Sunday, 23 December 2012

Can You Dream Again?

There were times when it was possible to say "hi" with a smile to just about anyone in your village; those were the days when love ruled all the way. Things have since changed and now you barely say hi to anyone. What happened? The truth of the case is not easy to just put down on paper but it is not unknown is it. The answer is simple: you became what you feared and you are now full of shame. Your innocence is now gone. You are not a virgin anymore, you are yet to marry, you barely make enough to survive and the people you looked down on as simple dreamers with simple dreams are the one now calling the shots.

What happened is you lost track of your dream. your intentions were beautiful like new stars and the freshness with which you approached your dreams was just something that should have been in everyone and everything, but along the way, as you walked the thin, thorn strewed path toward your treasure land, sweet fruits along the way called and caught your attention and the simple treasure that are always to be found as the wayfarer makes his way towards the candy shop stole your attention and as your lingered there, your thirst for dreaming was quenched and your hunger foe success was temporary lifted and that is how you lost you way.

Summer Dance Camp - Reasons to Attend, Points to Consider Today

Are you interested in attending a summer dance camp? Is this something that your child has been talking about? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you need to do some homework before deciding for or against this. Most people realize sooner rather than later that this is a good idea, thanks to the many benefits.
No matter where you live, it is safe to say that you can find at least one dance camp in your area. For example, Austin dance camps are very popular. When you live in or around this city, you will have several options.
There are many good reasons to attend this type of camp:
1. A productive way to spend the summer. Let's face it: entirely too many children are wasting time during the summer months. Many of them sit inside, one day after the next, and do nothing more than play video games or use the computer. While there is nothing wrong with this from time to time, it is also important to get out of the house.
2. Exercise is important. It can be extremely unhealthy for a child to stay inside all day, without getting any exercise. Fortunately, those who attend a dance camp will always be on the move.
3. Meet others with the same interests. It is difficult for some children to make friends. When attending a summer dance camp this is no longer a problem. Instead, it is easy for everybody to make friends and communicate with people who have the same interests as them.
Now that you know more about the benefits associated with a summer dance camp, it is time to consider moving forward on this idea. Before you do anything, though, you should focus on these three details:
1. Dates. You have to know how long the camp is going to last. Some are longer than others, so keep this detail in mind as you compare your options.
2. Cost. Like most parents, you are probably interested in learning more about how much the camp will set you back. Although you are required to pay a fee, you have to consider what you are getting in return for the money.
3. Schedule. How long does the camp last? What days of the week will your child attend? For how many hours will they receive instruction every day? These are the types of questions to answer as they pertain to the schedule.
Over the past few years, a growing number of people have become involved with summer dance camp. If your child has asked about this, you can begin to learn more by scouring the internet for local information.
With so many benefits, you should at least consider a summer dance camp for your child.

Free Modeling Agencies

Most of the time people think of free modeling agencies as agencies that don't charge any upfront fees or make models take required modeling courses or pay for photo shoots before they can be represented by the agency.

Having to pay for mandatory courses or photo shoots are things to watch out for. Models should never be required to take a course or shoot with a particular photographer in order to be represented. Having said that, there is nothing wrong with agencies recommending preferred photographers that they would like you to shoot with. Use your best judgement in this case. Is the agency insisting that you use their "in-house" photographer or is the photographer someone who regularly shoots models for a variety of agencies? "In-house" photographers can signal a problem, but referrals to preferred photographers generally does not.

Does An Upfront Fee Make The Agency A Scam?

No, not necessarily. Just because an agency expects you to cover your initial start-up costs or they have a reasonable fee to join does not automatically make it a scam. The key word here is "reasonable". A couple of hundred dollars or less is one thing - a few thousand is another. No new model should ever pay thousands of dollars to start a modeling career.

5 Reasons To Rent A Bounce House During The Winter Months

For years, children have loved jumping on bounce houses for every occasion. It's true that the Summer months are our industry's busiest months. But, it doesn't matter if the weather is 100 degrees outside or 100 below freezing (okay that might be a bit too cold to enjoy a bounce house rental), children love partying on bounce house rentals for any number of reasons. Here are five reasons that you should consider renting a bounce house this winter.

1) Children's birthday parties: Parties are always fun with an inflatable rental, no matter the time of year. Unlike adults, children aren't affected by the cold so easily. Jumping in an inflatable rental burns lots of calories and helps warm the body. Besides, is it fair that only the summer birthday kids can jump and slide for their birthday parties? I say no! Equal the playing field by renting a moonwalk for your next winter birthday party. Just tell the kids to wear an extra pair of socks, and they'll love every minute of it!

2) Winter festivals at church: Tons of churches across the nation (and world for that matter) are gearing up for their winter festivals. Moonwalk rentals, along with inflatable slide rentals and other inflatable games are a perfect way to make your winter festival a smash hit! You will draw a larger attendance to your church event when you offer inflatable rentals for the children to play on. Why? Because children love them, and parents love having safe alternatives for their children during this hectic time of year.

Break Free From Your Chain of Labels

CHAIN, CHAIN, CHAIN... CHAIN, CHAIN, CHAIN... CHAIN, CHAIN, CHAIN... CHAIN OF FOOLS. DO YOU REMEMBER THIS GREAT SONG FROM ARETHA FRANKLIN? How many women do you think identify with it???

If there is one LESSON I wish I would have gotten earlier in my life, it would be to break free from the chains of NEGATIVE LABELS myself and society put on my life.

Can you believe... she's divorced again... I don't want to be single... Oh, I feel sorry for her, she can't have kids, she's an idiot to go back to him... man, can you believe how much weight she's gained... she is really looking old... boy, what a fool! You get the picture??? That is my story!

What's your story? Were you called stupid as a child or by a husband? Did you file for bankruptcy? Have you never been married and labelled as an old maid? Have you never had children? Whatever the label, we most often identify with the negative emotion attached to harsh, cruel, unthoughtful words said about us.

How unfortunate that we let other people's words or our own, have such a hold on our lives! They may be true circumstances but they are not who we are. Like a broken record, you replay it over and over in your mind and before you know it you start believing it. If you continue to wear the label, your chain will get tighter and tighter until you're ready to snap.

You can break free and if you must wear a label, at least, wear one that tells the truth about who you are. If not, you will remain held captive and locked in your chain of labels possibly the rest of your life.

Fun Designing Customized Playing Cards

There are quite a lot of people turning to customized playing cards to establish their individuality these days. Whether they are professional poker players who wish to advertise for their sponsors, an average Joe looking for a creative outlet for some old school playing with friends and family, or even personalizing a deck of cards for someone special. Originality is not yet lost for card fanatics and people longing to express their ideas in a different and fun way.

The first step to personalizing one's cards is to decide what would most fit the subject's needs; what topic or design would be most beneficial to the "cause". There are several websites that will allow one to create a design of their own and submit them for approval and printing. This is not unlike designing an original tattoo or business logo, the design belongs to the artist only. Painting the canvas for one's own deck of playing cards is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. The possibilities are endless for an original design.

Mental Gymnastics: Becoming a Mental Powerhouse! Part II

Mental lethargy is the reason the U.S. has fallen from being the most respected nation in the world. There is an outcry against the physical lethargy in this country and there are many organizations that are seeking to correct that. But, few people are triumphing the stimulating of the mental energies! What can you do to help yourself and others?

1) Live intentionally. I recently read an article by Deepak Chopra on LinkedIn about living consciously. What he said makes so much sense to me because it's the same thing I have taught for years. As you read in Part I of this series, I believe that most people live life unconsciously, without much thought. What this means is that most people don't know their true purpose for being. Or, if they do, they aren't living congruent with their purpose. So, living intentionally and with your real purpose is the basis for becoming a mental powerhouse. It gives you direction and meaning.

2) Require excellence from yourself and what you do. I was rather inspired by a conversation I recently had with a new acquaintance. During our hour-long conversation, he repeatedly used the word "excellence" when describing what he wants to be, wants to do, even who he chooses to have as clients he requires that they are wanting to achieve excellence. By excellence, I don't mean being nit-picky and fault-finding. People like that are gutless individuals that are looking for an easy way out or to tear someone else down to their level. Synonyms for excellence are: fineness, brilliance, distinction and quality. When you require excellence from yourself, it means that you aren't going to settle for the mundane, like what I described in Part I. You will be looking to find the next gem, the next nugget of life that will raise you up, make you shine, and distinguish you from your peers.