The Art Of Stained Glass
June 30, 2009
The Art Of Stained Glass
by: Keith Londrie
As with all forms of art, its beauty is defined by the sensations it arouses. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect in the art of stained glass is in its’ versatility. It’s durable, yet fragile, challenging, but yielding to the experienced hands of the artist. I discovered this form of art some seven years ago when my girlfriend and I decided to take a series of evening classes at a local stained glass retail store. We took six classes and I have been hooked ever since.
If you are in need of a way to take away the stresses of everyday life I would recommend stained glass as great way to download and at the same time get into a new hobby. It is a form of self-meditation. The steps you’ll follow in arriving at your finished work of art will teach you self-discipline, and provide a great sense of artistic achievement. And if you’re like me, you will not be able to get enough of it. That’s when you’ll want to expand out and begin doing projects for others.
Poetry in Turbulence
June 29, 2009
To many non-specialists of literature, poetry is deeply unsatisfying. There are several reasons for this, but two in particular come to mind. The first is that most poetry is overly descriptive, leaving little to the imagination; the second is that the rest of it is abstruse. This presents the non-specialist with a dilemma: either to persevere in the thankless task of attempting to unravel an increasingly unrewarding literary crossword; or to make do with the superficialities of descriptive verse and the resultant ennui. Both projects would presumably confirm any prejudices that these readers entertained about the relevancy of poetry to their lives. In circumstances such as these, I think it would be appropriate to introduce a method of poetic appreciation, which, although unorthodox, would encourage the non-specialist to revise any negative opinion of poetry held.
The first thing that has to be drawn to the attention of these readers is the fact that it is up to them to come to an understanding of the poem. The poem is unlikely to facilitate such a response without this active participation on their part. The main thing to point out to them is that valuable time and effort would be wasted in attempting to look for the poem’s intended meaning. Rather, a more helpful course would be to encourage readers to actively engage in their own particular and personal exegetical responses to the text - however idiosyncratic or perverse the results of this may appear.
Unique Gift Ideas — The Gift Of Fitness
June 28, 2009
Well, it’s almost that time of year again ? the holiday shopping season is just around the corner. Have you thought about what you are going to give those people on your "hard to shop for" list? Instead of another tie for your dad or music CD for your sister, why don’t you give them a truly unique and invaluable gift? I’m talking about the gift of fitness.
The gift of fitness is something that you can give to just about everybody on your shopping list, from your parents, to your spouse, a friend, your siblings, an employee or co-worker, even your children. And it’s a gift that is invaluable to everyone. After all who doesn’t want to look better, feel better, and be healthier?
And, it’s a gift that you can truly feel proud to give. When you give someone the gift of fitness, you are helping him open a door to better health (both physically and mentally). I can’t think of a more thoughtful gift that shows the recipient how much you care about their well-being. By giving the gift of fitness you are providing them with unlimited health benefits.
How Your Journal Writing Will Reduce Stress in Your Family
June 28, 2009
How Your Journal Writing Will Reduce Stress in Your Family
by: Daniel Lesser
Journaling can help reduce the stress in your family in several ways. For one, by lowering your own stress levels, you will get along better with your family. You will be a happier person which will, in turn, make everyone else happier to be around you.
You will also learn to deal with family situations better and can teach the rest of the family ways of better managing their stress. Through journaling, you can also learn a new appreciation for your family and this will show when you are around them.
Use the following prompts to help you use your journal to reduce family stress.
If you don’t have accurate details regarding journaling, then you might make a bad choice on the subject. Don’t let that happen: keep reading.
“My family makes me feel stressed by…” “My family deals with stress by…” “Sometimes I get angry at my family when…” “Sometimes I resent my family when…” “If I could change anything about my family, it would be…” “One thing that would make my family better is…”
Life in the Universe; Part 1
June 27, 2009
Is there life ( extraterrestrial life or any other form of life) elsewhere in the universe…..a universe consisting of millions of galaxies, nebulas, blackholes, millions and millions of stars, unknown planets and other heavenly bodies millions of light years away from our solar system ? This we don’t know, but we must bear in mind not to rule out the possibility of the existance of some form of life.
Life inside our solar system
The earth, as we already know, is unique in terms of life. It’s size, atmosphere, temperature, distance from the sun, oxygen, and liquid water make earth a planet of life.
The remaining planets are not capable of sustaining life, the reasons being; extreme temperatures, no liquid water, etc. Mars in fact,is the only planet in our solar system where life may have existed, life meaning microscopic life.From a scientist point of view, it’s unlikely to encounter martian life in the form of extraterrestrials.
What about the “face” on Mars?
Creating Personalized Photo Calendars
June 26, 2009
About Personalized Photo Calendars:
Photo Calendars are 12-month, wall-hanging calendars that you can create using your own digital photos and captions. As you customize your own photo calendar, you can start the calendar on whatever month and year you wish. Most photo calendars are printed on white heavy-weight glossy card stock that you can write on, and they are spiral-bound in the middle.
Creating Personalized Photo Calendars:
Most online digital photo printing services, such as Shutterfly (my favorite), Snapfish and Kiodak EasyShare Gallery, offer custom photo calendars. The process of creating personalized photo calendars usually involves:
1. Picking a starting month and year for your calendar
2. Selecting a page design from a variety of templates
3. Choosing your photos from those you have uploaded to the photo service’s website and selecting which photo you want for a specific month
4. Writing brief photo captions to accompany each page of your photo calendar (usually optional)
5. Adding a cover photo for your personalized photo calendar
6. Placing your photo calendar order with the web site
Templates for Personalized Photo Calendars:
How to Create a Backyard Oasis
June 25, 2009
How to Create a Backyard Oasis
by: Kristen Fischer
As every homeowner is surely aware, a backyard can be transformed into a relaxing outdoor retreat. With some hard work and dedication, you can turn your simple backyard into a garden of delight. A garden pond is a wonderful way to bring new life to your yard and garden.
Garden ponds come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. The size of your garden pond will very much depend on your personal taste. While they do differ in shape and size, most garden ponds have similar components such as aquatic plants and fish. There are countless ways to approach your garden pond maintenance. In our experience, the best way to ensure the success of your garden pond is to strike a delicate balance between nature and technology.
While many people have elaborate pumping systems and waterfalls, they are not entirely necessary. For instance, certain types of fish can minimize any issues you may have regarding algae. Goldfish are extremely popular in outdoor garden ponds. There are over 100 varieties of goldfish to choose from, many of which have delightful colors and markings. Japanese Koi are also commonly used in garden ponds, but keep in mind that they need a lot of room.
Fitness Tips On How To Avoid Gaining Weight During The Holiday Season
June 24, 2009
This holiday season don’t be trendy ? avoid the Seasonal Seven (the average weight most Americans gain between Thanksgiving and New Year’s). That’s one trend you don’t want to participate in!
I know what you are thinking ? the holidays are a time for fun and indulgence. You don’t want to think about fitness during that time. You want to enjoy yourself. Okay, before you accuse me of being the Grinch, you should know that I completely agree. The festivities don’t have to be eliminated or avoided, because you can have a fabulous time while also maintaining your weight and your fitness regimen.
The secret to achieving a holiday season that is both full of fun and also includes fitness is found in moderation. There are two typical approaches to the seasonal festivities: 1) throw all healthy habits out the window and indulge in every guilty pleasure 2) starve and binge approach (for example, you eat nothing all day long to allow yourself to overindulge in party food). Of course, neither approach is successful at maintaining a healthy, fit lifestyle throughout the holiday season.
Body Harmonics and Pilates in Canada
June 23, 2009
Body Harmonics and Pilates in Canada
by: Natalie Brown
Body Harmonics Pilates, located in Toronto, Canada is an internationally recognized leader in Pilates training and instruction. It was founded in 1996 by Margot McKinnon, a well respected leader in the Canadian health and fitness industry. What distinguishes Body Harmonics from other studios is that it also functions as a Pilates teacher training facility. The primary motivation behind the establishment of Body Harmonics was to make Pilates accessible to everyone, and to train the next generation of teachers in the best practices available.
Body Harmonics has three main areas of specialization; Pilates for general health and wellbeing, post-rehabilitative exercise, and performance enhancements for athletes and dancers. They offer over 40 courses to new and experienced students and teachers alike. They offer three levels of Mat training, and extensive workshops dedicated to individual pieces of equipment such as the Reformer and the Cadillac. Body Harmonics has trained Pilates instructors from all around the world, and remains one the best facilities of its kind in Canada and beyond.
Mechanical Poetry
June 23, 2009
Do you ever stare at the paper, waiting for poetic inspiration? Well, you can stop waiting and start using systematic techniques for creating poetry. If it seems too mechanical or artificial at first, don’t worry. The point is just to get you writing, because creativity is stimulated by work.
When You Have A Poem In Mind
If you have your topic, ask yourself why it’s important, and write down your answer. How do you feel about it? Write down those feelings. Write a line or a scene that exemplifies what you are trying to point out. Then, start rearranging the words into a poem. The main thing is to do anything other than waiting to stimulate your creativity.
Sometimes poems can come from a simple description. Write down a description of an event, and then find a way to form it into something more succinct and poetic. The poem below, “Religion,” was created in this way:
On the shoulder of Keystone Road A woman was laying in the dirt Calling out for help While ninety-three christians Fourteen muslims And five jews Drove by On a sunny afternoon
When You Need Ideas For Poems
