Wealth Building Habits and Tips

If you want to be successful, you need mentors or in other words find people that have succeeded. These people can include the ultra rich like Bill Gates or Warren Buffett, but don't forget about the people around you that have created good wealth building habits.

Some of the people have great advice and will need to be listened to very intently, while others need to be put on a list and never spoken to again. If you're going to be developing wealth building habits, you're going to need some advice from wealthy people. Let me make myself clear, when I'm talking about developing wealth building habits, I'm not talking about spiritual, knowledge, Biblical or religious wealth. I'm talking about making money, as much money as you desire or feel you need.

Wealth building habits start with you. Ask yourself this question "how bad do I want or desire wealth?" Really, really, really bad or are you the kind of person that would like to be rich, but that's as far as it goes. Developing any of these habits does not include sleeping in until 11 o'clock in the morning and then complaining the rest of the day about your finances.

Bill Gates used to work 16 hours a day. How many days a week did he do that? These are the questions you're going to find the answers to. If you're interested in making $50 million, you need to find someone who can teach you, how to make $50 million.

It won't be necessary to contact Warren Buffett but I would advise you to gather as much information about him as possible. Wealth building habits start with learning about wealthy people. If they get up at four o'clock in the morning and read the newspaper until six o'clock, then exercise for 30 minutes and start working at seven o'clock, you need to start doing this also. Developing good wealth building habits over time are what most successful businessman and women have been doing for years. Study their habits and start changing yours.

If you do something every day, it will usually become a habit within 30 days.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a self help video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Randy Alcorn
Why Do People Go To Church

Organize Your Way Out of the House

You see all sorts of wonderful organizing ideas for kid's play rooms or nifty gadgets to help you organize the kitchen, but what about wonderful solutions to get you out of the house with your sanity, your hair, and all of the things you need? Have you ever thought about the mental checklist you do before you actual leave the house in the morning?

Keys - Check

Phone - Check

Purse - Got it

Kids - Yep

Backpacks - Sure enough

With a final holler at the kids, "Do you have your homework and lunches?" you are running out the door to start your day. Most of the time it works like magic, except when it comes to going grocery shopping and you forget your list, stopping by the dry cleaners totally vacates your brain, and you still have not remembered to grab the blender from last Christmas to take it back to the store.

Sure, having nifty organizing systems for your linen closet is loads of fun, but how about the organizing system for your errands? Not only is this just as important, this solution can actually save or give you money back! Now THAT is a great organizational system.

Let's go ahead and start by finding the perfect staging area. When I say staging area, I mean we need to find a location in your house that you pass by every time you go to get into the car. Do you leave your house through the garage, laundry room, front door, or side door? Whatever door you leave from should be the designated staging area or the base of operations.

What sort of things do you currently leave the house with?

1. Keys
2. Phone
3. Purse
4. Dry cleaning
5. Grocery list
6. Returns
7. Mail

How much room do you currently have at your disposal to use for our base of operations? This includes wall space, floor area, shelving, etc. we can utilize.

Keeping those three items in mind, let's figure out some simple solutions to help you get out of the house quickly with everything you need.

My family and I leave the house from the front door, but we do not have anything close to resembling an entry way. Instead we have a little hall way that either opens into the living room or the dining room. Not the most inviting entry into a home, but my husband did have this skinny tall table that he made in Shop class in high school. We re-stained the table and placed in up against the wall in front of the door. I have a cute little pail we use to put our keys in, another matching pail to place our incoming mail and yet another one for the outgoing mail. Underneath the table, I leave my purse along with any returns I need to take back. This includes things I need to drop off to my family and friends. I do keep my dry cleaning bag in my bedroom, but when it's time to take it to the cleaners I drop it on the floor, under the table and next to my purse. I can't forget the bag even if I wanted to, since it is right next to my purse! The best part about this system is you can use it anywhere in your home as long as you have room to put a thin table up against the wall.

However, sometimes you don't even have that much space to spare, especially if you come in from the garage through the laundry room. One of my clients had such a problem in her laundry room. She barely had room to open the door so putting a long skinny table was definitely out of the question. Instead, we found a very tall bathroom shelving unit. The shelving unit is about 6 feet tall with little shelves and a very pretty white decorative wood. On the lower shelves, she placed her returns. On the hand height shelves, she used two baskets on two shelves; one for incoming mail and the other for outgoing mail. She loved the idea of having a charging station for everyone's phones, so we created one of our own. We drilled some holes in the back of the shelf, brought up an extension strip and created a cute little charging station for 3 cell phones, 2 iPods, and 2 Bluetooth ear pieces. Since we essentially ran out of shelf space, we drilled a few more holes into the side of the unit and placed some cute little hooks for keys and a heavy duty hook for her purse and umbrellas.

In both cases, we put everything we needed in one place so we didn't have to worry about forgetting to grab the dry cleaning, yet again! There was no need to hunt around the house for our lost purse and if there was something in the bucket that said Out Going Mail whoever was leaving the house would see it! Whether would actually TAKE it to the mailbox was another thing, but still!

So think about what you need, where the logical place to set up shop is, and how much space you require and create a little space of organizational perfection in your house!

Happy Organizing!

Suzanne McLoone

Let's Talk Organizing

For over 20 years, Suzanne has been helping corporations and small businesses organize their time so they can spend more time and energy doing the things that are most important to them. With a philosophy of "life is too short", she thrives on making the most of her time and trying to encourage those around her to do the same.

As an organizational consultant, public speaker, and former radio talk show host; Suzanne has been offering her Organizational Quick Tips to anyone and everyone who will stand still and listen for "30-seconds". http://www.letstalkorganizing.blogspot.com

The Importance of Becoming Emotionally Self Aware

Emotional self-awareness is the foundational competency of the Emotional Intelligence (EI) model I have worked with for over a decade. This competency provides a solid base upon which to build and enhance Emotional Intelligence competencies including emotional self-management, emotional self-motivation, empathy and nurturing relationships. Yet many of us go through our day unaware and very accepting of the emotional roller coaster daily events evoke. And without recognizing where we are expending our emotional energy, it becomes difficult to progress to developing other EI competencies.

As we all deal with stress on a daily basis, we become accustomed to the pressures and hardly notice when the heat is turned up. Our stress levels rise when we experience negative emotions and are unable to cope with the challenges of our environment. We've all heard of the damaging effects of stress, but what's surprising is that many people don't realize they are experiencing negative emotions. If you don't know what emotion you're feeling, you don't have the information you need to decide whether to stay in that emotion or change or transform it.

Jane's Story:

One of my EI workshop participants, Jane (not her real name) worked in a technical field. It seemed far-fetched to Jane that emotions and emotional intelligence could be important to performance. The concept that emotions played no role in her work was reinforced by both the company culture and the extremely objective, rational nature of her profession. This impression also carried over into her personal life. When we had our goal-setting interview before the workshop, Jane told me that she didn't notice emotions and emotions played no role in her work. She also told me that her colleagues were difficult to work with. Disconnected from her emotions, Jane didn't see the emotional impact she had on others. Additionally, her boss perceived Jane as causing all her problems. He felt the difficulties Jane was having were due to her distant behavior and lack of emotional self-awareness and insensitivity to others.

During and after our first training session, Jane started practicing techniques to help her become more aware of her emotions. At our first coaching session, Jane, with tears in her eyes, revealed that she finally recognized that she did have emotions and those emotions, the negative ones, were hampering her work and home relationships. She realized that distancing herself made her peers feel that she was inapproachable. Jane confided in her boss about her revelation. Before this discussion, Jane's boss had no idea that she was clueless about her behavior and its impact on others. This understanding shed a new light on what was going on and, with this different perspective, the boss became more willing to listen to Jane and support her.

Jane's story is not uncommon. Many of us lack an awareness of our feelings and how those feelings may be affecting our work and our relationships. Disregarding emotions and focusing on getting the work done, especially in technical roles, seems to be a cultural predisposition. What we don't realize is that disregarding emotion is detrimental to effectiveness and productivity.

Without the awareness of the importance of emotions, we do not have insight into how our responses to negative feelings are affecting us and those around us. On a personal level, negative emotions spark a cascade of 1400 biochemical events, some of which result in physiological changes such as increased adrenaline, heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol (the stress hormone). This negatively affects your physical energy, mental clarity, and personal effectiveness. Experiencing these negative emotions, can cause us to become defensive, short with people and sometimes angry. And when others observe this response, we can loose their valuable suggestions, insight and help as they start avoiding us.

Even with the awareness of how important emotions are, people may experience a personal anxiety or hesitancy to openly advocate for developing EI skills. Some of my workshop participants have reported significant benefits from using the EI techniques I teach, yet, particularly in a technical field such as Engineering, are hesitant to promote an EI program for others. While there certainly is a bell-shaped curve of those who do or don't make a choice to benefit from the development of EI skills, not providing the opportunity is an opportunity lost for everybody.

What Can You Do?

Start by identifying typical situations at work or at home in which you feel negative emotions such as anxiety, frustration, anger, fear, or sadness. For example, you may feel frustrated when people who have important information don't show up for a meeting. Or you may feel angry when you see a certain person because he always wastes your time. Or you may feel anxiety when your boss approaches you about a particular project. Or you may feel depressed on Sunday night when you think about all the work facing you the coming week. Identifying these situations helps you realize those events that trigger negative emotions.

Next, pay attention to and name the emotions the identified triggers evoke. Also recognize and name the positive emotions you experience during fun times such as playing with a puppy, sharing dinner with friends, or just sitting in the sunshine. Start developing an emotional vocabulary and expand upon it as the occasion permits.

Create a baseline of where you are expending your emotional energy now. Draw a four-box grid, labeling the two right boxes as positive emotions and the two left as negative emotions. Label the upper two boxes as high-energy emotions and the lower two low-energy emotions. Recall the day's activities, interactions and events. For each, identify your emotion and write the emotion in the appropriate box on the grid, noting how long you were in the emotion. For example, hesitant would lie in the lower left box while anger would lie in the upper left box. Peaceful would lie in the lower right box and excited in the upper right box. Annoyed, depending on your level of annoyance, would lie somewhere in the left two boxes.

When you finish you will have an emotional map of your day. You were in the zone of peak performance if the frequency and duration of your emotions lie on the right side of the grid. If they lie on the left side, you are in a stress zone. As you develop your EI skills, periodically recreate this map. Over time you will want to see yourself more frequently in the two right quadrants by choosing to transform negative emotions into positive, productive emotions.

Byron Stock guides individuals and organizations toward excellence by helping them develop their Emotional Intelligence skills as a powerful tool to achieve strategic objectives, lead change and create resilient, high-performing organizational cultures. Learn about Byron's quick, easy, proven techniques to harness the power of your Emotional Intelligence at http://www.ByronStock.com .

Building Concrete Forms, Tips and Techniques

Here you will find general information, strategies, and techniques when building concrete forms in carpentry. Concrete forms are built to hold wet concrete. Once the form is built the wet concrete gets poured in the form, this is usually done by a truck, wheel borrow, or shovel.

When the concrete dries the form is then stripped. After the form is stripped you will have your finish product. This method is used commonly when building bridges, curves, and foundation of buildings, pillar, steps, and walls. Majority of this work is done outside in extreme weather conditions.

Doing this work is very exciting. Sometimes carpenters are working in the middle of highways as cars are passing by at high speeds. Or they may be required to walk across a plank carrying a sheet of plywood on a windy day and one wrong move and they fall into a lake. Now that's exciting. Carpenters get dirty as well, having to work in the mud and rain swinging a hammer trying to put nails in wood or using a sledge hammer trying to sink a four foot steak in muddy ground. This is the hardcore part of carpentry building concrete forms.

_Before building the concrete form all material such as plywood and two by fours should be inspected for cracks and serious flaws. Using messed up material will give you weak parts in your form and result to a blow out meaning wet concrete pours or blows out the form which means you failed to do the job right. A carpenter's main objective is to not have blowouts plain and simple.

_While building remember to build accordingly to what your customer wants

_Always brace and support your forms correctly.
There are no short cuts.

_Its better to overbuild than it is to under build. Overbuilding assures you that there will not be any blow out.

_Using the right nails for the job is very important. Using the wrong size nails can result to a blow out. Also use enough nails.

_All steaks metal or wood should be nailed in the ground until they are at least 3 feet in.

_When swinging your hammer remember it's all in the wrist let your wrist do the swinging

_After you are done building the form look over your work make sure you did not forget anything.

For some additional information you can go to http://www.carpentrypages.com/concreteforms.html My name is Jereme from Plainfield NJ, Thank you

When Spiritual Means Practical

In the middle of the last century, Werner Heisenberg, in the process of trying to determine the speed and position of an electron spinning around an atomic nucleus, discovered instead that it was a theoretically impossible task. His path to discovery brought him to the realization that his very presence as an observer changed the observation. Few of us reading this are - or will ever be - nuclear physicists. Yet, all of us have to cope with the problem of perspective as we try to figure out what a balanced life looks like to us right here and now. Our observation - our very awareness - of our own balance (or lack of balance, as the case may be) changes the very conditions of our observations.

Imagine yourself on a moving carousel horse. You're going in numerous directions: serially up and down, and simultaneously around in a circle. Some of parts of the carousel travel with you while you merely watch others spin by. At any given instant, where are you? At least on a carousel you can anticipate where you're going to be in the next second. Your motion is hardly random. Even so, by the time you've figured out exactly where you are in space at any given point, you're no longer there. The same thing happens when we try to figure out what 'now' means: the instant we've figured it out, it has already become 'then'!

Let's dig just a little deeper, shall we? We've just taken a quick look at the difficulties we experience trying to navigate through space and time. Even though our senses are attuned to performing this function, disorientation often accompanies on our perceptions. Now, what happens when we try to improve our life balance? Like Heisenberg, trying to focus on the process of our conscious awareness causes us to become unaware of our surroundings. We can't simultaneously exercise awareness and awareness of our own awareness. When we focus on our own process of awareness, we become less aware of our surroundings.

This sounds all very nice and philosophical, but does it have any practical application? Yes, indeed it does! The only practical way to plot our future course around the carousel is to get off the merry-go-round! Only then can we take the stance of an observer of our own process of living life. Can you think of a time in your life when you've been able to spend some time alone with your thoughts (and maybe with a mentor or adviser) to consider your short-term and long-term future? When was the last time you took a retreat from action? More pointedly, have you ever taken a retreat from action into reflection? The world looks a lot different from the sidelines. Of course, while you're on retreat, your life or business could be taking off in unforeseen (and undesirable) directions.

What if you were able to maintain your active role on the carousel and at the same time have a mirror outside the moving system that shows you your exact position in real time? Where can you find such a mirror that allows you to both live your life and stay aware of your position in the stream of its evolution simultaneously? You don't have to look very far; in fact, you already possess the capacity to perform this minor miracle. We call this remarkable (and often-overlooked) ability 'spiritual intelligence.' This remarkable intelligence (which Dana Zohar calls "the ultimate intelligence") enables you to maintain a higher perspective on the direction your life and career will assume without abstracting you from the mix. You're able to see where you're going while you're deciding where to go.

By fully embracing your spiritual intelligence, you have the opportunity to go on a 'retreat' from the daily grind at will. You get the chance to recharge your intuition and your discernment, and finely tune their functions so that your inner guidance system works smoothly and almost effortlessly. By maintaining a conscious contact with a Higher Power (however you choose to define that), your powers of discernment will allow you to cut through whatever confusion, uncertainty and fear that may threaten to paralyze your decision-making capacity. The baffling dizziness that comes from having too many options with too many consequences will begin to melt away as your destiny emerges from the fog in the light of your spiritual focus.

When you begin to appreciate the critical function that spiritual intelligence plays in informing your decision-making capacity, you'll realize that what at first seemed to be at most a marginal concern (if not just an annoying distraction) is, in reality, the most practical of all your core competencies. How clearly you see your way forward determines, to a great extent, the success of your life and career. How much more practical can you get than that? Get oriented: get spiritual!

H. Les Brown, MA, CFCC
ProActivation Coaching
Website: http://www.ProActivation.com
E-Mail: info@ProActivation.com

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Copyright 2008 H. Les Brown

The Beauty of a Construction Site

Something that architects and contractors take for granted but that homeowners rarely experience, is the construction site. When it is your house being built or added onto, I recommend that you spend as much time as possible with the "insides" of the place where you will be living.

It is a bit like viewing the inside a person during an operation. Yes, it may be messy and confusing unless you know how everything works, but it is always fascinating and sometimes beautiful. Not to take the metaphor too far, but a home has structure like we have bones, wiring and controls as we have nerves, and mechanical systems like we have...maybe I've gone too far, but you can see where I'm going.

The most universal observation is that during the building process, the scale of rooms and the overall building changes dramatically depending on the phase of construction. When the foundation is poured the space may look too small, with the framing up, the building may look too large. Trim, siding, windows and roofing bring the massive structure back into proportion. Inside finishes and trim as well as cabinetry and paint make a room that felt too large or small, feel comfortable.

The craftsmanship that goes into the framing and rough plumbing and electrical work pays off as the home is being finished. Straight, plumb, and square walls and floors make the trim carpenter's work easier and faster. You can tell a lot about a contractor by the way the early stages of the building are completed. If they care about the way the house is framed, chances are they will take the same care in finishing the job. A friend and talented photographer, Michele Muir was at one of our job sites photographing everyone in our office, and took some time to record the beauty of the job site.

http://www.crisparchitects.com/

James M. Crisp, AIA is an architect working in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.

Reading Feng Shui Books

Quite simply, a different style of living. If you're the kind of person who eats the same food week after week, shops and the same stores and only socializes with a few people, feng shui is probably not something you're going to be interested in. However, if you're someone, who wants to try something different, the Chinese philosophy of feng shui could be something that you, just might be interested in.

Where can you find feng shui books? Of course we all know you can find them at your local bookstores like Barnes & Noble, Amazon and other online sources. Here's something that might be a little new age or something that most people often forget about, how about going down to your local public library. Public libraries are a great source for books and if you don't like them, you never had to pay for them.

Feng shui books have become popular in the last 20 to 40 years and seems to create an environment out of your home. The Chinese have been practicing this for over a thousand years and it almost has a mystical power to it. If you're tired of the same old house and would like a little change in your life, I would suggest using some of the simple methods, suggested in these books.

One $20 book on home building or feng shui, can save you lots of money, if you're willing to do a little research and the labor to complete almost any home building project.

By the way, if you're interested in learning how to repair a roof, build your own house, interior decorating, structural engineering, building a deck, gathering some more information about home painting or even remodeling your bathroom. Our online home building bookstore can save you money if you're willing to do the work.

You can learn a lot by reading feng shui books and I would suggest, that if you're interested in interior design or even spirituality, these books will provide you with the information, you need to create a little change in your life

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more building stairs books and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry

Joshua R Jacobson

Learn Something About Time Management From the American Indians

I don't consider myself an expert on the American Indians but I would like to share a thought about their lifestyle. I was listening to an audio book on the American Indians eating habits, when it got me thinking about something the author said. This might not be a topic of interest for most people but I found it fascinating.

While listening to the audio book, the author made a statement about the American Indians I will never forget. He said "American Indians spend about four hours each day working, gathering and preparing food." If you think about it, that's not too bad of a lifestyle.

I would imagine that we have a better selection and larger variety of food to choose from than they had. This of course would be a benefit to living in our society instead of theirs.

American Indians often spent a lot of time outdoors and for some reason, spending time in nature seems to be a good thing. I know a lot of people that would rather be outdoors than indoors, walking, jogging, hiking, camping and even gardening. It almost seems more natural for us to be outdoors than indoors.

Now with the Indians working about four hours each day, this is a little bit different then our standard workday. Most people spend at least 9 to 12 hours each day driving to and from work and actually working. I would imagine our standard workday would actually be easier than that of the American Indian. I can't imagine some of my friends or family members chasing after a Buffalo with a spear.

Does this mean the American Indians had it right, just because they worked four hours each day and spent more time in nature were doing what they truly wanted to. Know I can't truly say that they had it right, but I can say that they seem to do just fine living with nature.

Some of these civilizations lasted for centuries.

Something to think about, on your daily travels to and from work as you desire to be at the beach or hiking in the mountains. The philosophies we often associate with a good life, could actually be better instead of progressively adding unneeded stress and frustration to it.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

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What Does a GFI Do

In your bathroom you should have a GFI electrical outlet. Most new homes or newly remodeled homes require you to have GFI electrical outlets in the kitchen. Most older kitchens do not have GFI electrical outlets. GFI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter.

Why not call it a GFCI instead of a GFI electrical outlet? Well it is called a GFCI in some instances. GFI is short and is the most common name used by most electricians and builders for this type of outlet.

GFI 's come in 15 amp and 20 amperage outlets. GFI outlets must be wired properly. Make sure you're using the proper wire size when hooking up the GFI outlet.

How do I know which size wire to use? This all depends on how far away you are running it from the electrical panel. There are charts you can use to figure this out. If you are not running the electrical wire more than 80 feet from the electrical panel you can use 12 gauge electrical wires for a 20 amp GFI. This is a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

If you're going to be using a 15 amp GFI and you are going to be less than 80 feet away from the electrical panel you can use 14 gauge electrical wires. Again this is just a general rule of thumb for most electrical house wiring.

A GFI is a light duty electrical plug used in bathrooms, kitchens and the exterior of your house. The sole purpose of the GFI is to shut the breaker off faster if there is any moisture or light load problems.

Let's say for instance you have your hair dryer plugged into the GFI outlet. The hair dryer somehow falls into the sink while it is on or plugged in. The GFI outlet will instantly shut off because of the sensitivity of the breaker inside of the plug it self.

The GFI plug has a test button and a reset button on it. If you are continually resetting the GFI you will wear it out eventually. I have had GFI plugs after resetting the button about 10 times break and no longer able to use them.

The GFI electrical plug is a great idea and if you don't have them in your bathroom or outside of your home it would be a great idea to have an electrician install them for you.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Home Building Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

San Diego Termite Damage

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Repairing a Leaking Toilet - Home Repairs

Let me explain how a toilet works. First when you go to flush the toilet a little arm pulls a rubber flapper up and lets the water drain into the toilet bowl. The water draining into the toilet bowl forces the old water out along with the number two or number one waste and extremities.

If the toilet sounds like it is running there is a good chance that the seal between the rubber flapper and the plastic rain at the bottom of the toilet is broken somehow. The sound you are hearing is water running around this ring and in to the toilet bowl.

This leak is actually causing no damage to the toilet itself but is wasting water. Hence the water bill will be a little higher if you don't fix the leaking toilet. The best way to find out if this is actually your problem is to take the toilet tank lid off. Then stick your hand down into the toilet bowl and press gently on the rubber flap.

If the water stops leaking or starts running faster this is your problem. Turn the water off to the toilet. There will be a shut off valve on the wall under your toilet bowl in the bathroom. After you turn the water off removed the plastic flap and examine it.

You will be looking for a warped toilet flap or of some sort or grooves on the flapper itself. Take the toilet flapper down to your local home improvement store and buy a new one. Go home and replace the new toilet flapper and this should solve 90% of your leaking toilet problems.

There is one more thing it could be. With the toilet tank lid off, check to see if water is overflowing into the little round plastic pipe. This plastic pipe should have a small hose running from the float valve assembly into it.

If the water is over flowing from the toilet tank into this little plastic pipe you will need to adjust the float.

First thing you will need to do is while the toilet is running lift up on the float lever arm. If the water stops you can simply bend the metal arm of the float lever. The purpose of bending the arm will force the float deeper into the water there for stopping the water from rising over the small tube in the center of your toilet.

There are few parts to a toilet and most parts can be purchased at your local hardware or home improvement centers. Toilet repairs like this can be made simple and the parts used to replace are inexpensive.

Happy Toilet Repairing.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more House Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Some Great Plumbing Ideas

Front Of Aluminum Shingle

The Purpose of Dreams

Dreams have been somewhat of a mystery to man for a long time. Dreams hold many captive at night wondering if it is reality or simply the imagination working overtime. We have all awoke from dreams upset that it wasnt reality and on the same hand, we have woke up thanking God that a terrible nightmare wasnt a reality.

There are many different theories about the meaning, origin, or purpose of dreams. Some believe that dreams are an extension of our subconscious. In other words, we may dream about things that we think about, whether we are aware of our subconscious thoughts or not. Others believe that dreams are a part of REM or Rapid Eye Movement sleep, which helps to restore our minds and bodies while we sleep. Finally, some people believe that dreams are one mode of communication that God uses to send us messages.

I believe that there is some truth to each of these theories of dreams, but I will focus on the theory about God using dreams as a mode of communication with us and what I believe his purpose in communicating with us through dreams is. Although I do believe that God communicates with us through dreams, I dont believe that every dream that we have is from God or even God attempting to communicate with us. Since I believe that some dreams are from God and others arent, this poses the question, How do you know which dreams are from God and which ones arent?. This is a difficult question to answer because there is no scientific answer to this question. My answer to this question is that you will know in your spirit. In other words, the inner voice will say this dream meant something.

Your spirit may even be troubled when you wake up like Nebuchednezzar was in the Bible after he had a dream from God. In the Bible, in Daniel 2:1, it says Nebuchednezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. I believe that this was his spirit communicating to him that there was a message in the dreams for him and maybe others. Also, in the Bible, in the book of Daniel 7:15, Daniel states that after having a dream, that he was troubled in spirit and the visions that passed through his mind disturbed him. When I have had dreams that I believe are from God, the same thing has happened to me when I have awoken from a dream from God. I usually will first remember the dream or many parts of it very vividly. Next, I feel unsettled in my spirit, as if something needs to be resolved or settled.

After establishing that God does in fact, communicate with us through our dreams just as he did with Daniel and Nebuchednezzar, and Joseph in their dreams, you may have been wondering why. Why would God choose to communicate with us through our dreams? I believe that God has 6 purposes for communicating to us through our dreams and it is up to us along with our communication with the Holy Spirit to discern which purpose he has for communication with us.

The first purpose that I believe God uses dreams for is to call us to pray or intercede for ourselves and/or others. Sometimes God gives us dreams to call on us to pray about a situation or for a person. If we have a dream about someone or something that we know is not positive, even if we dont know the interpretation of the dream, we can pray and intercede about the situation or for the individual(s). Prayer changes things, so if we are obedient, we can change someones outcome for the better.

The second purpose for our dreams may be to warn us. God may want to warn us about a direction we are headed in or a decision that we are about to make that may be outside of his will and that may lead to destruction. In the Bible, in the book of Daniel, chapter 4, God gave Nebuchednezzar a dream to warn him. King Nebuchednezzar was warned in his dream, that if he didnt acknowledge that God is more powerful than man and things, his power and riches would be taken away from him. Nebuchednezzars warning was to acknowledge and turn to God or lose his earthly privileges. Having this dream and having it interpreted by Daniel, a Godly man, gave Nebuchednezzar the opportunity to take action to avoid disaster and calamity in his life. God gives us this same opportunity if we heed and are obedient to God.

The third purpose for God give us dreams is to give us hope. The Bible says in the Book of Proverbs 13:12 that "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." You may be experiencing a dark time in your life and you may be tempted to throw in the towel and give up. God may give you a dream to show you the light that lies ahead and to give you hope in your future. Having a visual image of a dream that he births in us gives us the opportunity to think about and hold onto that vision when things arent going the way we hoped or planned.

The fourth purpose for dreams is to encourage us and encourage others. This goes along with hope, but it may be a bit more subtle. God may want us to share a positive dream with the person we dreamed about to encourage them, or he may just want to encourage us that he is with us and hasnt forsaken us.

The fifth purpose may be to give us confirmation about something that he has either already tried to communicate to us either through our spirit or through someone else. Also, if we asked God for confirmation for something, he may give it to us through our dreams.

Finally, I believe that God communicates with us through our dreams sometimes to let us know that he is God. It is hard to forget or disbelieve in the power of God when he is using something like dreams to communicate with people and ordinary people like Daniel and I to interpret dreams.

If you believe that God has been communicating to you through your dreams, do the following : 1. Pay close attention to them; 2. Write them down in a dream journal as soon as you wake up from the dream, so that you capture all of the important details; 3. Obey his instructions and heed to his warnings, in other words, pray for yourself and others immediately when he calls on you, act when he gives you confirmations that require action, always hold onto hope, and always give God all of the Glory!

If you are interested in having a dream interpreted, sharing your dreams with others, or simply being a part of a discussion group and learning more about dreams, please visit my website at www.dreamsinterpret.com. Try it out for free.

Written by : Lisa M. Kohut

Remodeling Your Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets

Refurbishing the kitchen and the bathroom is a great way to give a new look to your home and also adding to its resale value. There are certain issues like the plumbing set-up and some gadgets and fixtures remodeling a kitchen or a bathroom becomes quite an expensive project at times. A cabinet redo is a very intelligent way to give these two much-used units of your home, a very new look and that too by dint of a very affordable price.

As the cabinets are the most essential and primary aspect of these two rooms, remodeling them can do wonders and that is done at a less expense. The whole process is a very time-consuming and grueling one and you should set off with it only if after careful scrutiny, you feel that your cabinets genuinely require an update and are never a wastage of your energy as well as money.

Some remodeling processes concerning kitchen and bathroom are as simple as a pot of mineral spirits and paint. But you should make sure that the time, energy and the money you spend should be meaningful. You check your existing cabinets very minutely and only after that should you decide whether to go about the refurbishing process at all. You should ensure that some potential faults like gaps between fitted cabinets, dislocated doors and defective drawers are not there after the refinish. Sometimes there are certain fittings that are never made good by any kind of refurbishing project. That causes an useless drain of time and money. You should start with a project and look for different styles and themes only if you are absolutely sure of the effect that it would bring.

Refinishing Techniques

Just a fresh coat of paint is not all in a cabinet redo process. It includes a number of other ways in order to give your kitchen or bathroom a very new look. In case the cabinets are very greasy and dirty due to constant use then cleaning them up with a good-quality bleaching can be a good and cost-effective way to give it a new look. A concoction of linseed oil, bleach and boiling water is a very effective cleaner which brightens up the cabinet. If this cleaning procedure is not enough then you can peel off the existing paint from the wood and apply a fresh coat. Some people like the simple wood finish of their cabinet.

In that case you can just stain the wood and put a layer of polyurethane to protect the grain. But if you are totally inclined to change the look altogether then you can always select a new color in accordance with the total dcor of the kitchen as well as your home in totality. Special kinds of painting processes like rag-rolling or sponging gives a very unique texture to the wood.

When kitchen or bathroom remodeling is concerned then refinishing just the cabinets may be a very good or the only way to give them a spick and span look again. Let your own creativity give birth to newer ideas with which you can update the rooms and personalize them according to your taste and preference.

Chester Ebenhart routinely creates news stories on news corresponding to gevalia commercial coffee machines. You can see his contributions on gevalia commercial coffee machines and gevalia coffee makers over at http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com

Ask Yourself Some Simple Questions About Religion

Most of us are raised from children into adulthood, to believe in someone else's religion. Most of us never even got the chance to choose a religion or spiritual beliefs to follow on our own. I came up with a simple list of five things that you should know about your religion, or you shouldn't be allowed to practice it.

1. Where did your religion or spiritual beliefs originate from? You should find out who started your religion and why they started it. Some of the worlds major religions were started by intelligent people. Do you think it's possible that your religion was created by an intelligent person, instead of a supreme being or multiple gods. Someone's just trying to trick you into believing.

2. How did you get involved in your religion or spiritual beliefs? Was it part of your upbringing, did your parents suggest this religion to you, how long has your family been involved in your current religious beliefs. Was your great, great, great, great, great grandfather or grandmother part of this religion or spiritual belief. How far back does it go in your family?

3. Do you believe in your religious doctrine or scripture? Is there any parts of your religious scriptures, writings or communication from other fellow believers that doesn't sit right with you? Does every part of your religion makes sense and can it be explained sensibly to someone outside of your religion?

4. Do you practice what you believe on a daily basis? If you're supposed to read your scriptures or pray daily, do you? If your religion teaches love and compassion, how do you treat people less fortunate than yourselves? Are you one of those people who can justify your wrong doings, to yourself and others, to give them the illusion, that you are a religious or spiritual person.

5. Do you know where you are going after you die? Are you going to someplace wonderful and extraordinary, like heaven? If you had to earn enough credits or points, do you think you have acquired enough, to enter the next level of existence? If you're bad, are you going to a bad place, with all the other bad people?

Try to always keep one thing in mind do you use, religion and responsibly.

These are just some of the answers, that I sincerely believe most people should know about their religion or beliefs. You should be able to answer at least one of these questions if asked by a nonbeliever.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development

Greg is currently working on a spiritual religious articles filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion

Remodeling Your Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets

Refurbishing the kitchen and the bathroom is a great way to give a new look to your home and also adding to its resale value. There are certain issues like the plumbing set-up and some gadgets and fixtures remodeling a kitchen or a bathroom becomes quite an expensive project at times. A cabinet redo is a very intelligent way to give these two much-used units of your home, a very new look and that too by dint of a very affordable price.

As the cabinets are the most essential and primary aspect of these two rooms, remodeling them can do wonders and that is done at a less expense. The whole process is a very time-consuming and grueling one and you should set off with it only if after careful scrutiny, you feel that your cabinets genuinely require an update and are never a wastage of your energy as well as money.

Some remodeling processes concerning kitchen and bathroom are as simple as a pot of mineral spirits and paint. But you should make sure that the time, energy and the money you spend should be meaningful. You check your existing cabinets very minutely and only after that should you decide whether to go about the refurbishing process at all. You should ensure that some potential faults like gaps between fitted cabinets, dislocated doors and defective drawers are not there after the refinish. Sometimes there are certain fittings that are never made good by any kind of refurbishing project. That causes an useless drain of time and money. You should start with a project and look for different styles and themes only if you are absolutely sure of the effect that it would bring.

Refinishing Techniques

Just a fresh coat of paint is not all in a cabinet redo process. It includes a number of other ways in order to give your kitchen or bathroom a very new look. In case the cabinets are very greasy and dirty due to constant use then cleaning them up with a good-quality bleaching can be a good and cost-effective way to give it a new look. A concoction of linseed oil, bleach and boiling water is a very effective cleaner which brightens up the cabinet. If this cleaning procedure is not enough then you can peel off the existing paint from the wood and apply a fresh coat. Some people like the simple wood finish of their cabinet.

In that case you can just stain the wood and put a layer of polyurethane to protect the grain. But if you are totally inclined to change the look altogether then you can always select a new color in accordance with the total dcor of the kitchen as well as your home in totality. Special kinds of painting processes like rag-rolling or sponging gives a very unique texture to the wood.

When kitchen or bathroom remodeling is concerned then refinishing just the cabinets may be a very good or the only way to give them a spick and span look again. Let your own creativity give birth to newer ideas with which you can update the rooms and personalize them according to your taste and preference.

Chester Ebenhart routinely creates news stories on news corresponding to gevalia commercial coffee machines. You can see his contributions on gevalia commercial coffee machines and gevalia coffee makers over at http://www.coffee-espresso-maker-tips.com

Installing Windows - Home Tips

Most carpenters and construction workers understand one thing about eye level. It had better be straight, square and plumb. My dad could walk into a room take a quick glance at a wall and notice almost every single flaw in that wall. I was always amazed at his ability to find problems so quickly.

I have never quite developed the ability that my father has in noticing construction defects at his level. But I can tell you this most people notice a majority of flaws at their eye level. What does this mean? Quite simply if you are 4'6" tall you will notice every flaw possible between 3'6" and six foot.

If you are 6 feet tall you will notice every flaw between 5 feet and 8 feet. You might not notice the window apron but you will notice the window header if there are any problems.

Now the problem is installing windows at eye level and making sure that the window sill is level and the jambs are plumb. Windows seem to get used a lot and therefore will be looked at often. The more we look at something the more we will notice the good and the bad about that object.

Does the window slide easy, does the window lock easy, does the window close and open with little effort? If the window has grids this could be a bigger problem. If you are sliding the moving panel of the window passed the fixed panel of the window and the window is not level or straight you will definitely see it.

If you are installing Windows above 8 feet you could probably get away with the window being a little bit out of level or plumb. If the window is a two-story house and you can view it from upstairs you could have a problem if the window is out of square or not level.

Keep in mind is very important and not hard to do when installing the windows during construction or remodeling to keep them plumb and level. I know a lot of carpenters and window setters that slapped the windows in, eyeball them for straightness and move on to the next window to perform the same task.

Every person's eye level range will vary. A taller person will notice most mistakes five foot and above. A smaller person will notice mistakes five foot and below. Working at someone's eye level is a mistake. Your work should be quality and when setting windows should be done to the best of your ability.

You might ask why it matters. Because you never know when someone smaller or taller is going to be walking through the house and notice some simple problems that could have been fixed easily during the construction process. Now the window will have to be repaired which could be a costly process.

I like to build things right the first time. Take your time, double check everything and assemble with pride.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes in Installing Windows in Your Home

Z Bar Backing From 1 X 4

The Good People Get to Go to Heaven

I found a website that was recommended to me and it had the comment, is Jesus the only way to heaven at, Gotquestions, seems like your typical Christian website that replies with biblical quotes and simple to follow information. If I was lost, they will help me find a way. There's even a button at the bottom that states, I have accepted Christ today. I guess if I was to push that button, I get to go to heaven and be with Jesus. Hard to imagine, avoiding a life of burning in hell could be as simple as pushing a button and uttering a few simple words.

I found this question and began reading their comment. The first comment is from somebody answering as a nonbeliever in Christianity. It states something like, if I'm basically a good person and live a moral life, I get to go to heaven, right, only the bad people like murderers go to hell.

Now the answer that the website gives, seems to create fear if you do not belong to Christianity and provide you with hope if you join the group.

It mentioned Satan as the ruler of the world, and he can plant these thoughts into your head if you're not a Christian. He also controls your mind and let's you believe, that it would only make sense to any rational person, they get to go to heaven if they're good.

Now this is what makes sense to me but according to this information, I am doomed to rot in hell for eternity, even if I am a pretty good person. All I have to do is accept Christ as God and I get to go to heaven. That seems pretty easy and I wonder why more people don't do it. Just push the button.

I wonder if Satan is controlling, non-Christians minds and that's why there's brutality and war throughout the world. If everyone was a Christian, would our world be better.

Here's a quote from Wikipedia The Crusades were a series of religion-driven military campaigns waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. Crusades were fought mainly against Muslims, though campaigns were also directed against pagan Slavs, Jews, Russian and Greek Orthodox Christians, Mongols, Cathars, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemies of the popes.

These Christian Crusades killed thousands of people. To give you an idea how many people were killed, all I had to do was type the word crusades into a search engine and it took me to the Christian Crusades.

I guess that rules that out, it seems like the Christians a long time ago were pretty aggressive towards their enemies, I wonder if most Christians would refer to these people as enemies today or are they just being controlled by Satan. Do these Christians from the Crusades get to go to heaven? If people like this get to go to heaven, may be hell is a better place anyway.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, Mere Christianity

Here's something to think about, go to heaven

Getting Solar Power For Homes - Home Tips

Have you been thinking about getting solar power for your home? Does the idea of powering your home with the rays of the sun interest you? If so, then you'll be glad to know that you many options. No matter what kind of budget you're on, there are affordable solutions that will match your specific needs.

You could always go out and purchase solar panels, but you can save a lot of money if you make your own. Even if your budget is tight, you can still afford all the materials necessary for building solar panels. You can either build from scratch or buy solar panel kits. The kits will have the components needed and all you'll have to do is assemble them. Either way, getting solar power for homes can be very affordable.

While solar power is becoming increasingly popular in rural neighborhoods, those living in urban areas still have options. If you live in an apartment complex in the city, you still may able to place a small solar panel on your roof or patio. You can also ask your electric company if they have any options for customers interested in solar energy. It's becoming more common for cities to offer residents solar generated power through grids. See if that's an option in your area.

No matter where you live, you should consider getting solar power for your home. Not only will you be doing your part in helping the environment, but you'll be saving a lot of money too. While energy sources from the earth are limited and nonrenewable, there will always be a sun. And as long as there's a sun, there will be solar power.

Earth4Energy will teach you everything you need to know about getting solar power for homes. You can learn how to store FREE solar power that you can use anytime you want. Earth4Energy will also help you to understand your options better through informative guides, illustrations, video tutorials, and more.

About the author:

Nadav Snir is a chemistry and physics student who studies energy and ways of convservation. To find out more about energy saving and Earth4Energy, visit his site: http://Great-Info-Products.com/WaterForGas/earth4energy.html

Thought Provoking Religious Ideas on Christianity

Do you ever wonder what ever happened to the Wise men's gifts that were given to Jesus's parents? Nobody ever talks about it and it was never mentioned again in the Bible. If it was mentioned again I would love to have somebody e-mail me some more information on what Joseph and Mary did with the gifts, that were given to the newborn King or in other words Jesus.

I didn't come up with this idea on my own, I was reading a book by George Seaver called Albert Schweitzer "The Man and His Mind." I found the book in a thrift store near Seattle, Washington while on vacation visiting one of my relatives. I heard a lot about Albert Schweitzer from various personal development and spiritual books and thought this book would be give me some insight on the man.

I really had no clue, that I would find something like this within the first few pages.

Here's a quote from the book.

When I was eight my father, at my own request, gave me a New Testament, which I read eagerly. Among the stories which interested me most was that of the Wise Man from the East. What did the parents of Jesus due, I asked myself, with the gold and other valuables that they got from the Wise men? How could they have been poor after that? And that the Wise men should never have troubled themselves again about the child Jesus, was to me uncomprehensible.

Now this is coming from an eight year old child, not someone who has researched biblical scripture their whole lives. What else are we missing in the Bible that doesn't make sense but we were trained to believe in our religions without ever questioning your religion . It's definitely something to think about and the next time you're reading something or listening to the news on TV, try to figure out if it's fact or fiction.

You definitely cannot believe everything you read or hear from outside sources. I heard once that the only things that are truly real are the things that never change. If you think about it, most things change and therefore would not be considered real.

Ponder That for a While.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Here's a good website if you're interested in, religious classics and looking for evidence

Greg is currently working on a religious and motivational articles filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion

Norman Vincent Peale

Contractor In Southern California

So you want to make big money making a living as a contractor in the state of California. Well now I bet you have seen contractors on TV or maybe you know someone who is a contractor. You see these men and women playing the part as Mr. or Mrs. Money bags. If you have the slightest thought that becoming a contractor will provide you with a life of riches think again.

Most contractors that I know and have worked with over the years don't think of there jobs as easy. They have to work everyday and a lot into the night doing estimates or meeting with potential clients because they are to busy during the day. The life of most contractors in the beginning will be difficult to say the least. But if successful you will make a great living for yourself and your family.

Now that we got the false illusion of the contractor answering his cell phone all day at some nice golf course having lunch talking about the money that he just made selling his oil stocks. We can start on reality. If being a contractor was that easy everyone would be a contractor. Right..... Well maybe not everyone.

I have been a contractor for over 22 years and in construction for 30 year. I have seen a lot of changes over the years. I remember when a few contractors that I worked for made a lot of money during the late 1970's. These guys had Ferraris and money to burn with one exception they had no idea how to save any of it. These guys went on vacations and bought extravagant toys for them selves. Out of most of the big framing contractors I worked for about 10 percent are still in business or actually saved their money during the good times so that they could make it through the bad times.

These contractors never thought it was going to end. Life on easy street that is. But it did and most went by the way side. I guess that is the nature of business. Especially the current economic business cycles that we seem to go through over the years. If you don't have the money to advertise or carry a payroll. Your business is going to suffer during the bad times. Sure there is credit and bank loans but you still have to pay that money back. IF you can't save your money stash some away for advertising.

Some of the best advice I can give a contractor anywhere especially in the state of California is " Don't Think The Great Times Of Easy Money Will Last Forever". Save some of the money you make just in case you need to get through the bad times. You will thank me for this latter, Some time down the road. Take this advice and put it into action starting right now.

Greg Vanden Berge has over 30 years of experience in residential home building and remodeling. This provides you with the comfort of knowing that you have a professional with the knowledge and skills to complete your construction projects in a timely manner.

Our low overhead along with our new online estimating system will provide you with the most competitive construction pricing in the area. We continue to educate ourselves about the new home improvement books and building systems in the construction industry. If we have any doubt that something might not work we don't use it. We have found some of these products to be the root of some major home building problems.

Click on the Home Remodeling Ideas to get more information and a possible online estimate for your home improvement project.

General Building Contractor

Hard on Religious Faith

It's probably hard to find facts if your mind is already made up. If you're trying to find information on anything, more than likely you will find exactly what you're looking for, if you look hard enough. With all the information out there, available in books, media, and of course the Internet, would we really know the honest to God truth if we ran into one.

Not something that man made up and forced our ancestors to believe in.

If you're studying on faith alone and trying to prove or disprove something, you will succeed. If you're reading the Bible and looking for answers to problems in your life, eventually you will find the answers. All you need is to believe in your God and he will show you the way. Has he truly shown you the way or are you basing your religious beliefs on faith alone.

I have studied the Bible for many years and came to the conclusion that, I was often blinded by the way I view the information and couldn't get the facts most of the time. I always enjoyed reading Proverbs and the story of Job, both of these books in the Bible inspired me to become a better person.

By studying the Bible without faith and looking for information based on facts, it wasn't long before I realized this book could be and I say could be a group of stories that man over the centuries combined into one book during the Council of Nicaea in 325A.D and became religious doctrine for Christians.

In order to study anything effectively, you need to keep an open mind, this might require you to reprogram your thinking. You have been taught for years that only your religion is correct and all other religions are wrong. You can't think like this and gather information effectively.

Studying on faith alone could close your mind and keep you on the path of spiritual resistance. You know you're on this path if only the things you believe in make sense. Nothing nobody else says can make much sense if you're studying on faith alone.

What would it hurt to read a life changing spiritual book on another religion or form of spirituality? If you can't read another religious book, because you're religious organization tells you to only read their spiritual books to gather information, you're following a path of spiritual resistance.

If you're really going to study on faith alone then I suggest studying with intention to learn instead of follow.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended reading, Stories from the Old Testament

Greg is currently working on a religious and spiritual answers library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion

Is Your Real Estate Agent in a Hurry?

If any of these statements sound familiar to you, it could mean that your real estate agent is either in hurry or doesn't have an answer to your question. Either way, this could lead to an unpleasant relationship.

Have You Ever Heard the Words:

Don't Worry about a Thing, Will Take Care of You.

Come on That Roof Will Last for Another 30 Years.

I Wouldn't Worry about That, That's Easy to Fix.

How Many Times Do I Have To Tell You, It's Not a Problem.

I'm on Your Side, There Won't Be Any Problems.

With a Little Bit of Caulking, You Won't Even Notice It.

Just Plant Some Bushes in Front of It and You'll Never See It.

The Floor Squeaks, That Gives the House Character.

Or What about the Ever Famous, Are You Going to Buy the House or Not.

Are any one of these experiences familiar to you? Don't be afraid to ask your questions again. Be firm when asking, but please don't be rude and if the answers don't sound right ask someone else to verify or ask your real estate professional if they are positive and know for a fact their answer is correct. It's always good to get a second opinion anyway.

You don't need to do business with anyone that will not answer your questions and is always trying to hurry you along. If you sign a purchasing agreement with a real estate professional you're not getting along with, ask them to let you out of the contract.

With no fees of course, there are other ways to purchase a home if your now old real estate agent doesn't want to play fair.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a home buyers guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping

If you're having problems with your real estate professional, you might give some thought to look in at some home foreclosures, and then contacting someone to help you, after you have found the home that you are looking for. Some real estate agents can be extremely unhelpful

Skylights

Is Workplace Conflict Destructive or Creative?

Whenever you work with people, conflict is inevitable. The tension created by daily conflict either results in wasted time, decreased productivity, and poor decisions or the sort of internal competition that pushes each individual to do their best, if for no other reason that convince their coworkers that they can do it.

This inevitable conflict is either destructive or creative. The destructive conflict is toxic to relationships and hurts people and organizations and this is the one that needs managing. In my experience creative conflict seems to be cultural in nature. It's how the people themselves react and address each other and the situations they face together.

If you've ever seen "American Chopper" on the Discovery Channel you know what I mean by creative conflict. There is a lot of yelling going on. These guys are not shy about sharing their opinions when they disagree with one another. If you were a stranger who walked into their shop you might think WWIII had broken out.

In fact, that is how they relate to one another - there is no ambiguity, they tell it like it is in the moment. Imagine how much more they accomplish because they use the tension to air their different opinions, right now - and then get on with it. It's possible that this is just a TV show and these guys have nice quiet meetings in the board room, listening to various committee reports, before the speak up, but that's not likely. I bet they are who we see them as being.

In three decades working with family businesses I have seen dozens and dozens of companies who harness conflict creatively, and in so doing get the most out of everyone as well as optimum results overall. They don't waste time on what's not working just because it was the bosses idea. They stop what they're doing and point out the other person's mistake then show them how to fix it. Nothing and no one or their opinion is sacred - it's all about getting the job done.

Sadly I have seen experts try to get them to change their behavior, be more polite to one another and offer more politically correct input in an ever more constructive manner. In other words they (the experts) want other people to be more like them.

So instead of helping their clients manage the destructive conflict that exists, they are offering suggestions on how to fix what isn't broken.

I am talking about the conflict that distracts employees and managers from otherwise productive use of their time. Studies reveal that up to 30% of a typical managers time is spent dealing with conflict. And that 42 percent of their time is spent reaching agreements with others when conflicts occur.

Sometimes destructive conflict is simply because the people don't like each other. In the universe of family owned companies sometimes brothers, sisters, cousins, and in-laws are thrown together in ways none of them like. Conflict is the only way they have of displaying the frustration they feel about the situation they're in.

It is no wonder that an estimated 65% of performance problems result from strained relationships like these. Between employees who are not happy with each other - not from deficits in their training, skill, or motivation.

The most common way that destructive conflict shows up is about "how" a certain task should be accomplished. I met a farmer once whose son (age 50) refused to do things the way he wanted them done. He sited an example by driving me on the back of his four wheeler (you could not get there any other way) to a field that illustrated his point.

He and his father before him had always plowed the field north to south - his son was plowing it east to west. I am not making this up. It didn't have anything to do with soil erosion, conservation, or the environment - he was doing it this way against his dad's wishes, just to get his goat. And it was working.

I bet you can think of things at your company that are being done a certain way because that's the way they've always been done. And if you're the one who wants to change history, good luck!

Destructive conflict about how things are being done, what things are being done, and whether or not a certain thing should even be done can paralyze the organization.

Wasted time arguing about things that don't matter, an unwillingness to consider another person's point of view based on their experience, and the blame game when the results are in all cry out for a self-help process you can use to manage your differences so that all conflict is creative.

The end result of a successful self-help mediation process is that you (as a group) turn together and focus on the challenge or opportunity you all face. You see the problem as the stumbling block and not your coworker.

Self-help mediation tools allow two individuals the opportunity to discuss their assumptions about the other person's motives. In many conflicts the simple process of testing these assumptions face to face using active listening skills will resolve the issue entirely, because the parties realize the conflict is simply a misunderstanding.

Self-help mediation tools pave the way for more effective decision making. Obviously decisions made under conditions of conflict are going to be inferior to decisions made when cooperation prevails. If ongoing conflict (even a low grade resistance to cooperation) is present between people who share decision-making authority, the resulting decisions are likely to be flawed by the power struggles between those people.

As business owners we know that good decisions must be based on an optimum quality and quantity of objective information. So when information is withheld or distorted by those we are depending on to provide it, the decision cannot be the best one possible.

There is now doubt, workplace conflict resolution strategies - especially those that will allow you to do it yourself - will save you money, time, energy, and enhance your workplace by helping you make better decisions, retain your best employees, and design a future course for the business everyone will actively support!

Wayne Messick's web site http://www.iBizResources.com has many additional conflict resolution articles and strategic planning resources to help you grow your business. If you are a small business advisor and want to maximize your professional and financial potential, here are the resources we are using to systematically multiply our new business, our revenues, and our client's satisfaction.

Kitchen Design For Your Home - Home Tips

From Basic Barbecues To Designer Kitchens Luxurious Kitchen Granite Countertops Are The Focal Point.

Are you considering a great outdoor kitchen design for your home? If so, you aren't alone!

In fact, a growing number of homeowners are deciding to expand their outdoor living space by creating a functional yet beautiful outdoor kitchen design that allows them to spend more time in the great outdoors.

It should come as no surprise that the popularity of outdoor kitchens continues to rise. After all, installing an outdoor kitchen offers a number of benefits. Some of these benefits include...

* Providing you with more space for social gatherings or to spend time with your family

* Helping you keep your air conditioning bill down by allowing you to cook outdoors and preventing extra heat from building up inside your home

* Keeping the messes and smells involved with cooking outside, so your home can remain clean and smelling great

* Increasing the value of your home

In addition to offering all of these benefits, it is possible to create a great outdoor kitchen design without having to spend a significant amount of money.

While a luxury design could certainly cost well over $100,000 to complete, it can also cost less than $1,000 to develop a basic design. The final cost of your outdoor kitchen design will depend upon how many extras you decide to include with your project.

For example, an outdoor kitchen that contains all of the features you would find in an indoor kitchen, or one that features luxury items such as kitchen granite countertops, will be more expensive than a basic design that consists solely of a built in backyard barbeque.

When deciding on the outdoor kitchen design that is right for you, consider your short and long-term plans, as well as your budget. If your budget does not allow for more luxurious items such as kitchen granite countertops, look into other options that can be just as functional while allowing you to create a design that is well within your budget.

You also need to consider the amount of available space when planning an outdoor kitchen design. While your budget may allow for an extensive outdoor kitchen, putting one in a very small backyard may look awkward and overcrowded.

By using your outdoor space wisely and selecting a design that will complement the size of your space, as well as the style, you will be certain to create a beautiful and functional design that will bring years of entertainment to you and your family.

James Mahoney is the owner of Kitchen Designers Ideas.com. He has written many articles on kitchen design and puts out an information packed newsletter. Learn about kitchen design ideas and trends by visiting his site at http://www.KitchenDesignersIdeas.com

Is the Law of Attraction Crap

The Law of Attraction is a universal principle. You can apply the law of attraction on many levels and in all aspects of your life. The law of attraction even works in the after life, but that's another subject. It is a principle that is universal and timeless. It works weather you consciously or unconsciously apply it. It works weather you consciously or unconsciously know it. It can be and has been stated and articulated in many different ways. It is a principle that Jesus Christ was teaching to his disciples.

I can hear you now, whatchu talkin' about reginaldc? Everybody knows that the law of attraction is an invention of the devil by the people that came up with the secret! How can you say our beloved Jesus was teaching the law of attraction? So how can you make such a blasphemous statement? Baloney!

This is how I can make such a blasphemous statement. The Law of Attraction states ; you will attract, into your experience, all things that vibrate in harmony with you. In other words, like energy attracts like energy.

As stated before there are many ways that this law can manifest itself in your life. It is universal. It works on any level of existence. Jesus was attempting to teach universal laws and principles. But because of how he spoke people were confused. How can I say people were confused by what Jesus taught? Let's go to the bible.

In the NIV bible John 16:25 Jesus states, "though I have been speaking to you figuratively, a time is coming when I will no longer use this kind of language but will speak to you plainly about my father."

This scripture says Jesus spoke in code in many instances. He spoke figuratively and in parables. Because of this people of the day did not always understand him. There are scriptures that the disciples would ask Jesus, what do you mean? In the NIV bible John 16:18, "they kept asking, what does he mean by a little while? We don't understand what he is saying." This scripture is but one example of the disciples not understanding what Jesus meant after he made a statement. Therefore, my statement about disciples not understanding is not blasphemous, it says in the bible they did not understand.

You may be skeptical about the Law of Attraction. However, when you realized that the bible and Jesus Christ was trying to impart these same concepts you may gain another level of faith. I wanted to learn all I could because I realized that if these new age concepts were actually real they would change my life. When I realized that many of the statements that we spout these days are really universally based, I gained another level of faith. What was even more extraordinary for me was that science has proven the Law of Attraction. I can be as skeptical as anyone. However, if science, religion and spirituality all agree on the same principle then skepticism has to be blotted out.

Unfortunately too many people believe that the Law of Attraction is simply hocus pocus. Many self help books and gurus give you the words but do not take into account the underlying reasons why things are the way they are. In the bible instructions were given that people are just now beginning t understand. In the NIV bible:

Mark 11:24 says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

These directions are telling you that you must visualize the end result before you have the result. You will attract what you think about.

I love the way Wayne Dyer puts it, "you must surround yourself in the conditions in which you wish to produce."

The bible is not the ultimate dissertation on how we should live our lives. Religion wants to make the bible the ultimate choice for direction. But in many instances there are much deeper meanings behind the words. The bible does not go into detail. But you do have other resources that do go into detail. You have to fully integrate the universal laws. If you do not like how things are then you have to change. It is not simply New Age hocus pocus. The Law of Attraction is a scientific fact. You do not have to believe me, but you can now be aware that Jesus new something years ago.

Reginaldc is me

U Create All

http://reginaldc.me

People Styles at Work - Making Bad Relationships Good and Good Relationships Better

For sometime I have been wanting to work on and learn more about how I can improve relationships I have with others whom I work with whether it is at a job, a business, family or friends. I have come to learn that at sometime I will work with everyone I am surrounded by and come in contact with often. I have also learned that I will not always get along with others. However, I have wanted to learn how to handle these type of situations without getting too emotional and learning to let go when necessary.

As a college student of Liberal Studies, I took the Leadership Skills class last semester. One of my requirements was to review a book related to working with others. I chose People Styles at Work: Making Bad Relationships Good and Good Relationships Better By: Robert Bolton and Dorothy Grover Bolton.

Of course, the first chapter discusses why we have people problems. We think, decide, use time and handle emotions differently. Not everyone is exactly the same. With this book though you learn how to change your attitude and learn to work with others in a more positive way. This is the only way that you can achieve success and happiness. You learn how to predict things whether the are turning out to be positive or negative. This is so you are able to handle the situation and continue on with your work.

A little more into the book you learn about what kind of person you are. Not only that you also learn to look in the mirror and see how others view you. This may sound scary at first, but learning from my own experience it is actually very informative. It teaches you on a deep level by placing yourself in another persons shoes.

Further on into the book and one of my favorite sections is The Key to Productive Relationships. I have been taught for the last two years extensively to learn to look at the good in everyone. That has been one of the most difficult things to do until the last six months. Especially in the workplace to have to look at the good in everyone who surrounds you can be very challenging. But I also learned that by learning to look for the good you can build a better and stronger relationship with others which makes the workplace more productive.

I have personally had to do some serious work on learning how to withhold my opinions and personal views of things. This has been hard, but I have learned a very valuable lesson. I have learned that it is better to listen more than it is to talk because I can learn more.

Then there is the four steps to better relationships: Identify, Plan, Implement and Evaluate. You learn how to relate to the other person and help them out. You learn to self discipline yourself with this process.

One chapter I have had to do some serious work on is Chapter 11. I am currently molding myself into being a better listener and helper. I do have to work on being patient with others and being forgiving to a certain extent when it comes to commitments. I am a stickler about being on time and communicating when I am going to be late or cannot make it to an event or appointment. One very important thing I have learned about myself is I have to become more spontaneous. I have often heard from people I work with or have worked with that they like spontaneity. They like for others to be able to start on things and get them done on their own without someone having to supervise them constantly. I know this to be very true and so I have been working on this myself.

Besides working on my own personal flaws I have learned too that I have to be flexible with others. I cannot expect others around me to be perfect or understanding. But it all comes back to me. I have to work on myself and change my ways. I cannot change others. I do have to become much more tolerant and understanding. I have to be willing to be open especially to learning and experiencing new ideas.

Chapter 13 reinforces how you can maintain good relationships. Do Unto Others as you would yourself is the Golden Rule. This has been instilled in me as well as my own children. Respect, Fairness and Honesty are what everyone wants and how they want to be treated.

These are also my biggest sticklers that I do sometimes allow to bother me although I shouldn't.
I am a huge person on respect. I can be hard on others when I feel they are being disrespectful. I feel respect goes to the absolute core of all relationships. Anytime there is a lack of respect the relationship begins to crumble. It is twice as hard to rebuild respect when it has been broken.

Fairness is a challenging one for me. I prefer to place everyone on the table of equality but that seems to be nearly impossible. Anytime something negative happens we are all guilty of focusing on just that, the negative aspects. In fact, we are supposed to look at the good, the positives in order to be fair. For example, I am a single mom with my business team there is only one other single person involved. There have been times a few of the teammates have attempted to schedule things that involve couples working together. Our team is to be based on teamwork. I feel that this is not teamwork that this is a team working within the team excluding a part of the team so in essence it is not team work.

Honesty I know is something we all have issues with. Even a white lie is really just a lie. We tend to do things and try to cover them up just so we don't cause problems or want to be reprimanded. I have had to deal with friends who I work with whom have decided to rather than speak the truth cover their own rumps rather than face getting jumped all over. This is frustrating to me although I can in some respects, understand why they would do things. I am working on where is the boundary line when it comes to honesty? What am I willing to walk away from and what am I willing to stand up for?

This book has been a great tool for me helping to improve my social skills on a personal and professional level. I am always looking to improve myself especially my attitude. I know that what I say and do affects everyone around me such as my family, friends and co workers.

One of my primary goals has been to be a positive, optimistic and motivational person. I want to attract people towards me instead of them running away. You learn how to positively work with others which is a very important issue when it comes to working. But this book has also caused me to stop and look at myself first and foremost before focusing on other people whom I have no control over in order to change. It does cause you to pause your thinking, look at yourself in the mirror to be able to clearly see what has to be worked on for improvement.

Jennifer Bryan

http://www.empowering-solutions.net - http://www.jenniferbryan.com

Property Inspections Are Important

Purchasing a home is quite possibly the biggest physical investment the average person will make in their lifetime. We pay mechanics to examine the insides of our cars, so why not pay an expert to examine the insides of our properties (certainly a far more valuable asset)? The cost is generally in the low hundreds, but could end up saving you thousands. A pre-purchase building inspection could also see the price tag lowered on your dream home.

A property inspection involves a qualified professional thoroughly examining the building for defects and structural problems. Such defects could include water damage as a result of shower leaks or any other leaks, termite damage, timber decay, moisture in sub-floor, poor brickwork, cracks in bricks and walls, roof and footing defects and any other structural problem that may exist. A property inspector can also check for illegal building practices.

All potential home buyers should arrange a building inspection before purchasing property. Of course there are already enough costs associated with buying a house, but it works out a lot cheaper in the long run if you discover a termite infestation or shonky brickwork before signing anything. Building inspections are also useful for settling disputes between neighbors about possible construction work damage, as well as buyer and seller disputes.

Quality property inspection companies will also offer additional services such as pest inspection. A pest inspection may reveal unwanted guests such as cockroaches, mice and wasps nesting in a hidden location. Or worse: termites. Termite damage has the ability to destroy houses before a problem is even realised. Unfortunately they are usually not visible to the naked eye. This is where additional pest inspections can really come in handy.

All good inspection companies will use moisture meters, listening devices, and most importantly, a thermal camera to seek out potential termite infestations. Basically, this camera will detect higher temperatures within the walls of your home, which indicates that termites may be nesting in these areas. Pest inspections will also reveal whether there has been past termite activity in the building.

Some things to check for before buying a house include moisture and mold on walls and ceilings, flaking paintwork, rotting timber and cracks in brickwork and walls. However; arranging a building inspection is the best way to get definitive answers and repair quotes. A good building inspection company will offer a detailed report citing the damage found and estimate repair costs. Images of the defects and expert advice are an added bonus. Make sure that the property inspectors you hire are licensed and have their own indemnity insurance.

This article was provided by Childs Property Inspections: Professional building inspectors who provide a wide range of property inspection reports for Australian homes including Dilapidation Reports Pre-purchase Building Inspections and Termite Inspections.

Stair Handrail Inspection

The Importance of Goal Setting

The whole point of setting a goal is to help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be. If you set goals and work toward them diligently, you can have all the things you want. People who set and achieve their goals are people whove decided what they want, committed themselves to going after it, and havent let anything stand in their way short of violating the rights of others.

A proper goal gives you all the incentive you need to grow in your awareness of being a perfect expression of an Infinite power, designed for excellence and abundance. As you become more welcoming and aware of your relationship with God, and of all the potential thats been built into you, youll function more effectively in harmony with the laws of the universe. Living in synch with all of this will yield results youve never dreamed possible.

They say that awareness is curative. It gives deep meaning to life because it spells the end of your robotic existence no more walking in the deep ruts formed by your harmful programming and counterproductive thought life. These old ways of thinking arent ways youve chosen they were planted in your heart when you were young by your parents, teachers, and religious leaders. While some of these programs serve you well, many of them are harmful and ready to be replaced. The old way of living has kept you from a truly abundant life.

But, in order to truly change, your old habits have to be replaced with new, healthy practices. Having a solid goal in place serves as a constant help as you do this. In fact, without a specific goal, youre unlikely to ever make a significant change in your life. While youre on your way toward achieving your goals, you learn to choose which thoughts youll allow into your mind. Youll see the connection between these thoughts, the feelings and attitudes they produce, and ultimately the results they yield. Its not something someone else can do for you.

Ever notice how your life never really stays the same? Youre either improving it or damaging it your actions arent neutral. As a spiritual being, your spirit constantly seeks expansion and greater expression. When this deep desire is thwarted, you experience a feeling of dissatisfaction. That feeling is unpleasant enough to serve as a good motivator. We hate feeling unfulfilled, and work diligently to escape such an unpleasant feeling. Well do pretty much anything to satisfy this need.

This need for fulfillment goes way beyond just things and money although they are important. They give you comfort and opportunity. It goes beyond happy feelings or a sense of peace although theyre important, too. Our drive for complete fulfillment includes these things, but goes so much further its a deep desire for a big purpose, something that catapults you into creativity, into meaningful and effective service.

Great you were created to pursue worthy goals. How do you set them? How do you go after them? What can you do to make sure you achieve these grand goals?

Half the battle with goal-setting is determining exactly what it is that you want. Sounds easy enough you answer that question just fine at a restaurant, on your birthday, when you get your hair cut. But when it comes to the big what do you want question, minds go blank. We dont know whats okay to ask for. Whats too much? Am I overreaching? How am I going to feel if I ask for something thats beyond possibility?

Wow, such bad programming we pick up! Ask any little kid what they want to be when they grow up and youll hear answers like: the President, an astronaut, a gazillionaire, a cat, a rock star. Nothing seems impossible; nothing seems like itll come back to haunt you if it doesnt work out.

Deciding what you want is risky. Telling someone else can feel uncomfortable. You might feel like youve got to preface it with something like, Please dont tell anyone Can you keep a secret I know it sounds crazy, but But you know what? People who set and achieve awesome goals are risk takers theyve learned to be. They know that theyve got the privilege and duty to design their own lives, make their own decisions. They dare to dream, and dream big. The power is in going after what you want, not in going after what you need.

Think you dont have what it takes to meet your goals? Then heres some great news youve already got everything that could ever be necessary to produce amazing results in your life. Youve got access to all you need whether you see it right now or not. So, dont worry about that as you choose goals. Assume you have every resource you need, right at your fingertips because you do.

Andrew Cocks and Terry Zambri are Certified Life Success Consultants, Network Marketing and Internet Marketing Coaches. Their exclusive 3 step marketing system, combined with their unique home based business training program is creating massive success for their team. Visit: http://www.AndrewAndTerry.com/incomeaccelerationsecrets.html to learn how you can be coached by them for FREE.

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