title became “Put Out the Fire: How to Control Your Anger Before It Destroys Your Life.” He ended up with a cover that looked classy but still communicated the urgency of the message. What a stunning difference a sharp cover and great title made on this project.
5. Substandard back cover copy and author bio: If a potential buyer likes your cover, what is the next thing they’ll do? That’s right, turn your book over and read the back cover copy. This text must pull the reader in and tell them why they should spend their hard earned money on your book. It must convince them that they need what your book offers. Almost as much thought should go into your back cover copy as what’s between the covers. It’s your sales pitch, your chance to tell the reader what’s in it for them. List the benefits, give them a reason to buy! And when it comes to your author bio, have someone else write it for you if you struggle with writing about yourself. It needs to be in the third person and build credibility. It should tell why you are qualified to write the book they hold in their hands and should persuade them to trust that you are the expert.
6. Unprofessional author picture: I’ll never forget the day an author sent me a photo for the back of his book. When I opened the envelope I couldn’t believe my eyes. A Polaroid picture of him standing in front of his garage. Now if the book was titled “An Average Joe on How to Fix Cars” maybe that would fly, but this was not the case! Make sure you have a professional photograph taken, and don’t make it too formal. The trend these days is a more casual photo so you, as the author, look approachable and down to earth. Often times you can go to a portrait studio in a mall and pick the one you like best and just pay for the proof rather than having to buy an 8 x 10.
OK, now we’ve covered the outer issues, making sure your book is as handsome as it can possibly be. Now let’s make sure the makeover is complete. It won’t do much good if you have a great product and no one can find it to buy.
7. No distribution: Regularly I meet authors who thought saving some money by being their own self publisher was the way to go. Inevitably, the only way people can buy their books is from the box in the trunk of their car. Bookstores generally buy their stock from distributors, rather than publishers or authors, so oftentimes these stores are unable to carry product that is not available from their distributor. I found out from publishing my own books that having a contract with all the major distributors would be an important piece of the puzzle.
8. Non-returnable product: Let’s face it. Getting your book returned and your royalty reversed is not a very encouraging experience, but it’s part of the writing and publishing life, so we had better get used to it. If your book is not “returnable” then bookstores will not want to take the risk of stocking your book. If they do not know that they can return overstocks, then you’ll lose them as a customer. There have been some print on demand companies who not only charge a very high suggested retail price, but then give a very low discount to bookstores and then, to add insult to injury, they do not allow their books to be returned. This has put a very bad taste in many book buyers’ mouths about print on demand. Whatever you do, make sure your book is returnable when offered to bookstores and distributors.
9. No presence in the Christian market: Another flaw I see is when authors work with secular print on demand companies to get their books into print. What they don’t realize is that Christian bookstores do not buy from the secular distributors so Christian books that really need to be available through Christian stores find themselves in a dead end situation with no distribution to the Christian market. It is imperative to make sure your book is carried by one of the major Christian book distributors if you expect it to be available in Christian bookstores.
10. Undefined market: Last but not least, the number ten book beauty flaw to avoid is having an undefined market. You can’t expect everyone to want to read your book. It’s just not going to happen. If your audience is men and women aged 20 to 80 you are going to find it very difficult to market your book with any success at all. The more specific you can be, the more you can zero in on a specific people group to target for your book, the better off you will be. Ask yourself the following questions: Who most needs to hear my message? What type of person, age, gender, marital status, etc., will most closely relate to what I have to say? What people group would benefit the most from what I have to offer? This should help you determine a more focused potential buying public.
So there you have it. Remember these top ten book beauty flaws and avoid them like the plague. I encourage you to make a commitment to excellence so that your finished product represents the Lord in a worthy fashion. That’s why I always advise working with a professional custom publisher, one that is recommended by Sally Stuart in the Christian Writers Market Guide.
Over the last two decades I have seen self publishing become a credible option in an industry where it used to be considered taboo. No longer is it vanity publishing, but a viable option worth investigating.
“The general, prevailing theory used to be that if you self-published, it was because you couldn’t find a publisher-it was vanity publishing,” says Rick Wolff, an executive editor at Warner Books. “That’s changed dramatically.” –Writers Digest, January 2006 - “The State of the Industry”
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Posted in Women at 10:02 pm by admin
Perfumes are popular with the young and old. Perfumes have been in use since ancient times and now wonderful fragrances are available online at prices that are affordable. Fragrances for men and women are special and what suits one person will not suit the other. The World Wide Web is the marketplace to buy perfumes. Exotic and simple fragrances are available at discounted prices. If you are a newbie to the world of perfumes all you need to do is log on to your favorite search engine and type the word perfume or cologne. And in a second thousand of websites dealing with the world of perfumes will become available.
1. Be a smart shopper and read up on perfumes and articles and tips written by famous people and fashion gurus on how to wear and select a perfume.
2. Browse through sites that specialize in perfumes and check whether hey send out small samplers for a cost.
3. Otherwise make a list perfume brands that appeal to you and go to the nearest shopping district or mall and view the brands first hand. Most malls have perfumery counters that allow customers to take a whiff of fragrances.
4. Think carefully whether your sense of style matches romantic, casual, flowery, or citrusy.
5. Use online tools to find the kind of perfume you like. Compare costs for the brand at different websites.
6. Check whether your favorite perfume is on special offer at auction sites or other websites selling perfumes.
7. Find out whether shipping is free or extra and what kind of packaging they are offering.
8. Find out whether the website will ship from a local site or from offshore.
9. Ask about return policies and guarantees. Find out whether they will give a credit for a returned perfume.
10. Check about the safety of the payment gateways.
Before buying a perfume brand find out whether it is eco-friendly and hypoallergenic. Consider if you have any allergies or special requirements. Think about whether you want a bottle, purse vial, or large spray. Always buy a small quantity first so that you have the option of changing the perfume you wear seasonally. There are people who like to try new fragrances and others ho always wear only one brand. So find out which kind you are and order the perfume accordingly.
Before choosing a perfume or cologne think about your skin types. Choose a perfume that suits you and matches your pheromones. Always test a perfume by applying a dab on the inside of your wrist and see how long the fragrance remains fresh and inviting.
Online stores sell discount perfumes, designer lines, as well as exotic fragrances from all over the world. Most websites also host articles and catalogues describing the different types and give tips for buyers on which perfumes are the best. In case you like exclusivity there are online stores that will mix a perfume just for you.
So the choice is yours whether you want to smell special and distinctive or buy from readily available brands of perfumes and stay within your budget.
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Posted in Web Design And Development at 9:58 pm by admin
FrontPage hosting is a niche market offering in terms of support for a web authoring software product. It is run on a Windows operating system. The FrontPage software itself refers to a complete package for web site creation, flexible web site management, and the ability to edit and format HTML. All these can be done through an interface that is user-friendly and easy to use especially for those already familiar with Microsoft Office. FrontPage hosting is designed for users who use a lot of dynamic functions for their websites and require FrontPage specific features like photo gallery, active web pages or if they are running FrontPage bots. It is a great platform for users who want to host their small or large e-commerce sites.
FrontPage Hosting is comparable with the normal hosting services but is differentiated by its ability to support for various FrontPage extensions. In fact, FrontPage can only work in perfection if the hosting provider has FrontPage Server Extensions installed. In terms of price, the normal cost for a FrontPage hosting is comparable to the normal Windows or UNIX hosting.
In view to extend the functionality and capabilities of the FrontPage hosting, FrontPage version 2003 was developed. It offers additional useful features such as a new photo gallery, usage analysis reports and instant team web sites. The features such as easy-to-use dropdown menus, check boxes and radio buttons enables easy website development and ensures pleasant experience for beginners in web development. There are also dynamic web templates for quick site modification. Remote sites can be connected to easily using the web import dialog can Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). It also provides a great advantage for data-driven websites where people can be connected in various methods through Extensible Markup Language (XML), using a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor.
In conclusion, FrontPage hosting is a very feature-rich solution especially for beginners in web development who are already familiar with the Microsoft Office environment. The FrontPage web development software works perfectly with FrontPage hosting, which is designed to support the FrontPage extensions. This is the right solution if you are looking for a web hosting and web development environment that is easy and quick to learn through a Graphical User Interface (GUI).
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Posted in Travel And Leisure at 9:53 pm by admin
“To us Farangs (Thai: foreigners), living in Thailand can be financially challenging. But according to most of the locals, ALL FARANGS MUST BE RICH!”
“Prosperity: The eternal flow of all that’s good in life…”
By Carl “J.C.” Pantejo, Copyright January 2008
(Author “My Friend Yu – The Prosperity Mentor,” Copyright August 2007. Pantejo - Y.N. Vurce Publishing.)
*Below is the seventh episode in a series of real life events experienced by the author. The only deviations from the truth may be the names of people and places. These stories are also incorporated in “My Friend Yu – the Prosperity Mentor: Book II,” Pantejo - Y.N. Vurce Publishing. Release Date: 2008.
- The Myth of Farang Finances -
There is an unwritten rule about the cost of anything in Thailand: There is a Thai price and a Farang price. Since Thai people believe that “all Farangs are rich,” the Farang price of everything is much higher (sometimes triple!).
Of course, this is a myth.
But why do Thai people believe all Farangs are rich (including the “poor” Farang English teachers)? Many reasons. But all of them can be placed into three broad areas: Tourism, Currency, and Standard of Living.
- The Tourist Syndrome -
Like most of Asia, Thailand attracts tourists from around the world.
Prospective vacationers plan and save all year for their holidays in the tropics. The warm, sunny weather; lush, green landscapes; exotic cultures, and beautiful, friendly people are but a few of the many reasons why millions of tourists flock to Thailand.
While on vacation, most of the tourists, out of ignorance OR intention, willingly spend what the local Thai people consider “small fortunes.”
Wallets and pocketbooks are opened more freely when on holiday.
Consequently, especially in the big, major cities and tourist hotspots of Thailand, most Thai people believe that Farangs are rich because all they see are free-spending tourists.
What the Thai people don’t realize is that the majority of the “rich” Farangs work like dogs all year ‘round in order to spend a lot of money during their short visits in their country; having a great time playing out their individual, celebrity fantasies.
- “A Farang in Thai’s Clothing” (The Double-Edged Sword) -
Tourists and ex-pats alike enjoy the overshadowing strength of their home currency against the Thai baht. For example, one USD = 33-35 Thai Baht. This situation makes things seem ridiculously cheap.
Food, accommodations, and all vices known to man are easily obtained for obscenely low prices. And, of course, the longer a Farang stays in Thailand, the more he/she learns how to buy things that are closer to the local Thai price.
Case in point: I’ve been in Thailand for about two years now. I take advantage of my Asian appearance as much as possible by keeping my mouth shut and letting my Thai friends do all the haggling.
All vendors assume that I am a local Thai (until I begin speaking). I don’t say a word until the transactions are complete. This “mum’s the word,” habit of silence normally saves me between 30-50% at all the local markets, restaurants, pubs, hotels, tourists attractions etc.
It’s frustrating to my non-Asian, Farang friends (especially the ones who have been in Thailand longer than me AND speak fluent Thai) whenever we’re out together. Everyone, from the hotel receptionist to the taxi driver, speaks to me in Thai and assumes that I will translate what they say for them.
And of course, prices for me are automatically lower.
When we’re out bar hopping or singing karaoke, the women we meet see me as a rare catch, indeed; a “double bonus” – not only am I a “rich” Farang, my Thai appearance is easily presentable to friends and family; something supremely important in Thailand.
Don’t get me wrong.
Yes, there are many advantages to being a Farang AND looking Thai; but there are disadvantages too. It’s a double-edged sword cutting both ways. For example, I’m an English teacher. English teachers in Thailand are supposed to look like Farangs (i.e., white skin, tall, brown or blond hair, light colored eyes, etc.).
Many times during my stay in Thailand I’ve been turned down for a job because I “look too Thai.”
Once I applied for a teaching position at an International School where a lot of my Farang friends worked. They had bachelor degrees. I have a master’s degree and was enthusiastically welcomed by the Hiring Director.
But then a co-owner of the school saw me and instantly told the Hiring Director to offer me a position WITH HALF THE NORMAL FARANG SALARY! In other words, even though I had more education, qualifications, and experience than my co-Farang friends, the co-owner thought I “looked too Thai” to garner the normal Farang pay.
I don’t blame the co-owner. You see, the parents of English students pay a premium for English classes and want “Real Farangs” teaching the class!
If the parents don’t like any teacher, only one of two things can happen: 1) The teacher is excused (which is the norm) or 2) The parent takes the student elsewhere for English classes taught by “Real Farang” teachers (which doesn’t happen often).
- Culture Shock and Living Comfortably: Farang Style -
Let’s face it, visiting a place for a vacation versus living in that place are two very different things.
In spite of having an Asian heritage and passing for a local in any Asian country, I (like all ex-pats) still suffered a severe culture shock when I decided to live in Asia.
Anyone who has ever lived in Asia can empathize.
Things are rarely on time. Asians, with a seemingly perverse delight, are notorious for keeping Farangs waiting; or worse, not showing up at all. No advance notice of cancellation. No remorse if you should happen to bump into them afterwards.
There is a saying amongst us Farangs in Thailand, “If you and an Asian agree in the morning to meet at 4:00 PM, the next question should be: What week?”
And what Westerners consider as “basic and normal” is considered “luxurious” by most Asians.
Clean, continuous water is not a guarantee. I’ve lived in many places in Asia where the water spouts go dry for hours everyday. The smart thing to do is to keep a large trash bin full of water at all times in the bathroom. That way, even if the running water runs out, one can flush the toilet (a Western, seated-style toilet or an Asian, squatting style porcelain “foot bowl”) and at least take a bath.
Uninterrupted, non-spiking electricity is rare. “Brown Outs” happen frequently. Every household is equipped with candles and flashlights for such occasions.
The locals just take it in stride and entertain themselves with the old art of conversation; or, if one is lucky, the even older (and more fun) art of sex. But most Farangs are “forced” to “relax” and go with the flow – even if hours of computer work have just vaporized into ether!
When brownouts occur, people scramble to turn all appliances off (in preparation for the power surges that occur when the power is finally restored). Televisions, computers, and stereos routinely become irreparably damaged from such surges.
These “little annoyances” tend to accumulate.
Finding real napkins vice toilet paper at restaurants becomes a treat. Some semblance of sanitary conditions in restaurants and other public places (meaning: food minus the flies or the smell of sewage - “Ahhh…the mist of piss and the aroma of dog excrement”) makes one feel like a VIP!
Good roads, roads that don’t threaten to fling you off your motorcycle with every pothole, makes the “driving war” a little more tolerable.
Honest (or at least semi-honest) businessmen and policemen would also be nice now and then – and the list goes on and on…
All the above reasons steer most Farangs towards obtaining a standard of living they consider “normal” by Western standards; but is nonetheless, a standard that appears quite lavish to the local Thai people.
Naturally gravitating to living areas that more closely match their usual standard of living; Farangs look for cleanliness, convenience, and comfort. This translates into apartments, condominiums, and townhouses that can cost triple the normal Thai person’s monthly salary.
Luckily, since qualified Farangs are in short supply, Farang salaries in Thailand tend to be just enough to support a somewhat “tolerable” standard of living for a Farang; a living standard that seems totally extravagant by Thai standards.
Not accustomed to (or unwilling to acclimate to) the heat, Farangs seek out places that have air-conditioning. Most locals cannot (or will not) “waste” their money on expensive aircon units and their accompanying high electricity bills; perfectly satisfied with one or two electric fans.
Farangs routinely enjoy eating at restaurants, especially restaurants that are clean and offer a variety of Thai and foreign cuisines. Local Thai’s either cook at home or eat at one of the many street food stands; thinking that eating at a restaurant is another extravagance reserved only for special occasions.
As soon as a Farang can afford it, he/she buys a car (or at least a motorcycle); whereas the bulk of Thai people use cheap, public transportation (bus, train, subway, or motorbike taxis). Traveling by taxi is considered expensive and used mostly by Farangs and richer Thai’s.
All of this (free-spending tourists, currency power, and luxurious living) reinforces the Thai myth that ALL FARANGS MUST BE RICH!
…Continued in “Experiences from ‘The Flow’ (7) - Living Well? Farangs and Finance: The Reality, Stupidity, and Hard Knocks.”
“Until next time, find ‘The Flow’ and jump in!”
Your Friend in this Intrepid Journey called Life,
Carl “J.C.” Pantejo
relationships, fidelity, infidelity, finances, white skin, ex-pats, Falang, Asian, inconveniences, wasteful.
Note: If you want to read more about overcoming heartbreak, unconditional love, exorcising past personal demons, and the Illusive Secret of Happiness, please read the following articles:
“Experiences from ‘The Flow’: From Heartbreak to Happiness”
“Experiences from ‘The Flow’ (2): Coincidence or Synchronicity: FROM RELAPSE TO MIRACLES…”
“Experiences from ‘The Flow’ (3): LOST AND FOUND - Kindred Spirits and Mistakes made in Haste.”
“Experiences from ‘The Flow’ (4): LOST AND FOUND – Meant to Be?”
“Experiences from ‘The Flow’ (5): “The Stray”
“Experiences from ‘The Flow’ (6): “New Beginnings, Old Endings”
“How Dare She! Out of Desperation I Learned How to Forgive”
“Remember Who You Are!”
“Need to Heal Your Broken Heart? Read on. Overcome Heartbreak and Learn the Illusive Secret of Happiness.”
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Posted in Site Promotion at 9:48 pm by admin
Do you want to drive killer targeted website traffic without spending a single red dime?
If you answered yes, make sure to tap into the power of search engine optimization.
If you know how to optimize your site on the search engines, you are increasing your chance to get indexed by major search engines and get targeted website traffic in the process.
The goal is to get your site on the top 10 for multiple keyword searches.
Here are 3 power steps you can use starting today to promote your site using search engines…
Step 1 - Website Optimization.
Step 2 - Get Incoming Links.
Step 3 - Setup a Reciprocal Linking Campaign.
Lets get down into dirty detail as to how to apply search engine marketing to promote your website…
Step 1 - Website Optimization.
Make sure to optimize your site with relevant keywords in your niche.
Use your keywords in your domain name, title tags, meta tags, header tags and top and bottom portion of your website.
Donot abuse the use of keywords. If you do this multiple times you will be tagged as keyword spammer.
Just make sure to include your keywords 2% to 3% times in the content of your website.
Next step will show you how to get incoming links to your website which search engines really love.
Having more links pointing to your site will boost up your website traffic.
Step 2 - Get Incoming Links.
Work hard to get incoming links to your website.
Quality and quantity of your inbound links will determine search engine ranking of your website.
The easiest way to get started with getting tons of inbound links to your website is by using article marketing.
Write articles and distribute them to various article directories.
Next step will show you how to setup a reciprocal linking campaign to boost up your search engine ranking.
Step 3 - Setup a Reciprocal Linking Campaign.
This is a bit boring and time consuming task. But once you have few hundred link partners you will start receiving killer traffic to your website.
You have to be sure that your website is rich in content if you want other quality websites to link to your site.
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Posted in Self Improvement And Motivation at 9:44 pm by admin
The morning is the most important time of the day. Why? - Because it can easily set the mood for the rest of your day! - This is due to many reasons. One of the most significant is that it is much easier (scientifically, almost 25 times easier) to develop short term paradigms (viewpoints) upon first waking up. When you first awaken, your mind is slowly leaving the delta state, (low brain wave frequency) where it is most easily influenced by mental suggestion. In other words, your mind is most open – and what you put in it will stay in it, until at least the end of the day. It is for this reason that often, if you are awakened by a sound or a song, you may be able to easily recall it again and again throughout the day (even if it’s a song you cannot stand!).
That being said, it is absolutely critical that you start your day off on the “right side of the bed.” Any negative thoughts you have will shape your subconscious for the entire day. Realize, if you wake up and say “Sh*t… today’s gonna suck…”, then it will suck! - Your subconscious would be imbued with a belief that “today sucks” and would work with your mental filtering systems and all of your senses to perceive information accordingly. There’s a lot to it, but the point of this article is to give you a list of tips to start your day off the right way… so back on track.
We know you’re busy as #%$! In the morning and don’t have time for therapeutic, two hour spa sessions when you’re trying to get to work or class on time. Therefore, this list is as “grounded” as is possible, and you can start using it – Now.
Also, for the record, we DO use every single one of these ourselves.
1. Initial Wakeup
GET UP! FAST! When you wake up, get out of bed as fast as you can! (without sending yourself into cardiac arrest, of course.) Waste no time in getting up. The best cure for procrastination is action – so if you’re procrastinating about getting out of bed, just force yourself to get up! …and wallah! - Problem solved! Jumping out of bed will spike your metabolism, and will end all thoughts of “just lying there” a little bit more. As an added bonus, I put my alarm clock on the other side of the room – forcing me to jump out of bed and go turn it off… and once I’m out, I stay out!
2. Light
The power of light is severely underestimated by most people. How? It has profound effects upon body chemistry and energy levels. You circadian rhythm (based on light levels) affects nearly all aspects of your physiology. Over 200 processes are controlled by the level of and type of light that you receive, including heart rate, digestion, appetite and thirst, fluid balance, stress level, emotions, immunity, hunger, energy, blood pressure, body temperature, physical strength, reaction times, sexual appetite, urine production and brain balance – just to name a few. Bright, natural light is ideal for bringing the most energy to all these systems. The more light you receive, the more serotonin your pineal gland produces – a “feel good” neurotransmitter. The less light received, the more melatonin your pineal gland produces. Melatonin is essentially a depressant / sedative. This explains why humans living in Spain are some of the most upbeat, positive beings on the planet, where as residents in Norway or Russia are some of the most depressed. Your body makes melatonin at night, and makes serotonin during the day. So, the sooner you turn on the lights, or open the blinds preferably, the sooner your body’s systems will increase their energy levels. The longer you keep it dark, the harder it will be to wake up – that simple.
3. Wake Up to a Clean Room
This one may not seem that significant, but believe me – it is. Waking up to a clean, organized room has a positive first impression upon your mind. Waking up to clutter, dirty clothes, and piles of beer cans from the night before does not. This may seem like a bit of a feng shui thing, but give it a try, and you will realize – it does work. It’s easier to vacate a room when it’s clean, pristine, and relatively organized / empty, versus one that is piled high and more “cozy.” Keep your room stark… put things away from you’re done using them. It will help.
4. Fresh Air
Open the window. No matter what season it is. Open the window… even if it is just a crack. Your bedroom has sat stagnant all night, void of fresh air, especially if you leave your door closed as I do. When you open the window (and the door preferably) you create a cross draft to bring in fresh air. You have lowered the oxygen level by rebreathing the same air in the room at night. However, as soon as you open the window, you bring in fresh air with high oxygen levels – instantly raising your energy level. Even if it is 10 degrees out, open the window just a tad. When it’s cold out, it will have even more of an effect – the cool, denser air will carry more oxygen, and the temperature alone will help you to awaken.
5. Music
Music is a huge part of my morning. Even if you are not musically motivated, music can shape your mornings. Turn on music as soon as you can after waking up. Make sure it is something positive and uplifting – as chances are it may become stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Personally, I love pounding trance in the morning – it’s positive, uplifting chords and driving bass last with me all day. Make sure you’re listening to something that pulls you up… not down. The effect of music upon the brain is something we will discuss down the road – stay tuned. Also, if music is not available, any high frequency sound chords can work. Birds chirping, wind chimes, ect – all help awaken and sooth the mind.
6. Food
Start your morning off with a full glass of water before you eat anything else – This is essential. Toxins have been ejected from tissue and line your throat and mouth (thus, morning-breath) and the last thing you want to do is to allow them to adhere to your breakfast. Drink a full glass of water –and give it ten minutes. If you have an empty stomach, the toxins will be flushed down, and pass out with your urine, with no food to absorb them. Ten minutes later, you may eat your breakfast. The subject of a healthy breakfast is obviously a lengthy subject, but I’ll be brief – DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST. They’re not lying when they say it’s the most important meal of the day. Your body has been starved for eight hours or more, and breakfast is crucial. Breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism, ends your body’s “hoarding mode” from the night, and will actually help you lose weight and stay lean if you chose the proper foods. Make sure you eat some fruit, some protein, and some carbs. My typical weekend breakfast consists of an orange and three scrambled eggs… very basic, but quite healthy. If you’re eating loads of sugary cereal, or worse, doughnuts for breakfast, you need to go do some basic research online on how to eat healthy. You could be lean and good looking, but lack energy, and your arteries may be 90% blocked – as a result of your diet.
7. Cold shower
Take a cold shower. Yes, freezing cold is unbearable. You don’t have to do it that way. Start it off hot… like me. Then, after you’re medium-toasty (not well-toasty… it will make you more tired), put it on cold for as long as you can take it. Then, put it on hot for a minute… then cold for a minute. Repeat the hot-cold cycle a few times – this will not only wake you up fast, but it will expand and contract your pores to force out toxins and oils from the night. End the shower with a cold rinse – you want to be cold when you step out… it’s critical, as it will raise your metabolism, and keep it there. Try the cold shower thing for a week – you’ll notice a difference. A long, hot shower depresses your physiological systems and makes you want to go back to bed. A cold, invigorating shower will wake you up – fast. Try it.
8. Make Your Bed
This doesn’t serve as much of a purpose for in the morning, as it does for in the evening. I’ll explain how it works from my situation. I wake up. I do my morning routine. I (in this example) do not make my bed. I leave. I work all day, and at the end of the day, I think of all the projects that I am going to work on when I get home. However, when I get home into my room, I suddenly feel tired… there’s something drawing me to my bed. The covers are thrown back – like a great, yawning mouth of gaping comfort… calling for me to dive in after a long day at work. So I do – I jump in, cover up, get all toasty, and sleep away half of my evening – only to go to bed again a few hours later. Leaving your bed unmade kills your motivation. Not only does it appear messy, which drains your energy in its own right, but it also invites you back in repeatedly, when you usually cannot afford to. So, make your bed. You’ll notice you get more things done in the evening.
9. Time Savers
There are several small, simple things you can do to save time in the morning. For one, if you check your computer in the morning (MySpace, Facebook, email, stocks, weather, ect), then try this. Rather than shutting down your computer at night, put it in standby. You will save a few minutes over turning it on, and it won’t use any more electricity. If it takes your computer four minutes to boot up, multiplied over a year, that is over 24 hours! An entire day you would save if you followed the routine everyday. Another rather obvious tip is to put all your “to-go” items in one spot. Put your phone, wallet (or purse), watch, rings, notepad, ID badge, car keys, ect; all on the same part of the counter, or in a bowl perhaps. It will save you time searching for everything. Additionally, whatever time you are waking up now, wake up ten minutes earlier. It makes a world of difference in the morning. If you can get over the “I could sleep for ten more minutes” thinking, you will reap amazing benefits. Ten minutes can take a lot of the edge off of your morning, allowing you to take your time as you go about your routine. It can save you money as well. I can tell you in my case that if I leave a few minutes early, rather than driving 80 MPH to make it to work on time, I can drive 65-70 MPH, which, due to exponential drag and air resistance, is optimum gas mileage speed for my car, and saves me a few bucks each week in gas.
10. Self-Talk
Self-Talk should be the most important part of any morning routine. In the morning, you need to load yourself with as much positive mental programming as possible. Your mind is most receptive to it in the morning (and at night), and it will shape the rest of your day. Your programming comes in many different forms, and it is our job to help you use it to your advantage. Mental programming is too much for this article… keep your eyes on us as we come out with new products to help you shape your mind exactly the way you want it – and help you live the life you deserve.
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Posted in Religion at 9:37 pm by admin
In the near future, the technological advance of human civilization will become so rapid today’s human mind will be unable to comprehend its implications. The point in time at which this occurs is generally known as “the singularity,” and many believe it will usher in a new era for the human race. Throughout the world, many intellectuals and futurists have noted their belief in the nearness of the singularity, with quite a few predicting it will occur within our generation.
Jesus also foresaw the singularity, citing it as one of the foremost signs of the end of this age and the nearness of His Return.
The Singularity
So what is the singularity? And why is it any different from other events in human history?
The singularity is a future point in time when societal, economic, and technological change increases at such a rapid pace that the unaided human mind cannot begin to imagine its implications.
The singularity is built on the concept that technological advance is not linear, but rather exponential. In other words, conventional wisdom (the linear view) holds that the next 100 years will bring the same amount of progress as the previous 100 years. However, those who predict the singularity (the exponential view) believe the next 100 years might possibly bring the equivalent of 20 or more 20th Centuries of progress.
Mere observation tends to support the exponential view of technological progress. For instance, the 20th Century brought more technological progress than the 19th Century. And the 1990’s brought more technological progress than the 1980’s. In fact, inventor Ray Kurzweil vividly illustrates the exponential increase in technology in his essay “The Law of Accelerating Returns“.
So if it’s true that the advance of technology is exponential in nature, so what? Hasn’t change been a part of the human condition for centuries?
Yes, change has always marked the times. But what makes the singularity different is the pace at which change will soon take place. The Industrial Revolution took place over the course of 200 to 250 years, during which the human race had adequate time to adjust to its widespread impact. However, the changes brought on by advanced technologies as we approach the singularity will be so rapid that changes equivalent in impact to the Industrial Revolution might well be forced on humanity within a two to three year period.
As a result of this exponential increase in technology (which includes computational power, advanced artificial intelligence, genetics, robotics, and molecular manufacturing), the current world power structure will be completely upended.
The Second Coming of Jesus Christ
As Christians, why should we care about the singularity? Shouldn’t we be focused on Jesus?
Although our trust should be completely in Jesus, it’s important to be aware of the singularity precisely because Jesus Himself pointed to the singularity as one of the foremost signs that His earthly Return and the establishment of His Millennial Kingdom are at hand.
This revelation has been hidden in plain view of Christians for almost 2,000 years. Only now, in our generation, can we begin to fully comprehend the meaning of His words. In Matthew 24 (more generally known as the Olivet Discourse), His disciples asked Him to reveal the signs which would precede the end of the age and mark the moment of His Return. Jesus responded with the following statements:
“As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.’” Matthew 24:3-8 (NIV)
The various signs described by Jesus, which have occurred throughout history, will become more commonplace and more pronounced in the latter days, just prior to His Return. Jesus makes this clear in verse 8, when he equates these signs to “birth pains.”
This is one of the most important signs that the Glorious Appearing of Jesus Christ is close at hand – that the end times will be analogous to the birthing process. Jesus is clear that the signs He spoke of will be just like labor pains. So what does this mean? It means that, just like labor pains, the signs that mark the end of the age will appear with greater frequency and intensity as the end draws near.
This was a sign of such great importance that Jesus intentionally mentioned it first when answering his disciples’ questions. It is a sign equal in importance to the two monumental signs he mentions in the same conversation: the restoration of Israel as a nation (which has already happened) and the “abomination of desolation” (a still future event).
Wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilence, persecution and death of Christians, and the appearance of false prophets all mark the times in which we live. Since our generation has witnessed the reestablishment of Israel as a nation, we can be certain we live in the end times. As a result, each of the signs Jesus mentioned will occur with greater frequency and with greater intensity as His Coming draws near.
Signs of the Times
So how does this relate to the singularity? Jesus spoke about wars, earthquakes, and famines, but He didn’t say anything about technology.
Although Jesus didn’t specifically mention technology, He did point out an overall trend. He stated that certain signs would be just like labor pains, meaning they would occur with greater frequency and greater intensity as the birth (His Coming) drew near.
If you plot these two variables on a graph, having them increase over time, the end product would resemble an exponential curve. And the singularity is essentially an exponential curve. Jesus was pointing to the unprecedented nature of human events in the time just prior to His Return. The events which mark the times will resemble labor pains, meaning they will follow an exponential progression unique to our generation.
In addition, Jesus specifically mentions another sign:
“The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” Matthew 24:15 (NLT)
In this verse, Jesus not only points out a specific sign, but He lets us know that the Book of Daniel is a credible source of information when it comes to the end times. As a result, we should expect that any signs of the end times mentioned by Daniel should also resemble labor pains. Does the Book of Daniel mention any specific signs relating to the end times? Yes, it does:
“But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase.” Daniel 12:4 (NLT)
According to the Book of Daniel, two things will markedly increase just prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ:
1) Transportation
2) Knowledge
Not only will these signs increase, but they will do so exponentially. The labor pains analogy made by Jesus applies to these signs as well, meaning both the availability and power of transportation and knowledge will increase. Simple observation has shown this to be the case in the centuries since Jesus first spoke to His disciples.
The human knowledge base, transportation, and the pace of technological development are all increasing exponentially. Knowledge and transportation are widely available to both rich and poor now more than at any other time in human history. The power of knowledge and the speed of transportation have also increased markedly over the same time period. As they continue to increase in our time, humanity is fast approaching the event horizon known as the singularity. Jesus foresaw these events, and He clearly stated that these signs will herald His Second Coming.
Tribulation Unlike Anything the World Has Ever Seen
In addition to the aforementioned signs, Jesus told His disciples that just prior to His Return the world would experience a time of unprecedented tribulation that the world will never see again:
“Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person outside the house must not go inside to pack. A person in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for mothers nursing their babies in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For that will be a time of greater horror than anything the world has ever seen or will ever see again.” Matthew 24:16-21 (NLT)
As the singularity approaches, advanced technologies will completely change the social, economic, and political power structure of the world. These changes will lead to unprecedented global tribulation as people struggle to deal with new generations of weapons, geopolitical upheaval, and massive unemployment.
As Mike Treder points out in his Future Brief article “A Global Surge Protector?”:
“Some refer to this as the next Industrial Revolution, and that is not an unreasonable comparison. The big difference, however, between previous industrial revolutions and the nanotech revolution is the time span covered. Steam engines, electricity, the automobile, telecommunications, computers: these all brought extreme transformations to society, but they each did so over a period of decades. When molecular manufacturing arrives, probably before 2020, a shock wave of change could reverberate around the world in only a year or two. Never before have disruptive impacts occurred so rapidly.”
The Transhumanist Movement
In preparation for the singularity, a new movement has emerged: the Transhumanist Movement. Calling themselves “singularitarians” and “transhumanists,” these people look forward to the singularity with a religious fervor. Many within the movement believe the singularity will lead to the emergence of “post-biological humans” who are able to shed their biological bodies and “upgrade their hardware.” Many believe that by downloading themselves into a network, they will effectively become “immortal.”
The bible points to a future time when the human race will have the audacity to directly challenge Jesus Christ in battle. By gathering their armies at Armageddon, the human race will attempt to “break the chains of God and set themselves free from His bondage.” Psalm 2 describes this monumental act of arrogance:
“Why do the nations rage? Why do the people waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepare for battle; the rulers plot together against the Lord and against His Anointed One. ‘Let us break their chains,’ they cry. ‘And free ourselves from this slavery.’ But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.” Psalm 2:1-4 (NLT)
In the New Testament, in the same passage where Jesus describes the signs of His Coming to the disciples, He makes an interesting statement in light of our times:
“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:22 (KJV)
Through the centuries, this verse has been interpreted to mean that the Second Coming of Christ will arrive just before the human race managed to destroy itself, meaning the human race would cease to exist. However, it could mean that “no flesh will be saved” because the human race will transform itself into a race of “post-biological humans” intent on reshaping the universe according their own desires.
Given the history of human rebellion against God, it would be unwise to discount this possibility.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether or not speculations surrounding the technological singularity turn out to be reality or mere fantasy, Jesus Christ clearly communicated to His disciples that the times just prior to His Coming would resemble labor pains. As the hour of His Return draws near, the signs of the times will appear with greater frequency and intensity, reaching their climax at the Glorious Appearing. Given the abundance of evidence pointing to His imminent return, we should follow the command of Jesus to be watchful and alert, prepared at all times for His Return.
Furthermore, we should present this evidence to our friends and families, so that they too might share in the hope that is Jesus Christ. For the hour of His arrival is near, and a special crown awaits all those who eagerly anticipate His glorious return:
“And now the prize awaits me – the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me, but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return.” 2 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)
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Posted in Relationships at 9:26 pm by admin
Sometimes finding the right songs for the biggest moments of your wedding can be a daunting task. After all, there’s much you need to consider (like you don’t have enough stuff to stress out about already!).
Have no fear; it doesn’t have to be a stressful situation. Here are some things to consider when choosing those special songs for your big day.
Bridal Dance – This is THE most important song of the night. Next to seeing you kiss at the altar at the end of the ceremony, this is the one of your most romantic events; your big moment alone on the dance floor. So the song has to be special.
There are three very important things to remember when choosing songs. These may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised. Plus these “rules” apply to any song chosen for any of the ceremonial dances.
1. Make sure the song you choose is one that the two of you can actually dance to! You may be able to tear up a dance floor, but your groom may have two left feet. Picking a song with an odd tempo may make him feel awkward, especially out on a dance floor in front of his friends and family. Try to keep it simple.
2. Make sure both of you actually LIKE the song. For example, you may really like Lonestar’s “Amazed”, but if country music makes your groom’s teeth itch, you need to choose another song. Or, he may really like that “one” Metallica ballad, but you hate it. Next, please.
3. Is the song appropriate for a bridal dance? Let’s face it…you may both really like the song, but “Love Bites” by Def Leppard does NOT make a good bridal song. Don’t laugh…it’s happened! (And there were many rather confused wedding guests that night).
Still, sometimes you may think that you don’t have a song that is “yours”. What was the first song the two of you danced to? Is there a ballad by an artist that the two of you are big fans of? Was there a song playing in the background the night he proposed to you? These are things to think about.
If that doesn’t seem to work, start listening to songs on the radio a bit closer. Listen to the lyrics. Eventually you will find a song that will express what you want to say to each other on your wedding day…and that’s your song!
Another thing you may want to consider is the length of the song. “In Your Eyes” may be the perfect song for you, but the track is nearly 6 minutes long. That’s a long time to be out there - the two of you…alone with everyone’s eyes upon you…feeling paranoid yet? Don’t be afraid to ask your DJ to fade the song out early.
The main thing to remember - this is your big moment. Make it special not only for you, but for your guests as well.
Bridal Party Dance – The first question we often get regarding this song is “Does the bride & groom stay on the dance floor during this dance?” The answer is “Yes”. It looks a little strange when the bride and groom leave the dance floor with their closest friends on it.
Some couples are choosing to combine the bridal dance and the bridal party dance — one song for everything. This is a good idea if you have a small bridal party or if you are uncomfortable being the center of attention. Whatever you decide to do comes down to planning; making sure you let your DJ and your bridal party know what you want to do, i.e. when you want the bridal party to join you on the dance floor.
Some couples have chosen to allow their party members to dance with their significant others instead of whom they walked down the aisle with. This is fine, and may save a few awkward (and jealous) moments, but make sure that this is planned out with your DJ and your bridal party in advance. Doing this will double the number of people on your dance floor and a larger group of people will be a bit harder to keep in one place for very long. Make sure everyone knows what the plan is and what is expected of them. Plus, it is imperative that you have everyone’s names at the time of your consultation. Adding names at the last minute does increase the possibility of your DJ making an error, and we HATE making errors. But we are only human. The more you plan it, the easier it will go for everyone involved.
Some brides have been willing to drop the bridal party dance all together in favor of making life easier for everyone, avoiding awkward moments or because they just want to get to the party. This is fine, but keep in mind that the bridal party dance is a great opportunity for your photographer to get some good shots of your bridal party. If you still feel that you want to drop the bridal dance, make arrangements with your photographer to get pictures of your party during the day.
Having said all of this, actually choosing a bridal party song tends to be a bit easier. If you have been trying to choose between two songs for your bridal dance, you can use both; one song for the two of you and one for your bridal party.
You can also choose to be a bit light-hearted with this. “Friends In Low Places” can work, as does “With a Little Help From My Friends”.
Again, think about songs that may have special meaning to those you have chosen to stand up with you. For example, I attended a bonfire once with a number of good friends and there was a moment when someone pulled out a guitar and played “You’ve Got a Friend”…and there we all were; swaying back and forth. singing loudly, A couple of years later, one of the attendees at that bonfire remembered this and chose that song to be their bridal party dance. And sure enough, that moment happened again on the dance floor. Consult with the members of your bridal party; they can be a good source of ideas.
As before, another thing to keep in mind is the length of the song. For example, if you want your DJ to introduce your best man and maid of honor, the other 16 members of your bridal party, both sets of parents, and acknowledge your flower girls and ring bearers, choosing a short 2 minute long song like “What a Wonderful World” is NOT a good idea. The song will end before your parents are brought out onto the dance floor! Conversely, choosing a 5 ½ minute long song like Celine Dion’s “Because You Loved Me” when there are only 3 couples to introduce is a bit much. Again, feel free to have your DJ fade the song out early.
The main thing to remember is that this is your moment to share with the people closest to you. Make it meaningful, make it fun, and make it special.
Daddy/Daughter Dance – This is, of course, a tradition, but this doesn’t mean you have to be traditional about it. Sure, “Daddy’s Little Girl” is still used. Of course “Butterfly Kisses” was created for this moment. And it seems nowadays that there’s a new song coming out of Nashville about once a month that’s tailor made for the daddy/daughter dance.
The main thing to remember is that this symbolizes your “last” dance that your father will have with his now-no-longer little girl, so this is a song that should be special to both of you. This doesn’t mean it has to be a sappy moment. You can have fun with this if you like. It all depends on the personalities of yourself and your father. Naturally, your best bet is to consult with your father, and your mother as well (mothers tend to remember things better than fathers sometimes!).
One great example…one of our DJs was asked to play “Puff the Magic Dragon” as the daddy/daughter dance recently. This may seem like it’s an odd choice at first, but this was a song that the bride’s father would sing to his young children when they would go to bed at night. So when the song was played at her wedding, both the bride and her father were in tears, as were the bride’s siblings gathered at the edge of the dance floor. In fact, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as 180 guests began singing along with the song! In another very similar situation, “On Top of Spaghetti” was once used, apparently having something to do with the bride’s love of spaghetti when she was a child. If there’s a song like this in your family history, use it!
In yet another example, a bride’s father was once considered a great disco dancer, so the bride chose “Last Dance” by Donna Summer…and then had the DJ open the dance floor to all of the guests when the song’s disco beat kicked in. So it need not be what “everyone else” does. Make the moment unique and special.
Mother/Son Dance – There are tons of ideas for daddy/daughter dances, but seemingly few choices for the mother/son dance. This isn’t necessarily true; they’re just not so obvious sometimes. The same rules apply as with the daddy/daughter dance; if there’s a song in your groom’s family history that means a lot to them, use it!
The daddy/daughter dance may get most of the attention, but the mother/son dance is JUST as important to your groom and his mother. Usually your groom’s mother will have ideas, but don’t keep your groom out of the loop!
But wait…there’s more…!
There are a few other points during the course of your reception that will require some music to help make the moments special. It may not seem like a big deal, but having music for these moments add to the overall presentation at your reception. They help set the mood and tone of the entire evening. Let’s take a look…
Introduction Music – This is the big moment; your Grand Entrance when you and your groom are first brought into the hall to the cheers of all your friends and loved ones who have gathered to celebrate your wedding. So naturally, you will want to choose music to highlight the moment.
There are a few things to consider. Will the bridal party also be introduced at this point? Will your parents also be introduced? Do you want one song for everyone, or do you want a separate song for your bridal party and one for you and your groom? Do you want something a bit mellow for your parents to walk in to, and then get a bit louder as your progress through the rest of the introductions?
Again, this is a BIG moment, and one you want to capitalize on. Use this moment to really pump up your guests.
Having said that, this moment can be as full of pomp and circumstance as you want, or can be as fun and rowdy as you’d like. There are some “standards” such as “Celebration”, “Let’s Get It Started” or “Get the Party Started”. But our DJs have used everything from “Here Comes the Bride” to the Austin Powers theme song, from “In the Mood” to the Blues Brothers, from the Chicago Bulls theme song to the Imperial March from “Star Wars”, from the U of M fight song to one of the songs used for the “C.S.I.” TV shows. As you can see, the possibilities here are quite endless.
There are no real rules for this one, so you can be as creative and individual as you like. Consult with your bridal party for this one, and check out or list of ideas here on our website.
Cake Cutting – Often couples will choose a song to highlight the cake cutting ceremony. This one isn’t really a necessity per se, but it does help to draw attention to the cake cutting.
We recommend something upbeat or mid-tempo for this and keep it light-hearted. And again, this can be almost anything. Some couples choose to let their Grand Entrance song play out if they go directly to the cake cutting after their introduction.
“Love & Marriage” by Frank Sinatra is popular here, but sometimes brides balk at using the theme to “Married With Children” (remember the Bundys?). If nothing else it does usually get a chuckle or two. Choosing a song with a food or sweets theme, like “Ice Cream”, “Sugar Sugar”, “Sweetest Thing” or “How Sweet It Is” always works. You can even go as far as Weird Al’s “Eat It”. Again, this is a light moment so have fun with it.
Bouquet Toss/Garter Removal/Garter Toss – This is something we will be discussing more in a later column. If you decide to do this, there will be several songs you will need; one song for the ladies for the bouquet toss, one for the gents for the garter toss, and a song for the garter removal. There may be others needed as well, depending on what you want to do. This is certainly the most lighthearted moment of the evening so you can have fun with this as well. Just remember…your grandmother is sitting right there…
How to find the songs – Didn’t think that there were this many songs to choose, did you? Have no fear…we’re here to help.
Most of the time there are obvious choices for your ceremonial dances. There’s that one song that the two of you have always considered “yours”. But maybe the choices aren’t so obvious. So how to find them…?
First of all, start early. Don’t wait until the last minute to choose the songs. These will be some of the most important moments of your wedding. Take as much care in choosing songs for these moments as you did in choosing the hall, your flowers or your DJ!
Listen to the radio. Go to your music collection. Browse through music stores. Poke around through iTunes or the like. Ask your friends, especially those who have already gotten married. Ask your family.
And of course, check out the song lists that we have included on www.mikestaff.com. Many talented and experienced DJs were consulted when compiling these lists, so there are a lot of ideas there for the taking. Ask your DJ for ideas when you consult with him. Use his experience and knowledge. That’s what we’re here for!
Now, all of this may seem like a lot to consider when choosing songs, but it’s really much easier than it appears. Don’t stress out about it! The main thing to remember is to LISTEN. Don’t just go to iTunes and play snippets of songs. Take a few minutes to really listen to some songs. Besides, with all of the chaos normally associated with planning a wedding, taking a few moments to sit back, relax, breathe and listen will certainly help take some of the tension off. Enjoy the process! Once you relax a bit, the right song will come to you.
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Posted in Recreation And Sports at 9:21 pm by admin
Most people would not think of the cornhole game as an actual sport, but it is fast becoming a very popular one. It has evolved from a simple backyard game to something that has developed a strong following. Tournaments are organized in many areas of the country, and the individuals who play in them take their cornhole game seriously. They spend many hours practicing, and they are very careful to ensure that their bags and boards are all regulation. It helps them to be ready to compete when a tournament is organized in their area. In addition, there is a lot of enjoyment of the game, making the sport more popular than people would have originally expected.
Since the cornhole game is not difficult to learn to play and not physically demanding, almost any person of any age can play the game and therefore participate in the tournaments. There are tournaments for children and for adults, and men and women are often divided as well. In addition, some tournaments are organized for individuals to play, and others are organized for cornhole teams. No matter how the tournament is organized, though, there is something for everyone. The entry fees are usually very inexpensive, and the prizes are good. The tournaments can also be organized to help raise money for charities and other good causes, and some people have tournaments just because they are enjoyable and people like them.
There are areas of the country where cornhole is very popular and areas where it is not heard of nearly as often. Organizing a tournament in an area where the game is not generally played might take some doing, but there are people all over the country who do enjoy the game. It is simply a matter of finding people in one’s immediate area who enjoy the game, which can be done through advertising and asking questions of others in the community. For those who play cornhole quite often, it is already seen as a sport. Whether it will be seen that way by others, however, may still take some time. It has been suggested by some people who play cornhole as a sport that it might eventually end up on major sports networks and be televised like bowling and other activities which some people consider sports and some people do not.
If a person starts out playing cornhole at a young age, he or she may only see it as a game. Those who are a bit older often take it more seriously, because they have a better chance to network with others who also play the game, either for fun or more seriously. It is not yet possible to make a living playing cornhole as it is for some sports. However, people can win money and other prizes. Eventually, the sport may become popular enough that professional players will make their living off of the game. Until that time, however, cornhole will continue to be played in many areas of the country for both fun and profit.
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