Archive for the ‘Finds over the WWW’ Category

When I was young, there was an old practice passed on to me. It said that whenever I want to feel or call on the wind, all I have to do is whistle and I will instantly feel a breeze. I don’t know why but it has worked every single time. Now, it has been said that wind chimes bring the same kind of thing, only it comes with luck too. As far back as the second century, wind chimes were being hung on Japanese pagodas with the intent of scaring away evil spirits and birds. They are considered to be good luck charms, and are used often in Feng Shui.

What is great about wind chimes is that it can be placed indoors or outdoors and not only prettifies a place (be it a garden or patio), it can be quite considerably cheap too. You should also take note that wind chimes, for it to be effectively used, needs to be placed in an area  where wind blows from moderate to slightly frequent. You can bamboo wind chimes placed on trees or along lamp posts in your lawn or garden area.

There are a lot of types of wind chimes. The bamboo ones are considered the cheapest while aluminum wind chimes can be customized to mimic the sounds of sweet Corinthian Bells, traditional Irish airs or the tinkling keys of a piano.

Metal wind chimes will be the most durable, and will produce the best tones. They’re weather resistant and won’t rust, and can even be tuned to produce specific melodies. Ceramic or glass chimes will be the most aesthetically pleasing, but better suited for indoor or decorative use. Bamboo chimes aren’t as durable, but will produce very soothing, deep, resonant tones reminiscent of rain or rolling thunder.

We all enjoy BBQ parties – the camaraderie, the weather (if it’s done outdoors) and of course the food! I especially like grilled food because it is so easy to cook that you can pass the responsibility to your husband. And the fact you can cook everything on a BBQ grill – meat, pork, chicken, corn, veggies (kebabs!), hotdogs, seafood, the list is endless.

It’s no surprise then that there are families who would invest on lynx grills, the best grills in the market according to reviews. Having a BBQ grill saves time on last minute dinners, entertains guests easily at home and not to mention, gives a great feast.

Some take into consideration cost, functionality, ease of cleaning and taste when buying a grill.

Cost:
Most families take this as the top most consideration when buying grills. Gas grills cost more than electric and charcoal grills. Many families buy charcoal grills as it is the cheapest, but charcoal won’t save you money in the long run. Charcoal is more expensive than fuel. You will spend much more money on charcoal than you will on gas down the road when you are having a BBQ. Electric grills are not that expensive and most families with a small space in their house use this.

Taste:
There are people who say grilled food taste differently depending on how and where it is grilled. A charcoal grill or pellet grill should be your selection if taste/flavor is at the top or your list. It is even said that choosing a certain type of wood to smoke or a certain type of charcoal that will give you the flavor you are looking for. Ever read "smoked" ribs or salmon when dining out in restaurants? Consider a gas grill though when you need quick cooking.

Additional Features:
Gas grills like fire magic grills can have side burners, rotisserie kits, and multiple burners which allow you more cooking space and the ability to cook other types of food at the same time.

Happy grilling!

I was browsing some diet supplements when I chanced upon this article defining the 00’s. I thought it was a nice read.

No one is quite sure yet what this last decade will be called as we move forward and start trying to define, understand, and compartmentalize it. The ’80s were all about big hair, glam rock, and general excess. The ’90s were the decade of grunge, flannel, and angst. What will we collectively decide the ’00s were all about? And how will we pronounce it?

I say we should all band together and call this departing decade the "ohs." None of this "noughties" or "two-thousands" nonsense. Who’s with me?

On that note, here is my non-comprehensive list of items that have characterized the ’00s. What would you add to it?

1. The cell-phone explosion. I got my first cell phone in 1999, and I knew plenty of people who were still vehemently resisting the trend. "I’ve survived this long without one," they’d say, just before capitulating and becoming instantly dependent.
2. Closely related to item #1 is the rise of texting. It’s so convenient. So pervasive. So annoying.
3. Text and e-mail shorthand. LMAO! ROFL!
4. Capri pants. How I shall be sad to see them go away. (Or have they already? Not in my wardrobe.)
5. Apple mania. The iPod, the iPhone, the iMac, the iEverything. I’ve heard it suggested that we call the ’00s the iDecade (for more reasons than Apple alone).

6. Customization. Get your purple iPod, your designer M&Ms, your photo on a Kleenex box.

7. Google and the verbification thereof. "Hang on, let me google that for you…"

8. High heels with jeans. In particular, ridiculously impractical pointy-toe high heels.

9. The rise of the entitled generation. Go ahead, google this phrase; you’ll get 14.6 million results. (Members of the entitled generation do NOT realize that they’re entitled, so shhh…)

10. Empire-waist tops and skinny jeans. I hope empire-waist tops stick around for another decade. For once, there’s a trend that flatters my body—and pretty much everybody’s body.

11. The return of bangs. Come on, how many of us finally tried some softly sideswept bangs after eschewing them for two decades because of the bang nightmare of the ’80s? Thanks Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Garner!

15. The rumpled, tousled look in men’s hair. (And I’m not just talking about Robert Pattinson. Think Jason Bateman, Matthew McConaughey, Prince William.)

13. Self-publishing. Everyone’s blogging, vlogging, posting to YouTube, broadcasting who they are and what they’re doing at every minute of the day.

14. Along the same lines as #12, we have: connectivity. Cell phones, Blackberries, iPhones, laptops, linkedin.com, myspace.com, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter. The ’00s were all about being plugged in and hooked up.

15. Red Mini Coopers and lime green VW Beetles: the iconic ’00s cars. Right?

16. Out-of-control neologisms. (Neologism = newly coined word.) You know what I’m talking about: "metrosexual," "Bennifer," "Brangelina," "fugly," "staycation," "womenomics," and the list goes endlessly on.

17. Domesticity, ruffly aprons, everyday gourmet, Rachel Ray.

18. Oprah verging on becoming a supernatural being. Back in the ’90s, who could have predicted the power Oprah would one day wield? (Besides Oprah herself, that is.)

19. Environmentalism. Green is the new black.

20. The cult of creativity. Everything’s handmade, homemade, self-made, DIY. I place scrapbooking firmly in this category, thanks in part to the proliferation of digital cameras. Go ahead, embrace that inner artist!

A few friends have been talking about setting up a dreamboard for themselves this year. Many have been saying it has been quite effective in making “their dreams come true” – and it is something worth trying. Not even the best fat burner can help me lose weight – maybe a little more motivation and inspiration will help?

Setting goals is something we are all familiar with. In fact, it’s almost become a cliche that some people no longer pay attention to. Making a dream board can take the cliche out of setting your life goals, and can even help you to accomplish those goals.

1. You can either gather use magazines or image websites. If you choose to use magazines, you should use different types, covering all the topics that you are interested in.

2. Go through each magazine and cut out any random pictures that appeal to you. Allow your mind to wander and follow your instinct. Find bright, colorful images that make you feel fantastic or get you thinking about what life could be like if it were you in that picture. Try to minimize the words that you cut out.

3. Purchase a magnetic board or a large blank painting canvas that is pre-strung on a timber frame and paper glue. These are inexpensive and available at a local art store. (A good size is 1m x 1.5m.)

4. Cut out the pictures neatly and stick them on your board.

5. Place the dream board beside your bed or in your office and look at it at least twice a day for about 5 minutes. Enjoy the images, enjoy your work and imagine yourself leading the life that is in your dream board.

6. You will notice in the following 12 months that you are starting to achieve some of the dreams you have stuck on your board.

If you believe in horoscopes or are curious as to what lies ahead for you this year – look no more. Whether you are a celebrity, housewife or energy auditor, you can see what is in store for you in this year of the tiger! 

TIGER
1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010

Zodiac’s Nature:

Unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian, generous. Can be restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, selfish, aggressive.

2010 is the year of the Golden Tiger so people born in the year of the Tiger are said to be offending the Grand Duke (Tai Suey Wu Hang) of the year and this will usher in inauspicious and difficult periods from time to time throughout the year. It is important that they should try to avoid going to funerals or attending wakes. If it cannot be avoided then they should not go home or go back to the office directly from the funeral or wake. Instead, they should stop by a restaurant or a crowded area along the way like a supermarket or a shopping mall. This is symbolic of shedding off the bad luck or negative energy in another place and not bringing it back to home or to the office. Then they must bathe with water that has been boiled with pomelo leaves to minimize their bad luck.

Tigers are offending the Tai Suey this year; scientifically they are affected by the unseen negative force from Jupiter on the Earth at 60 degrees Northeast. So, there are many unlucky stars that are gathered under their sign and present in their life cycle in year 2010, there is also a lack of lucky stars. They will face many problems and persecutions both in their work and private life. Thus, they should handle their work cautiously to avoid great failures.

In general, 2010 is not a good year for Tiger people, due to the influence of the planet Jupiter, thus Tigers should be flexible to cope with the sudden changes during the year. They have to mind their own business to avoid getting involved in disputes. They should steer clear from rumors and gossip. Beware of road safety to avoid accident. They will have some movement this year which translates as a chance to move house, change career or travel etc. However, it is important to keep in mind that they have to be more patient, keep a low profile and avoid conflict with people. Tigers should try to be humble enough to accept advice from older people because they must understand that experience cannot be purchased. A Chinese proverb says: “With one careless move, the whole game is over” and “There is always a person above the other”.

Although Tigers offend the Tai Suey this year, they will have a Powerful Star under their sign so that they can delegate and they will have more authority in their work. Conversely, they will face more challenges and annoyances that will cause them to have more stress and pressure. To conquer all the coming challenges, they should relax more and lift up their fighting spirit.

Financially, money luck is easy come and easy go; they can hardly save money this year. Therefore, they should be more conservative in handling their business and financial affairs especially in the lunar months of January, April and July. It is not a good year to start a new business or undergo expansion unless they are Tigers born in the lunar months of July, August, September, November and December. For these Tigers, they will have better luck this year and their chances of success are big.

Thus, these Tigers should treasure the timing and be alert to grasp opportunities to exhibit their talents throughout the year. Tigers should not be greedy because as I’ve said every year “Being too greedy will cause one to be poor” and will also cause bad luck to follow soon after. You can see in the year 2009 Year of the Earth Ox, if people were not too greedy for high interest returns then they would not have lost all their money in the stock market and other investments which in turn greatly contributed to the global crisis. So, it is absolutely not lucky for Tigers to invest in the stock market. Keep away from gambling and beware of money traps especially when engaged in contract signing. It is important not to lend money or be a loan guarantor otherwise they will suffer in the months to come. Instead, Tigers have to march, step by step to be successful this year.

In love affairs, this is not a romantic year for Tigers and they should not expect too much. They will easily have misunderstandings. Apart from this, they are quite emotional, jealous and suspicious. So, they should keep a clear mind since this will help them have a stable relationship. They have to be especially cautious in the lunar months of January, April, July and August. Regarding health, due to the influence of the unlucky stars; they should keep away from sharp objects and beware especially of road safety. Pay special attention when driving in the highway and avoid talking on the phone or texting while driving. Try to avoid any dangerous sports. Be cautious in the lunar months of January, April, May, June, July, August and October. It is important to do more exercise and be patient to avoid struggling with people. The younger generation of Tigers especially should avoid having too much nightlife since this is the way to avoid unnecessary troubles. Apart from this, Tigers should avoid visiting patients and attending funerals or wakes. For their protection, they have to carry a “Safety Medallion”, and a “White Jade Gourd” to avoid accidents. Try to have a blood test or donate blood in the beginning of this year after February 4, 2010. Do more charity. If possible, eat more vegetables than meat. Keeping happy always will help Tigers have better luck.

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Getting on the web is the money making trend right now.

I clearly remember the day a cousin of mine quit his job, sold his house and set up his e-commerce business online. For me, it was like a kiss of death at that time. I would not want to risk being bankrupt and up to ears in debt by starting a business that I am not sure will be a hit. But that is what he did, he sold everything he had so he can start his business and two years later, he owns a bigger house, can travel all around the world while working and works in pajamas sitting in the couch.

Online businesses are thriving these days but before you quit your job to jump in on the trend, you need to know that it’s hard work. You are literally competing with millions of web sites with micro-businesses in the world wide web. You need all the help you can get. Boston Search Engine Optimization company like Brand Identity Guru (BIG) can help you. Advertising plays a crucial role in businesses. In the internet, advertising is quite complex as it involved your business placed on top search results in bigwig search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN. For you to be able to ensure your biz gets included in the top 10, you need to optimize your site with the right keywords so crawlers of search engines can pick it up. Companies like BIG do that work for you.

This is a sponsored post.

Twitter has defined a new whole concept in blogging, or telling the world what you are doing, in 140 characters or less. I have been on Twitter since 2007, long before it became mainstream and I am somehow frustrated nowadays when it conks out due to over activity.

I would like to collect my life’s microblogging snippets one day. I have a lot of little quotes from my kids there and since I am on different laptops everyday, it is my way to stay sane, despite the craziness of my everyday.

If you are like me, you are extremely lazy when it comes to giving gifts this Christmas. Do not get me wrong – I think about them as early as September but I am a perfectionist and procastinator to the core. I want each gift to be well-thought of but I end up deciding to order them at a later date when it is no longer physically possible to make it in time from Christmas – so I end up not giving gifts this season. Again, for the nth year.

If I had known about the discount printing offered by PSPrint, I would have ordered calendars, post cards and greeting cards this Christmas. Calendars are 25% off, greeting cards 40% off (Maybe I should order in time for Valentine’s Day?) and postcards are 60% off. Their calendars would be the perfect gift to my husband’s colleagues at work – they have individual workstations and it will fit in nicely.

Their greeting cards come in different sizes and folds too – this will be perfect for people who send cards traditionally to all relatives and friends every season.

• 7" x 5" (folds to 3.5" x 5")
  8.5" x 6" (folds  to 4.25" x 6")
  10" x 7" (folds to (5" x 7")

Five years ago, I was a gym rat, for purposes of being able to have access 24 hours to a steam room and sauna. For the two years I’ve gone to the gym, I spent more time in the steam room and sauna than running on the treadmill, using the Stairmaster and lifting weights. And I credit that to my weight loss and clear skin.

Saunas have proven to aid in detoxification and burning of calories which in turn help skin purification and relief for cardiovascular and arthritis pain. It is actually better to use infrared saunas as they are proven to burn as many as 300 to 600 calories during a session. WOW! That is more calories I can burn walking in the treadmill for an hour. It is also said that those who use them lose 80-85% water–the rest being composed of cholesterol, fat-soluble toxins, heavy metals (such as mercury and cadmium), sulfuric acid, ammonia, sodium, and uric acid as opposed to the box of hot rocks sauna which is 95-97% water.

Crystal Sauna has different types available to the market. I would definitely get the Family Series for us if I had the money and space in the house.