Archive for January, 2008

Wedding Videography in the Digital Age

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

By Shawn Hickman What’s the state of the wedding videography industry today? To find out, we talked with working wedding videographers, found industry statistics and fleshed out what is undoubtedly a flourishing business in a growing market. Although some might wonder if amateurs are moving in on the pros because of lower-cost gear and easier-to-use software, our consensus of wedding shooters and editors say that isn’t so. We also took a look at the tools wedding videographers are using, and found out how the best wedding videographers are using the Web to open up new avenues of business for their bustling enterprises. To get an idea of the size of the wedding videography market, first let’s take a look at statistics that reveal the enormous amount of money spent on weddings in the United States. According to the American Wedding Study by Conde Nast’s Bridal Infobank, in the last ten years spending on an average wedding has exploded by 50%, to an average of $22,360 per wedding this year, up from $15,208 in 1994. And, according to Richard Markel, President of the Association for Wedding Professionals International, of the $65 billion spent on weddings each year, “6% of the budget would be for video.” Markel added, “But using the 6% of the estimated $65 billion spent will equate out to $390 million.” This signals a wide-open market for wedding videography professionals. Markel continued, “We just had a show here in Sacramento and several of our videographers booked business with an average ticket price of $2,500.” Advertisement Looking at those stats, wedding videography appears to be a growth industry. Let’s do the math for a moment. Consider an experienced videographer , charging $2500 for an average wedding, shooting one wedding per week. In a year, that person has earned $130,000. But that would be a very hard-working videographer — most of the videographers we talked to said they spent up to 40 hours editing each wedding video, meaning a weekly shoot would constitute nearly-constant travail with hardly any time off. One great success story would be that of high-end videographer Kris Malandruccolo, whose company Elegant Videos by Kris has been operating in the Chicago area for the past 16 years. Her business can command as much as $5000 for a wedding video package, and regularly signs contracts for $3000 weddings. But the mother of three doesn’t want to work all the time, so she limits herself. “Someone else could shoot four or five per month. But I average two or three weddings a month,” she told Digital Media Net. According to Luisa Winters, an award-winning videographer and editor who has her own wedding videography business, Unforgettable Events, most wedding videographers charge under $2000 for their services — with higher-end wedding video companies charging as much as $15,000-$20,000. “I do not consider anyone a true professional unless they are able to make enough money to support themselves with this business,” Winters told Digital Media Net. “Anything else is a side business. Supporting a family means different things depending on what part of the country you are located. If you are in a less expensive location, then less income will suffice — and you are still professional,” Winters added. At prices of $2000-$5000 and up, it seems like amateurs would be interested in shooting their own wedding videos, or getting a friend or relative to take the controls of the family camcorder . But Internet message boards for wedding videographers are rife with stories of first-time videographers shooting an entire wedding ceremony with the camcorder on pause, only to find they began rolling after all was said and done, ending up with lots of artistic shots of the floor and nothing else. According to videographer /editor Luisa Winters, “The amateurs are taking a bite out of the wedding videographer business, but that is true only for the lower-end videographers.” She thinks the lower-end shooters make things better for the higher end, increasing the quality gap between the two. “More-educated brides will expect to pay a lot more for a video that looks professional than they were willing to pay before the advent of such inexpensive equipment. The difference between an amateur wedding video and a professional one is huge, and people are willing to pay Top Dollar for the latter.” Sometimes quality considerations can be quite basic, such as, can you hear what the bride and groom are saying? “You really have to worry about the audio part of it, you know. There’s a lot involved,” said Kris Malandruccolo, who in addition to being a successful wedding videographer is president of the Illinois Videographers Association. Is the playing field being leveled by the profusion of low-cost, high quality equipment? According to Winters, “The quality of image and editing capabilities has become less important to the fact that now you have to be a better storyteller, you have to be a better artist… after all, we all have access to pen and paper, but we cannot all write the great American novel, right? Shakespeare and Mozart only had pen and paper to work with, and yet they gave us masterpieces that transcend time. Not all is determined by equipment.” Then there’s the editing, which is a process many newlyweds aren’t equipped to handle. “As you know, anyone in the business who edits knows it’s a time-consuming process,” said Malandruccolo. “I take tons of family videos but none of my personal stuff is edited, because there’s no time. So if I wasn’t getting paid, then I would not be editing, because it’s so time-consuming, especially if you don’t do it all the time. I think a lot of people, especially if they have the money, just want to say ‘do it for me.’” Malandruccolo added that it’s not just the time element that is a barrier to entry, but it’s the professionalism required to create a polished production. “The end result is that you have a better quality video. Like I emphasize to my clients, this is a family heirloom. You only get one shot to do it right, and you can’t do it over, so being that this is a family heirloom, if you look at it that way, then they’re willing to invest the money into it. And I’ve never had a client say that they’re sorry that they spent the money on video. Clients just don’t say that,” added Malandruccolo. Wedding videography has changed significantly over the past 20 years, where digital video shooting and editing has brought highly sophisticated techniques to a type of video production that was once quite basic. In those days it was typical to spend about $1000 on a video that was a simple, point-and-shoot production, with all the editing taking place in the camera . But now, with the power of digital technology, videographers are taking advantage of 3-chip DV camcorders and sophisticated editing setups, resulting in extraordinary productions, many of which are true works of art. For the shooting tasks, most wedding videographers use DV camcorders in the league of the Sony PD150 or VX 2000, Canon XL1 and GL2, or Panasonic 3-chip camcorders such as the AG-DVX100. Said Winters, “Most wedding videographers will use DV for acquisition (3-CCD), which is logical, because the cost is low, the quality is high, and above all, the weight of the camcorder is so low now, that videographers are able to be more creative with the smaller units than they were able to be, say, five or six years ago, when the cameras where huge. No longer do you have to have a big professional-looking camcorder to get good money videotaping weddings. In fact, many clients prefer the smaller units over the bigger ones, because they are less obtrusive.” Another staple of wedding coverage are wireless microphones, usually attached to the groom and strategically placed elsewhere, assuring that the most important words many people will ever speak will be clearly heard on the final product. The biggest technological leap has been in editing, where even unsophisticated computers can create presentations that would have been possible only in a multi-million dollar edit suite 20 years ago. Apple Final Cut Pro is the most popular Mac application for editing, with Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 leading the pack on the Windows side. Other wedding videographers use Sony Vegas, Pinnacle Liquid Edition , Avid Xpress , NewTek Video Toaster, Canopus Edius and others. Some videographers opt for real-time DV acceleration cards such as the RT.X100 from Matrox or the DVStorm2 from Canopus . One constant is obvious throughout the equipment decision arena — people are staunchly devoted to the choices they’ve made. Winters said, “They’re loyal, from fierce arguments about the superiority of an operating system or capture card to the inferiority of the competing product. My personal opinion is less partisan. To me an editing system is a tool and nothing more — whatever works and makes me money is what I will use — and in this case I have chosen Premiere Pro 1.5 and a Matrox RT.X100 capture card. I have both the real time card from Matrox and plain generic FireWire cards.” Another popular technique of today’s wedding videography is multicamera production. At its most rudimentary level, a videographer will operate one camcorder while a second unmanned camcorder is set up on a tripod, taping the event from a different angle. For the reception, most of the time a single camcorder does all the shooting, with the other used as a backup. At its most sophisticated, a multicamera setup works in much the same way a network remote production would be configured, with multiple cameras attached to a switcher located in a separate room outside the venue. A director is in constant contact with each of the three, four or more camera operators via headsets, coordinating their shots while switching live between cameras while rolling tape in each camera for isolated footage that can be added in post. Advanced technology also makes the final product delivered to clients much better, where a high quality DVD is now commonly handed to the client when all the shooting and editing is done. Formerly an extra-cost option for wedding video clients, DVDs have been working their way into the mainstream particularly over the past few years. Said Malandruccolo, “When I first started offering DVDs about three years ago, they were expensive. I had it as an add-on. Not everyone took it because not everyone had a DVD player. It’s amazing how quickly that has changed, because now a lot of couples aren’t even interested in a VHS copy except for Grandma.” It’s not surprising that DVDs have taken over as far as deliverables are concerned. With home DVD player prices now dipping below $50, and many computers including DVD burners and players as standard equipment, DVDs have become a ubiquitous delivery medium for videographers of all kinds. Perhaps the greatest benefit of this is the fact that finally clients can see the true quality of the video, virtually the same as the quality of the camcorder on which it was shot. That represents quite a quality difference from the VHS tapes that were the norm just a few short years ago. “So many times, I was shooting with a 3-chip camcorder , and I would have this beautiful miniDV master, but then the couple’s walking out the door with VHS and I’m putting the master tape in a box in my studio. All that quality would go to waste,” said Malandruccolo. Every wedding videographer is intensely concerned with marketing, and high technology has been a boon to all involved. The biggest plus is the Web, with its ability to bring a tremendous volume of information to anyone with a computer. By far the most important innovation for wedding videography marketing is streaming video. Some reported to us that clients will not consider a videographer unless they can see a streaming video demo of the shooter’s work on the Web. Where in years past a client would need to personally visit numerous videographers to see examples of their work, now a bride-to-be can visit twenty Web sites in an evening, picking a videographer whose style and pricing matches her taste and budget. Streaming video is also important after the wedding is shot as well. According to Richard Markel, President of the Association for Wedding Professionals International, streaming video lets clients show their wedding to the world. “The ability to email or add streaming video to a Web site is awesome — now viewers that could not attend the wedding from around the world — friends and family — can view the wedding wherever they are,” Markel said. The Web has become so important on wedding marketing, that some videographers report a full 50% of their business is attracted via the Web. Clients can see the demo videos, get a price quote, and negotiate the entire shoot without ever seeing the videographer . “A lot of brides complement my Web site,” said Malandruccolo, because they get the instant gratification of seeing samples immediately. “The majority have broadband connections so they can see the sample videos of past projects. I’ve booked brides without even meeting with them, just from them finding my Web site, clicking on the streaming video, calling me, talking price, and they’ll say, ‘All right. Send me a contract.’ I feel if you’re a videographer , if you want to get more business, you need to offer streaming video.” However, the Web isn’t the only way to drum up business. As it has always been, another important tool is referrals, that age-old kind of word-of-mouth advertising where happy customers report their positive (or negative) wedding video results to others looking for the same service. Videographers such as Luisa Winters of Unforgettable Events see the Web as more of a reinforcement tool for referrals than an end-all. “The Web is great, but it is just a means of reinforcing what they have heard already through the referral, or if they are just surfing the net,” she said. According to Winters, “By far, most clientele comes to us resulting from referrals from brides and other vendors — in fact, we do not advertise at all.” Surprisingly, she sees other wedding vendors as her allies, even if they are competing wedding videographers. “Many times my referrals come from other videographers that just cannot do the job for whatever reason — mostly because they are already busy. Referrals, referrals, referrals — that’s the way to go!” Attending a bridal show is another way for videographers to get the word out about their services. Brides-to-be attend these shows to see new trends and pick up ideas, and the number of videographers showing their wares at such events has increased over the years. According to Markel, “I have had videographers in my consumer bridal show over the last 15 years, however it was only one or two at most per show. But that’s changing fast — last week at our show we had 11.” There are also exhibitions that are held specifically for wedding videographers, the biggest being the annual event held by WEVA, the Wedding and Event Videographers Association. Another powerful way to attract attention to a videography business is by advertising in bridal publications. That’s why Illinois Videographers Association president Kris Malandruccolo says it’s a big advantage to be a part of an organization where videographers can band together. “We took out a co-op ad in Chicago Wedding Pages magazine and Wedding Guide Chicago, and in order to be on that co-op ad, you have to be a member of IVA. So we’re able to advertise in magazines for less cost, because we’re all going in on the ads.” But even though Luisa Winters thinks ads are important, she adds that there’s more to it than that. “He or she who markets best, wins,” asserted Winters. “And notice that marketing is not only placing ads, it is building those relationships in the wedding business which will lead to referrals — that is the marketing that counts the most.” All the wedding videographers interviewed were certain that amateurs are not overrunning their businesses in any significant way, although there were numerous examples of “newbies” who made valiant attempts but found out — often too late — that pro-level videography isn’t as easy as it looks. Even though equipment prices and easy-to-use editing software has brought video-making into the mainstream, talent and experience, as well as hard work and shrewd marketing are still scarce qualities that make professional wedding videographers a valuable resource to the multi-billion dollar wedding industry. For more information on wedding videography in Tampa and Orlando, check out http://www.media43.com or call 813-623-3126. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shawn_Hickman http://EzineArticles.com/?Wedding-Videography-in-the-Digital-Age&id=75911 buy phentermine online overnight buy phentermine online ky phentermine com online where to buy herbal phentermine

Sony Ericsson W880i - The Chosen One For Music Lovers

Thursday, January 31st, 2008

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Caitlin_Lucy]Caitlin Lucy Bringing digital music to your ears in the easiest possible way, the highly acclaimed Walkman series has it all to lure music lovers. Although, other handsets manufactures have been also trying hard to match up with the potential of Walkman series, but it has really come a long way. Each and every handset of the elite Walkman series is just superb in itself. Sony Ericsson took the right initiative at the right time and introduced this elite team of music phones, which are duly complemented by high-end functionalities. The Sony Ericsson W880i is also a proud member of this brilliant league with all the right reasons to make you feel really good. So far, things have really gone quite nicely for these music phones. And the Sony Ericsson W880i is right on the track to offer you more that you would love to have in your mobile phone. Besides being a music powerhouse, the Sony Ericsson W880i is also a compatible phone, when it comes in designing. It is endowed with a candy bar design, which has been duly finished up with enticing colours to create that right impact. It also offers a comprehensive range of features to take a very good care of other things. Well, the overall profile of the Sony Ericsson W880i is quite slim and you would certainly wonder that this sleek device can hoard such a substantial stuff. Scoring really on music front, the Sony Ericsson W880i is very well packed up with various features to add all the essential things in its illustrations profile. It is loaded with an improved Walkman media player 2.0, which is capable to play music in various popular formats. It can play all your music with clarity and desired beats. It is also accompanied by a compatible wireless stereo headset, extra memory, graphic equaliser, and a 3.5mm audio jack adapter. Undoubtedly, there are other conventional features of Walkman series with Track ID feature, Mega Bass and Album art. Amidst all these tantrums, we should not forget that the Sony Ericsson W880i is also a 3G enabled handset. Hence, it lets you enjoy video calling like other popular handsets. Specifically for video calling, the Sony Ericsson W880i is endowed with a dedicated VGA camera. Well, there is another 2.0 mega pixels camera, which can grab pictures or videos for you. You can easily download all your favourite stuff with its NetFront browser enjoy music and loads of functionalities with your [http://www.121mobileshop.co.uk/newdeals.asp?id=460]Sony Ericsson W880i. Caitlin Lucy is a Expert Author. She has written good quality articles on [http://www.121mobileshop.co.uk/]T Mobile Phones and [http://www.121mobileshop.co.uk/contract-mobile-phones.asp]Contract Phones Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caitlin_Lucy http://EzineArticles.com/?Sony-Ericsson-W880i—The-Chosen-One-For-Music-Lovers&id=554562 phentermine canada pharmacy phetermine diet pills cheap phentermine on line buy phentermine online consultation

Massachusetts Dog Bite Lawyers

Monday, January 28th, 2008

By Steve Valentino There are about 60 million dogs in the United States, most of which are lovable pets. Unfortunately, at times, these dogs can be ferocious and may bite. According to the Centers for Disease Control the number of dog bites requiring medical attention have been steadily rising. The number of dog bite injuries is more than the reported cases of mumps, measles and whooping cough combined. Each year about 800,000 dog bites occur nationwide that require medical care. The most harsh attacks happen because city resident select large, aggressive breeds of dogs for personal protection. If a dog has bitten anyone, they should see that they gather adequate information about the owner of the dog so as to be fairly compensated with the injury and the medical bills. Most homeowner’s insurance policies provide coverage for these types of cases. Bites from dogs may sound like they are not a big deal, but can result in severe injury and sometimes even a wrongful death claim. In such cases, a client may need a lawyer in order to compensate with the loss that has been caused. Dog bites may generally take place when somebody unknown enters the property of the owner of the dog. If anyone has been bitten by a dog or attacked by any other animal, they may have grounds for a lawsuit. If the client feels that the dog attack was due to negligence - such as not having a proper restriction or failing to properly restrain the animal the dog bite lawyers at Massachusetts help the injured to make a claim for the injury. These dog bite lawyers aggressively fight for compensation for the clients, to pay for the injury. While considering a lawsuit people need to find out a reputed lawyer to fight the cases. Currently, lawyers can be contacted by phone call or through a Web site they are listed on. Massachusetts Lawyers provides detailed information on Massachusetts Lawyers, Massachusetts Real Estate Lawyers, Massachusetts Divorce Lawyers, Massachusetts Personal Injury Lawyers and more. Massachusetts Lawyers is affiliated with Louisiana Real Estate Lawyers. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Valentino http://EzineArticles.com/?Massachusetts-Dog-Bite-Lawyers&id=410274 phentermine com online phentermine without a doctors prescription online pharmacies phentermine phentermine without prescription cod

A Better Body - 5 Easy Steps That Anyone Can Take

Sunday, January 27th, 2008

By Kathryn ONeill If only there were a ‘better body boot camp’, we’d be there every February - before spring started to show itself and those lovely winter jackets had to come off. Although this isn’t a better body boot camp, we can offer you 5 practical steps to a better body. Following these steps at your own pace will help you lose weight, get healthier and be ready for spring when those jackets come off! Step#1: Drink Up! You’ve heard it before: we should all be drinking at least 8-10 cups a day. But are you doing it? Are you spacing your water out through the day? Water will keep you filled up, energized and running efficiently. Lack of water can slow the metabolism and make you confuse thirst for hunger. If there’s one step that’s easy to make on the road to weight loss, it’s to drink more water. Step #2: Move, Move, Move We all know we should probably log more minutes on the treadmill or elliptical machine. But what about building more exercise into your daily life? What about taking the stairs at work or at the mall? Or taking five minutes to dance to your favorite song? Every little bit helps with weight loss so get out there and move! Step #3: Eat Dessert We love dessert. In fact, dessert is usually our favorite part of the meal. It’s logical and natural to want something sweet to balance off that extra cheese lasagna or that chicken and broccoli casserole. But what about having a bowl of sweet red strawberries instead of those brownies? What about sliced apples with cinnamon instead of chocolate chip cookies? Look for ways to build in fruit for dessert instead of sugary snacks and you’ll save a load of calories without feeling deprived of that sweet taste. Step #4: Cut Down Where You Can Ok, so you don’t want to deny yourself the cheesecake or your favorite burger. You have to eat that birthday cake or sample your Aunt Mathilda’s famous chicken pot pie. But do you really need to finish it? Start cutting back on portion sizes now, not denying yourself, but doing what you can - and you’ll find it makes a big difference calorie-wise in the long run. Step #5: Challenge Yourself There are some days where the universe is with you. You can go without that chocolate bar, you can drinks lots of water and you actually want that salad for lunch. Recognize these days for what they are - a chance to leap ahead in your weight loss goals and make up for the times you feel you’ve blown it. Run with it for as long as you can. Challenge yourself to make the healthiest choices possible and soon you’ll be feeling so good about these choices, you’ll want to make more. So there they are: 5 Steps Towards a Better Body. While you may not lose ten pounds in one week following these steps (on the other hand, you might…), they’ll definitely get you started on the road to weight loss, without feeling deprived or hungry. Kathryn O’Neill is a contributing writer to Diet and Weight Loss Reviews. For the latest weight loss tips and diet reviews, visit http://www.freetobethin.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathryn_ONeill http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Better-Body—5-Easy-Steps-That-Anyone-Can-Take&id=28730 phentermine pills without prescription need to buy phentermine online pharmacy for phentermine buy phentermine for cheap

Lose Fat, Not Muscle: How I Stopped My Friend’s Body from Eating Him

Saturday, January 26th, 2008

By Denny Waldarmo My friend, Stefan, came to me with a problem. He had been on a popular diet for about six months, and he looked pretty good. He had dropped 30 pounds and was well on his way to taking off the additional 20 that would bring him to his target weight. But he complained that he was feeling weak much of the time. Carrying heavy boxes or even full bags of groceries from the car to the house taxed his strength in a way it never had before. Stefan wondered if perhaps there was some critical nutrient he wasn’t getting enough of on the diet. Or, was age simply catching up with him? I asked him a few questions, looked him over for a moment or two, and had him perform some simple physical movements. “I have good news and bad news,” I told him. “Bad news first: You’ve not only lost fat on this diet, you’ve lost some muscle. It’s not good to lose muscle.” Stefan’s worried frown revealed that this was not something he wanted to hear. He had lost all that weight in order to look good, feel healthy and be more energetic. Now here I was telling him that he was, in effect, wasting away as a result of his positive intentions. “So what’s the good news?” he asked forlornly. “The good news is you can build your muscles back up and still lose all of the weight you want. You just have to re-orient your activities so that you lose fat, not muscle. Better yet, you need to do some things–and I’m talking exercise–that will make your muscles stronger and bigger even as you continue to take off fat.” Stefan didn’t really want to hear about exercise. He had done well losing weight by dieting alone. I could see he was proud that he had been able to shed an average of five pounds a month while enduring no more exercise than an occasional short stroll around the block. Nevertheless, the news that he was losing muscle was a sufficient shock to get him to agree to let me put him on an exercise program. You see, many people are like my friend. They have the false idea that when you diet, your body consumes its stored fat–and only the fat. The truth is, unless you’re exercising or otherwise being physically quite active, your body on a diet may begin feeding on both fat and muscle. The more severe the diet and the quicker the weight loss. the more danger there is of serious muscle loss. This is turn can actually make it harder for you to lose weight as time goes by. Let’s take a somewhat extreme example to illustrate the problem. It is said there are enough calories in four pounds of body fat to fuel a person for approximately one week. But if you fasted for a week, eating nothing and drinking only water, you would not lose anywhere near four pounds of fat. Your body would instead go into a physiological panic and begin breaking down muscle to meet its energy requirements. Not only that, the decrease in muscle mass would reduce your body’s calorie needs, making it harder to lose weight in the future by dieting! Your real goal in dieting for weight loss is to lose fat while building muscle. You can achieve this through the proper kind of exercise. Working out with weights is a great way to maintain and build your muscles. You don’t have to fancy yourself a bodybuilder or spend hours upon hours in the gym to gain the benefits of weight training. Nor do you need a lot of expensive equipment. You’ll be amazed what a basic set of dumbbells, used for twenty or thirty minutes a day, three days a week, can do. One tip: If you are trying to lose pounds, don’t make the mistake of going overboard with the weight lifting in an attempt to quickly build the biggest muscles you can. You’ll just end up with the opposite problem of my friend Stefan: lots of muscle, with more pounds! Go for fewer sets of a given exercise than the person who is deliberately building massive muscles. If the budding Mr. Universes would normally do four or five sets, you can stop at one or two. I’m happy to report that Stefan today is in better shape than ever. He’s not only reached his target weight, he has the strength and energy to enjoy his trim new body. True, the rate of his weight loss slowed down a bit as he added weight training to his life, but that’s OK. He got where he wanted to go–and didn’t leave his muscles behind in the process. Denny Waldarmo is a fitness coach who writes on exercise and diet topics. For the Solid Gold Info web site, he reviews books and other products related to these topics. If you are seriously interested in losing fat, you must read his recent review of one of the best downloadable e-books on the subject: http://www.Solid-Gold.info/burn-the-fat.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denny_Waldarmo http://EzineArticles.com/?Lose-Fat,-Not-Muscle:-How-I-Stopped-My-Friends-Body-from-Eating-Him&id=264036 buy phentermine with no prescription where can i buy phentermine online phentermine diet pills online buy phentermine with no perscription

Irreversible

Saturday, January 26th, 2008

By Wayne Mitchell My husband had two affairs last year. I am pretty confident he is not cheating now, and we are seeing a marriage counselor. He has changed much since I found out what he was doing. He put our property in my name and bought me a $12,000 diamond ring. He is affectionate to me most of the time. I believe this is proof that he loves me. The problem is I also have proof that he does not love me because he had affairs. So I have proof he loves me and proof he does not love me. Our marriage counselor tells me his affair is in the past, and I agree. The problem of the past is that one second later everything is in the past. To me, saying it is in the past is just a way to excuse anything. You could do almost anything, and then later say it is in the past. If you drive drunk and kill someone, can you say it’s in the past? Just because you do not drive drunk anymore you can never bring that person back to life. It may be in the past, but it has certainly destroyed the future. That is the problem. The therapist wants to focus on the present and future, and consider the affair in the past. If this is a way to move on, then my husband can do almost anything to me and later be forgiven. He can even plan to do something and say to himself later on it will be in the past. Because something happened before and is not happening now is not a good reason to think it will not happen again. For me, because something happened in the past, it is more reasonable to believe it will happen again. After all, if he had not cheated, there would be no past cheating and no reason to say “put it in the past.” Kayla Kayla, your logic is correct, and your therapist’s reasoning is incorrect. As human beings we have to forecast our future in order to understand what we should do today. Your forecast for the future has changed because your husband has sex with other women. His cheating is not in the past, because he can do it again. But there is one thing which is in the past. That one thing is fidelity in your marriage. Fidelity, the unbroken wedding vow, is in the past. It is gone and cannot be regained. Texas Justice Yesterday I caught my girlfriend of two years in bed with my now ex-friend. I walked in and caught them in the act. After beating the hell out of him, I told my girlfriend to go to our house and wait for me. Upon arriving home the question I kept asking is, “Why?” She says she doesn’t know why. We went and saw a counselor that very same day. I told her we could work through this, but after sleeping on it I’m not sure I want to. I guess you could sign me “Cheated on in Texas.” Roy Roy, most people who sleep on a problem wake up just as muddled as they were the night before. But in the course of one night, you gained the insight needed to grasp the end of your relationship. Why do you go to work? Why do you pay your bills? Why do you lock your truck in a bad neighborhood? You know why. When someone is caught doing what they know is wrong, the classic first answer is, “I don’t know why.” Why are there so many “innocent” people in jail? Because once you admit guilt, you must suffer consequences. If you claim innocence, there is a chance you might escape justice. Ultimately, why doesn’t matter. What she did ends the relationship. What she did trumps why she did it. Tamara Direct Answers - Column for the week of November 15, 2004 About The Author Authors and columnists Wayne and Tamara Mitchell can be reached at www.WayneAndTamara.com. Send letters to: Direct Answers, PO Box 964, Springfield, MO 65801 or email: DirectAnswers@WayneAndTamara.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wayne_Mitchell http://EzineArticles.com/?Irreversible&id=22123 viagra uk without prescription generic brands of viagra online citrate nafil purchase sildenafil viagra canadian pharmacy

Dr. Mikao Usui: An Interesting Person In Medicine

Thursday, January 24th, 2008

By Jason Parker Born in Japan 1865, Dr. Mikao Usui was the founder of a natural system of healing called Reiki, involving life force energy and the laying of hands. All his life, Dr. Usui searched for a channel of subtle energy that would allow a healer to give life force energy without his own depleting. As a Buddhist monk, he meditated on top of a mountain for 21 days. On the 21st day, a beam of energy shot through his crown chakra. He discovered the miraculous channel. Reiki can be broken into two wordsRei and Ki. Rei means universalomniscient or everywhere. Ki, like the Chi in Tai-Chi, refers to the subtle life force energy flowing through all living things, sustaining them, quite similar to oxygen but obviously less potent to the senses. Put the two together and we have, Universal Life Force Energy. In 1923 the great Kanto earthquake struck Tokyo, killing over 140,000 people and injuring countless others. Guided by compassion, Dr. Usui traveled to Tokyo and opened a Reiki clinic where he treated thousands. The Japanese government presented Usui with the Kun San To award for his honorable work. The doctors healing society, Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkaimeaning the Usui System of Reiki Healingstill exists today in Japan. In fact, all over the world, including in the United States, people practice Reiki. Sources: The International Center For Reiki Training (http://www.reiki.org) Click Here To Read More By This Author Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Parker http://EzineArticles.com/?Dr.-Mikao-Usui:-An-Interesting-Person-In-Medicine&id=137704 get viagra online get viagra online buy viagra where viagra online purchase

How To Market On The Internet

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008

By Audrey Okaneko Something very strange happens when folks turn on their computers. People who are normally very polite, forget their manners. People who always make sure to mind all their P’s & Q’s suddenly don’t realize there are rules on the internet too. For some reason many folks when they turn on their computer, they shut off their common sense. Imagine you are at a seminar on personal finance. Would you stand up, interrupt the speaker and say “Hey I belong to company XYZ, I’d like you to join me?” For most people reading this article, the answer to that question would be no. If finance isn’t your thing, then imagine yourself sitting at a PTA meeting. Would you jump up and say “Hey everyone I belong to XYZ company, come get a catalog from me”? Again, I’m certain for most the answer is no! The internet is no different than the above two scenarios. If you visit message boards and you jump in with an ad about your company, you will be viewed as rude, and possibly asked not to come back to that community. If you visit chat rooms and come in advertising your company, again, you’ll most likely be asked to leave, and others will view you as inconsiderate. Many folks will say “but the internet gives me such a large audience to market to”. What country do you reside in? Do you not have a huge audience just by the residents of your country? So, what can you do on the internet? Remembering that talking to others is your goal and not blatantly advertising here are some things you can do: 1. Interact and talk with other people on message boards. If you feel your company meets the need of a person on the board, email them personally AFTER you have established an initial relationship with them, and they view you as a friend. Check the message board policies. If a signature line is allowed, then by all means use a non- advertising signature line. 2. Visit chat rooms and talk to people. If this were a party at the neighbors’ house, you would not talk only about your business. You would talk about the weather, politics, etc. Do the same in the chat rooms. Meet people and let people get to know you. 3. Join email groups. As I’ve said before, talk with others. Share your expertise with others. If the group allows, use a signature line with your email address or web address. 4. Many groups allow you to create a profile. Take advantage of this. Include many details about who you are, not just a business pitch. 5. Include a signature line in all your outgoing mail. I am not telling you to spam, I am suggesting that whenever you send email, whether to family friends or whoever, include your signature line with a link to your website. If folks wish to click they will. 6. Write articles for ezines. Publishers are always looking for fresh content and many welcome articles written by others. A brief bio is usually allowed with your article. Above all, use your common sense. Don’t do something online that you wouldn’t do offline. Audrey Okaneko has been working from home since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.scrapping-made-simple.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Audrey_Okaneko http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Market-On-The-Internet&id=210631 cheap fioricet soma tramadol viagra drug manufacturers buy softtabs viagra buying viagra online in australia viagra available at boots online

20 Powerful Tips For Advancing Your Career

Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008

By Bonnie Lowe You don’t want to stay in your current position forever… you want to move up! Here are 20 ways to boost your chances of getting that nice promotion: Do more than is expected of you. Prove that you’re capable of handing more responsibility. Volunteer for special assignments. Take initiative and do what needs to be done, before being asked. Learn the skills you’ll need to advance. Take advantage of on-the-job training, but don’t rely exclusively on that. Consider taking (and paying for) skill-enhancing courses on your own. Be loyal to your boss, your team, and your company. (Yes, you can be loyal without being a “brown-noser.”) Be patient and don’t expect to be promoted without demonstrating your abilities over time. View the big picture and understand your company’s mission. Find ways to help them accomplish it. Save money for your company by identifying ways to boost revenues, reduce expenses, or streamline processes. Offer solutions to the problems you must take to your boss.Show respect to everyone — superiors, peers, subordinates, and especially customers. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know.” If you don’t know something, say so; don’t try to fake it. Find the answers you need. Take responsibility for your actions. If you’re at fault, admit it and take the blame. If you’re wrong, apologize. Never gossip. Gossip can hurt the careers of two people: the person being talked about, and the person doing the talking. Never say “That’s not my job.” Don’t think you are above anything. Pitch in and set a good example, especially if the job is one that nobody else wants to do. Your willingness to do so will be noticed and appreciated! Share the credit. People who share credit with others make a much better impression than those who take all the credit themselves. Ask for help when you need it. Don’t let a difficult task get out of hand. When you need help, ask for it — before things get worse. Keep your dislike to yourself. If you don’t like someone, don’t let it show. Never burn bridges or offend others as you move ahead in your career. Don’t hold grudges. Life isn’t always fair. If you were passed over for promotion, didn’t get the project you wanted, etc., let it go. Be gracious and diplomatic, focus on the future and move on. Harboring grudges won’t advance your career. Be humble. When you’re right, don’t gloat about it. Never say “I told you so!” Make others feel important. Compliment others, emphasize their strengths and contributions, and help them whenever you can. They will enthusiastically help you in return. Join associations and professional organizations related to your career. In addition to helping you learn more about your industry, this can provide invaluable networking opportunities. (Which might come in handy if your employer isn’t promoting!) You may reprint/republish this article if you include my name and a link to this website. Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, “Career-Life Times.” Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bonnie_Lowe http://EzineArticles.com/?20-Powerful-Tips-For-Advancing-Your-Career&id=8158 xanax without a prescription cheap purchase the drug xanax online cheap xanax without a prescription purchase xanax without a prescription

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Rosary Beads

Monday, January 21st, 2008

By Kristy Annely The use of a rosary originated in the third and fourth centuries. At that time, common people were able to recite short prayers but were unable to read or write. In order to maintain a record of how many times one prayed people used knots or pebbles for each prayer. Saint Dominic started the use of a form of the rosary in the 13th century. This design was constantly altered through the centuries, but by the Renaissance period, it developed into what we use today. When one mentions a rosary, it could refer both to an object and a set of prayers and meditations. A string of beads is used to pray the rosary along with the recital of a sequence of prayers and meditations on the life of Jesus Christ and his mother, the Virgin Mary. The rosary is very important to Roman Catholics, who consider it holy. Pious Catholics use it as a means of thought and reflection and as a daily and methodical approach towards prayer. As an object, the rosary is a string of beads. These beads are arranged in five sets of ten, popularly termed as decades. In most rosaries, a larger bead or an additional decoration separates each set. The beads end in a small pendant with Virgin Marys picture. This is followed with a short string of one bead, three beads and one bead placed at small intervals. At the end of this formation, one will find a small, suspended crucifix. Rosary prayers are counted on the beads. While praying, many dedicated believers use this moment of peace to meditate on certain chapters of the Bible. Rosary beads can be obtained at Catholic bookstores and churches. While purchasing one, it may be good to purchase a booklet on praying the rosary, as well as meditations and articles relating to it. A rosary is a very personal object and praying the rosary can be an enlightening experience that encourages peoples belief in God and helps build inner strength. Rosary provides detailed information on Rosary, Rosary Beads, How To Pray The Rosary, Holy Rosary and more. Rosary is affiliated with Online Bible Study. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely http://EzineArticles.com/?Everything-You-Ever-Wanted-To-Know-About-Rosary-Beads&id=271307 valium xanax hydrocodone online purchase no prescriptions needed fast shipping xanax valium cheap prescription xanax usa online prescription buy xanax valium zolpidem ambien