Monthly Archives: September 2012
Tips on How to Quit Chewing Tobacco
Millions of people want to quit tobacco once and for all. To get and stay motivated to become nicotine free, you need a reason that is both personal and strong. Maybe the thought of cancer is frightening and you do not want your children to know you use tobacco.
Maybe you realize that if you quit chewing tobacco, you will look and feel more youthful. Identify a reason that is solid enough to overpower the urge to use chewing tobacco. Below are some tips to help you succeed.
Do Not Go Cold Turkey: The majority of people who try to quit without a nicotine replacement therapy or a counselor end up relapsing. Nicotine is very addictive. In its absence, the brain craves it, causing withdrawal symptoms and making it difficult for you to fight your urges. Quitting cold turkey is not easy.
Tell Your Friends and Family: When wondering how to quit chewing tobacco and succeed, think about how helpful an ally is in times of struggle. Your friends, family and colleagues can provide additional support as you work to quit using tobacco. Support groups also give you people to talk to who are able to relate. For groups in your area, use your Internet and search ‘smokeless tobacco online’. This type of behavioral therapy assists you in your attempts to stick to your quitting strategies and kick the habit once and for all.
Manage Stress: Try to avoid situations that may evoke feelings of stress during the weeks immediately following the quit. Once you are tobacco free, it is crucial to find ways to manage your stress to avoid a relapse. Schedule weekly massages, listen to soothing music, or take yoga classes.
Avoid Triggers: Identify the activities that trigger you to use nicotine. Work hard to avoid those or have a plan in place so when you are in the situation, you do not cave in to your cravings. If you usually chew tobacco after meals, find a different activity to do such as chewing gum or drinking a glass of water. If coffee is a trigger, switch to tea when you first quit.
Keep Trying: Relapses are very common among those quitting nicotine. Often times, it takes people several times before they give up tobacco for good. If you relapse, reflect on what lead to this event. Think over the circumstances and emotions you felt and use this as a learning opportunity to reiterate your commitment. Set a quit date again within the next month and stay positive. Don’t give up!
How to Decorate Your Home with Musical Instruments
Decorating your home with musical instruments that never go out of style is a refreshing way to give your house a classic look. A Steinway Model O piano in the corner of your living room is reminiscent of the old movies. Musical-inspired decorating is a great way to make your home look lovely and inviting. Whether your instrument is new or vintage, the following tips will help you decide how to best showcase your musical side.
Coordinating Colors
Choose art and photographs for the walls that accent the instrument. For instance, select a frame that perhaps matches the Steinway Model M so the black coordinates and ties the room together.
Use the Instrument as a Focal Point
Surround those Steinway pianos with a couch and chairs. Frame a guitar and place it on the main wall in the room. Shop around at garage sales and thrift shops for other instruments-related ideas that fit the theme such as sheet music.
Collect Signed Instruments
A valuable signed instrument will change the look of your wall. The entire value of the room will escalate and admirers will enjoy seeing the signed instrument. Visit local auctions and keep your eyes peeled for autographed instruments.
Artwork
Start with one or two musical instruments, then build your collection as time and your budget allow. Purchase or make framed artwork featuring musical instruments or well-known players. Use wall art hangings in the shape of a musical instrument to add some visual appeal to the room.
Multi-Purpose
Take an instrument, such as a large drum, and turn it into a coffee or end table. Drums such as a snare are simple to transform into a unique centerpiece. Cut away one side of the drum and fill it with fresh flowers, candles, apples or anything you desire.
Use as Vases
Some instruments, such as a trombone or saxophone make wonderful holders for your tulips or daisies. Instruments smaller in size look lovely displayed on a mantel or shelf with several fresh flowers. Large instruments may find a home in the corner of a room or attached to the wall. Tall flowers or reeds look best in instruments of this size.
As you decorate, keep in mind the instruments will draw people toward them. Position the instruments in a way allowing them to be easily moved, admired, and returned to the way they are hung or displayed. Using musical instruments is an innovative and original way to turn your house into a masterpiece. Good luck!
Creative Ways to Pop the Question
You have the perfect girl and marriage on your mind. You have spent hours searching online jewelry stores for the ring to give the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with. Now you are probably working on a unique way to propose. The lucky lady will share the story of the big night with her friends, family, and strangers the rest of her life. As the person proposing, there is some pressure to ask in a way that makes the story worth sharing.
Here are a few great ideas to make sure it is a memorable and special evening:
Scavenger Hunt
Make up a scavenger hunt and the two of you can travel around town to special places, like where you went on your first dinner date, your favorite park, and so on. At the final destination, get down on one knee.
Foodie Ideas
The ring can easily be incorporated with food. Create a personalized fortune cookie with your own proposal. Order Chinese food and make sure you pick up the teriyaki chicken and egg drop soup. Put your personalized cookie in the bag and remove the ones from the restaurant. After you fill your bellies, pull the cookies out and plan to read them aloud. She will be shocked!
Fall Surprise
Visit the pumpkin patch to find the biggest and best one. Challenge your future bride to a friendly pumpkin-carving competition. Carefully carve the words “Marry Me” into the pumpkin and prepare to see surprise written all over her face when you reveal it.
Unexpected Easter Basket
Plan to exchange hand-made Easter baskets. Fill hers with small presents, plastic eggs filled with candy and sweet notes. Don’t forget that one egg must contain the ring!
On a Getaway
If you have an upcoming getaway to New York or even Europe, this is a fun time to pop the question. Propose in a place no one would imagine. Choose somewhere like the top of an observation deck in a big city or during the parade at Disneyland. Don’t forget your camera!
Across the country, gorgeous rings are available to impress the love of your life. Of all the engagement rings San Diego has to offer, an amazing stone can make her heart melt. Look in stores and at vintage jewelry online. Try and find out which shape of diamond she prefers and the type of setting that is her favorite. Get ready for a perfect evening with the woman you hope to spend your life with.
Celebrities with Cheerleading Roots
Cheerleading season is year-round. Between cheer camps, football and basketball seasons, the squad’s performances never end. They pull out their cheer bows for the national competitions to show off their spirit and enthusiasm. Let’s take a look at which celebrities shouted out cheers before admirers yelled for them.
Cameron Diaz
Prior to starring in your favorite movie, she was donning cheerleading clothes during her years in high school. This Long Beach native is exactly what you picture when you think of a cheerleader. Perky, happy, and bubbly, Diaz yelled loud to excite the crowd.
Sandra Bullock
Before she was on the big screen, she rooted for her high school classmates. Bullock was the leader of her squad in Virginia and loved cheering. Her signature smile originated in the 1980s as she cheered her team to victory.
Lindsay Lohan
She pulled her cheer shoes out and jumped around the gymnasium of her high school in New York. Lohan briefly attended the Long Island public school in Merrick before her rise to fame. Fellow celebrity Deborah Gibson is also an alumnus of the Sanford H. Calhoun High School squad.
Eva Longoria
Before wowing us on the hot television show ‘Desperate Housewives’, Eva cheered her heart out. She first rooted for Roy Miller in High School in Corpus Christi. Longoria then went on to shake her pom poms for Texas A&M University in Kingsville.
Halle Berry
Halle recalls her days of cheering as fun, yet embarrassing. She once forgot to wear cheerleading bloomers during a game! Either way, her smile made her a great cheerleader back in her home state of Ohio.
Paula Abdul
Paula began her stint with cheerleading in her Van Nuys high school. She then was picked from 700 talented women as a new member of the amazing Laker Girls. After 3 short months as a Laker Girl, Paula’s talent was recognized and she was named the head choreographer.
Fergie
If you have watched the Black Eyed Peas perform, it is no surprise Fergie is a former cheerleader. She has always had a passion for dancing around stage and performing. She cheered on the Wildcats in the early 1990s at Glen A. Wilson High School in California.
George W. Bush
Prior to leading the country, he led cheers. Who says cheering is just for girls? Bush fine-tuned his talent as the head of the squad at his all-male high school in Andover, Massachusetts.
Jessica Simpson
Her pattern of dating handsome football players is Jessica’s natural tendency–she is a former cheerleader! Simpson cheered on her high school squad in Richardson, Texas in the 1990s with her mega-watt smile.
Subtle Cosmetic Procedures only YOU Will Notice
Cosmetic surgery gives doctors the ability to correct signs of aging and minor imperfections. Surgery now has a recovery rate that is shorter than ever and procedures leave almost no scarring. Natural procedures are great, as they simply enhance and improve one’s physical appearance. This is a good strategy as it allows one to keep their distinctiveness and also look more youthful and fix their flaws. Here are some subtle procedures only you will notice:
Nasal Reshaping: Rhinoplasty is a facial plastic surgery that is steadily increasing. It may be performed to fix a deformity or better your appearance. The shape and size of the nose greatly impacts the look of a person. Even subtle changes in the nose will improve one’s look. The goal of nasal reshaping or rhinoplasty is to enhance the shape of your nose giving it a more natural look. Plastic surgeons are able to thin a wide tip or make a bump smaller.
Augmentation of the Lips: Lips that are full and plump are a classic symbol of beauty. Several techniques can help achieve the look you want for your lips. Some methods offer immediate results, but are not permanent. Other methods are more permanent. Lip augmentation results in a fuller, more attractive mouth and face.
Breast Lift: This procedure changes the size and shape of the breasts and simultaneously elevates them. This surgery lifts the sagging breasts establishing a proportionate bust that is aesthetically appealing. This surgery may be performed discretely and corrects drooping breasts to help improve the self-esteem of women. Many women have breast lifts as they age and finish having babies.
Ear Shaping: This plastic surgery is performed to correct ears that are prominent or jut out. One will notice striking results with simple alterations to the structure and position of your ear. Typical patients may range from children as young as six years to adults. Incisions behind your ears are made and the cartilage is formed into the position you decide upon. By having the ears re-shaped, your face appears subtly different and improved.
Implants of the Cheeks: To enhance the look of the face, plastic surgeons may use facial implants to add contour. Cheekbones that are not projected tend to give your face a sunken appearance. Ideal candidates for cheek implants are those that desire a more full and youthful-looking face. Typical results are a face that is balanced and aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
How to Choose a Plastic Surgeon
Plastic surgery is an option that is becoming increasingly popular among men and women of all ages. However, deciding upon a plastic surgeon for your tummy tuck or rhinoplasty is a very important and difficult decision. Here are a few things to consider before having the procedure:
Is the surgeon board certified?
It is important to know if your surgeon is board certified. This means that you have the reassurance of knowing your plastic surgeon graduated from medical school. A board-certified surgeon also has successfully completed a minimum of 5 years of training beyond what was done in medical school. Prior to receiving certification, the surgeon also has passed detailed exams, both of oral and written.
Is the plastic surgeon a person you are comfortable discussing your concerns with?
Feeling comfortable with your surgeon is essential. The procedure you are having is due to something about your physical appearance you would like to change. You should be able to discuss what is causing your feelings of discontentment. The plastic surgeon you decide upon should speak openly and have excellent communication skills. Those qualities will make the process go smoothly and result in your satisfaction and happiness.
Is the surgeon experienced in the area of reconstructive surgery?
There are cases that plastic surgeons perform procedures to help people feel more comfortable in their own skin. Some of these situations include reconstruction due to cancer or other incident. Victims of burns or those seeking reparation of wounds or trauma also seek the plastic surgeon to help them lead a life like before the accident. Plastic surgeons also may correct birth defects or deformities that one has acquired over time.
Speak with your friends, doctor, nurses and hospitals.
Maybe you are considering a facelift. Speak with a friend who has had this procedure. Nurses and doctors can typically give recommendations based on the feedback heard from their patients. Do not base your decision on speaking with just one individual. Everyone’s results are unique, as is the surgery.
Have a consultation with the final surgeons you are contemplating. This gives you the ability to compare their personalities, opinions, fees and the way they communicate and answer your questions. The surgeon should answer every question you have in a way that is simple and clear. They should discuss the expectations you have about this procedure and inform you of the risks associated. Most importantly, the surgeon should never pressure you into having unnecessary procedures. The final decision is yours, not the plastic surgeon’s.
Fall Golf Course Essentials
Fall is around the corner and you are probably wondering how to dress practically while still looking good on the course. Golf is a sport where people tend to dress in a way that shows their style. But functionality is crucial to play your best for eighteen holes. So how do you dress when the fall weather is not ideal?
Pants: A cool, windy day calls for long pants. Tight-fitting pants are never appropriate for golf. Choose a pair that is comfortable and allows you to move easily. Pick pants that are water-resistant and will protect your lower body from rain.
Rain Jacket: It is crucial to have a rain jacket for the dreary fall days on the course. The game of golf continues on until there is lightning and thunder, so bring a jacket to wear over your men’s or women’s golf shirts. Opt for one that will not inhibit your movements or interfere with your swing.
Vests: Men and women choose to warm up their torsos by wearing knits vests. They look nice paired with golf skirts or pants. Another bonus is that vests keep the arms free so your swing is not affected.
Sunglasses: Fall, along with all seasons, can mean there are some sunny days. When looking down the fairway, you do not want to squint your eyes. Wear sunglasses that have UVA and UVB protection to shield your eyes and skin from the sun. A pair with a strap adds convenience as it allows you to wear them around your neck and keeps them from getting misplaced.
Hats: Wearing a hat will help your entire body stay warm. We lose a lot of heat out of our heads, so a hat is an essential fall item for days out on the golf course. Baseball-style caps come in options made of material that wicks sweat or rain out of your eyes. Visors do not keep your head warm, but can protect your eyes from the sun. Another option is a brim hat. Both men and women select this practical style that provides exceptional UV protection from the suns rays.
Golf clothes for women and men are available at your country club golf shop. If you decide to shop elsewhere, contact your golf course prior to purchasing new attire. Most courses have a dress code you must abide by. You do not want to arrive ready to play to find out your clothing is inappropriate and you cannot golf in the outfit you have worn.
How to Choose the Perfect Homecoming Dress
As the summer ends and school resumes, the talk of homecoming fills the minds of all teenagers. It is a huge event, second only to prom. Homecoming gives girls the opportunity to pull out their Jovani dresses or ball gowns and prepare to have the night of their lives. When searching for evening dresses for homecoming, what should you consider?
Appropriateness: Make sure your dress is practical for the school dance. While a dress covered in sparkly sequins may look great on a mannequin, it may not make the best choice for homecoming. Follow the school dress code and bring along a shawl to cover exposed shoulders. In case the evening is cool, prepare by bringing a classy jacket. Remember, dresses with too many details such as ruffles or frills are not always great for homecoming.
Length and Cut: Choose a dress that falls at a length that is flattering. Homecoming dresses typically are more fitted and sleek. This style of dress adds comfort for dancing and mingling. If you choose a dress that has no straps, it must fit perfectly. Tend toward dresses that have support and will stay in place as you dance the night away. The most important part is choosing a dress that makes you feel confident and fun. You do not want to worry about it all evening long.
Fabric Color and Pattern: Homecoming is in the fall. Dark colors such as black, metallic tones or whites tend to make great choices for a homecoming dress. A different and fun option is a dress with animal prints, such as leopard or zebra. Fabrics that have sheen also are a homecoming must-have.
Your Style: The homecoming dress you pick should match your personality. Terani couture prom dresses show that you are confident and outgoing. Vintage gowns may show that you are serious and sweet. If you normally dress classically, a floral gown with a rounded neckline is the gown for you. If you are fun and creative, a dress with bows or ruffles could be the option that best suits you. Choose a dress that shows your personal style and you will really shine at this year’s homecoming dance.
Perfect Your Accessories: You have found an amazing dress, now it is time to find jewelry and accessories to make it even better. Open necklines look nice with a bold necklace. If you plan to have your hair up, over-sized earrings make a great accessory. Select shoes by making comfort the top priority. Most of the time, girls remove their heels shortly into the dance, but the best idea is still to pick a pair with a low heel.
How to Get a Jump Start on Christmas Shopping
Yes, Christmas is still a few months away. But it is never to early to begin thinking about shopping for the big holiday. Starting early can save a lot of money and also help keep stress levels down. Instead of spending tons of time doing last-minute shopping at numerous stores you can relax at home with your family.
Write Your List
Jot down all of the names of the people you are planning to purchase a present for. Next to each name, make notes about the person’s interests or hobbies. This will help you find gifts that the person will enjoy and put to good use. For instance, custom phone cases make a perfect present for someone whose smartphone is never far from their hands. For the chef in your family, a new cookbook with mixing bowls is a cute idea.
Begin Shopping After Christmas and Throughout the Year for Savings
Get your list written up and start your shopping as soon as possible. After Christmas sales are nearly impossible to beat. No one will have any idea you only paid 15% of the regular price on those Christmas cards you mail out. Wrapping paper is always thrown away, whether you picked it up from the clearance bin or not.
Compare Prices Online
Nearly everyone rushes around for deals on Black Friday. You may find yourself in a line with hundreds of others waiting for the store to open. Once you decide on your purchases and get shoved around a dozen times, you might wait in a line that takes 3 hours to get through. By shopping online, you can enjoy the deals retailers offer without having to fight tons of people. You can shop online throughout the year at a time and day that is most convenient to you. This also allows you to maintain your current sleep schedule.
There’s Nothing Wrong With Keeping Gifts Simple
At a time when many Americans are struggling financially, remember that keeping things simple is just fine. Put additional thought into your gift, like making picture calendars for family members. Gifts do not have to cost you a lot of money. Use your creative side and give picture gifts such as photographs of your family in a nice frame. A basket of homemade items is also sure to please.
It does not matter who gives the biggest or most presents. Christmas is about spending time with your loved ones. This is something so many of us take for granted during the hustle and bustle of our daily lives.
