Since moving into the suburbs, I have developed a new hobby: snow boarding. Snow boarding is great fun, and the reason I got started is because I used to go surfing when I lived by the beach, and when I moved away from the coast I had to find something new to satisfy my fix for extreme, white-knuckle sport. When I moved to my new college, everyone was talking about snow boarding, and a lot of my peers considered snow boarding an excellent hobby. When they asked if I wanted to attend, I was more than happy to come along and take part.

The next thing I knew I was at the slopes, and I had to let everyone know that I had absolutely no experience of the sport whatsoever. They appeared to understand, and everyone was really helpful when it came to explaining how to get started. In fact, there were so many people trying to teach me what to do, I actually found that I would rather just one person would teach me at a time. The next thing I knew, I was going down the slope, and had no idea how to break appropriately, or how to turn. OK, so I'll admit that getting tuition from a bunch of teenagers was hardly the best idea, but it ensured that I didn’t hold back on anything, and I certainly got off to a flying start. The fact is that you realise it is mostly just common sense, and the thrills that you get are amazing. When you are going down a slope at 30 miles an hour and you do not have to put in any effort to accelerate: that is like flying.

The fact is that I also enjoy snow boarding because it is a great social activity for everyone to enjoy. I had just moved to a new area, and snow boarding really gave me an opportunity to get to know people, and is actually the reason why I am friends with the people that I hang around with at the moment. After visiting the slopes a few times, my new friends and I have discovered more common ground, so now we enjoy other activities together, along with the occasional visit to the slopes of course! I’d recommend snowboarding as a great hobby for anyone, particularly those with a passion for extreme sports, or anyone with a sense of adventure. And it’s really great when you actually get involved - there’s a whole culture attached to it.

Some of my friends suggested taking up skiing, but this is something I think I'll avoid. It is almost like trying to compare a car and a motor bike. A car maybe burns less gas, it may be safer and may even turn corners with more precision, but what would you rather travel in for sheer thrills? Skiing just looks boring compared to snow boarding and the more I get into snow boarding the more my opinion is re-affirmed.

I am glad that I moved away, and I am glad that I managed to find a sport that I enjoy more than surfing. I am hoping to start entering into competitions soon, however I have a lot of catching up to do with my new friends first!

Summary:

10 quotes from Woody Allen about life, the universe - and what you can do to become a better person

Keywords:

selfimprovement, self improvement

Article Body:

Improve Yourself In As Little As 5 Minutes With These 10 Inspirational Quotes

Or "Life With Woody" 10 inspirational quotes than can improve yourself

It might take a little coffee or probably a few rounds of adult beverage you could get your hands on when it comes to relaxing after a hard day's work. Well, yeah I'm guilty about that one as well, unless I'm caught dead wearing a lampshade over my head after a few rounds of vodka… half-naked! Okay, bad example and I apologize to everyone reading this after getting nightmares about me in that state of drunken stupor.

Just don't ask how it happened, please.

But what's really interesting is that how do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this 'mind-over-matter' thing.

Humor is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what's been happening, and to those who has gone though the ordeal, it's better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favorite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he's bound to mock the subject and you'll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

Woody Allen has this to say:

1. "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn't have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

2. "I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government." 'Nuff said.

3. "There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life's little problems isn't all that bad, until 'he' shows up.

Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you're talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

4. "Love is the answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions." And if you want more, just keep on asking!

5. "A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said 'no'." It sounds, 'practical', I think.

And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn't involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

6. "Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats." I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

7. "I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens." If it rains, it pours.

8. "I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." It could get worse when you're guzzling on beer… or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

9. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." At least he doesn't smite us with lightning, and I'm thankful for that.

And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can't seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we're religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.

And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by… however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

10. "The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have."

The universe will give you what you give to the the world.

Summary:

Nominated for 25 Golden Globes and 110 Emmys, including 7 for Outstanding Drama Series, ER has long been one of the best prime-time shows on television. Premiering in September 1994 on NBC, the hour-long hospital drama vividly illustrates the intensity and fast-paced stress endemic to hospital emergency rooms across America. Brought into being by Michael Crichton - famous Hollywood insider, novelist, and brains behind such films as Jurassic Park, Twister, and Timeline - ER fu...

Keywords:

er, dvd, review

Article Body:

Nominated for 25 Golden Globes and 110 Emmys, including 7 for Outstanding Drama Series, ER has long been one of the best prime-time shows on television. Premiering in September 1994 on NBC, the hour-long hospital drama vividly illustrates the intensity and fast-paced stress endemic to hospital emergency rooms across America. Brought into being by Michael Crichton - famous Hollywood insider, novelist, and brains behind such films as Jurassic Park, Twister, and Timeline - ER fulfills its creator's ultimate vision (it took over a decade of pitching the show before network executives bit) for a close-to-life glimpse of the technology and the humanity omnipresent in the ER. Since its inception, many cast members have passed through the halls of ER, many of them having gone on to become big stars in Hollywood…

ER follows the exploits of a group of emergency room staff who work in a busy Chicago hospital. The show attempts to examine every detail of the ER experience. From the exhilaration of saving a life to the tedium caused by mountains of paperwork, all the highs and lows are covered. In the show's first year, a number of regular faces staffed the ER. Doctors Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards), Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle), Douglas Ross (George Clooney), and Susan Lewis (Sherri Stringfield) were regulars in the ER along with Head Nurse Carol Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) and Benton's medical student understudy (and later ER doctor), John Carter (Noah Wyle)… Any given episode tends to run multiple plot lines throughout the show, interweaving scenes in short snippets intended to heighten audience emotion and create the aura of a stress-laden atmosphere. The show's high drama, coupled with subplots of the staffers' personal lives and the display of cutting edge medical technology, combine to make ER one of most adrenaline-inducing programs in television history…

The ER DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere "24 Hours" in which a long day in the ER is made longer when multiple casualties pour through the doors following the collapse of a building and medical students report for training (marking the first appearance for John Carter's character). Meanwhile, Dr. Benton performs a heart surgery normally reserved only for senior staff members while the staff is struck with a personal tragedy when Head Nurse Carol Hathaway is brought in following a suicide attempt… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Blizzard" in which a major snowstorm first leads to an empty ER and then (following a 40-car pileup) one with overflowing capacity, and "House of Cards" in which, while trying to keep up with Carter, Deb nearly causes a patient's death…

Below is a list of episodes included on the ER (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (24 Hours: Part 1) Air Date: 09-19-1994

Episode 2 (24 Hours: Part 2) Air Date: 09-19-1994

Episode 3 (Day One) Air Date: 09-22-1994

Episode 4 (Going Home) Air Date: 09-29-1994

Episode 5 (Hit and Run) Air Date: 10-06-1994

Episode 6 (Into That Good Night) Air Date: 10-13-1994

Episode 7 (Chicago Heat) Air Date: 10-20-1994

Episode 8 (Another Perfect Day) Air Date: 11-03-1994

Episode 9 (9 ½ Hours) Air Date: 11-10-1994

Episode 10 (ER Confidential) Air Date: 11-17-1994

Episode 11 (Blizzard) Air Date: 12-08-1994

Episode 12 (The Gift) Air Date: 12-15-1994

Episode 13 (Happy New Year) Air Date: 01-05-1995

Episode 14 (Luck of the Draw) Air Date: 01-12-1995

Episode 15 (Long Day's Journey) Air Date: 01-19-1995

Episode 16 (Feb. 5, '95) Air Date: 02-02-1995

Episode 17 (Make of Two Hearts) Air Date: 02-09-1995

Episode 18 (The Birthday Party) Air Date: 02-16-1995

Episode 19 (Sleepless in Chicago) Air Date: 02-23-1995

Episode 20 (Love's Labor Lost) Air Date: 03-09-1995

Episode 21 (Full Moon, Saturday Night) Air Date: 03-30-1995

Episode 22 (House of Cards) Air Date: 04-06-1995

Episode 23 (Men Plan, God Laughs) Air Date: 04-27-1995

Episode 24 (Love Among the Ruins) Air Date: 05-04-1995

Episode 25 (Motherhood) Air Date: 05-11-1995

Episode 26 (Everything Old is New Again) Air Date: 05-18-1995

Summary:

All of us could work on our skills of influencing others, whether it is within a company, a family, or a group of friends. Within the corporate world, influence is a power that you can control with your supervisor, upper management, customers, and co-workers.

Keywords:

success, fact, facts, influence, influences, art, arts, self, improvement, self improvement, improve, improving, prove

Article Body:

All of us could work on our skills in influencing others - whether it is within a company, a family, or a group of friends. Within the corporate world, influence is a power that you can control with your supervisor, upper management, customers, and co-workers.

Don’t confuse influencing, with the art of “kissing up;” it’s not the same thing.

Livia, the wife of Octavian (Caesar Augustus), and mother of Tiberius, was one of the most influential people in Rome. She is not known for kissing up, but she is historically remembered as one of the most powerful Romans of her time.

Some people hold more power by influencing, than those who seem to be in power. Many of us have seen an administrative assistant, who ran a department, or an entire company.

So how do you start developing the art of influence? One of the best ways to start is to establish a reputation of integrity. Therefore, you should not engage in any “back biting,” as it always takes away from your credibility. It may be tempting to jump on the “band wagon,” and express a negative opinion about a third party, but it will not develop your ability to influence the person who is not present.

As a matter of fact, gossip and slander will destroy your honor, with all parties concerned. Even perceived allies will question your trustworthiness, when you engage in backbiting. True alliances are founded on loyalty, dependability, and straight forwardness. The bottom line is: You must be seen as a foundation of integrity, in order to be influential within a group.

The next most valuable ingredient is to be sincerely interested in helping others, and show your interest in them. How well you relate to the needs of others, will develop entire networks, and bonds that last.

Here is a personal story about network development. I worked in a US based company, where 95% of the employees spoke Spanish as their native language. My job was to run a small department within that company, but I didn’t speak Spanish. After the first day, I picked up a Spanish / English dictionary at a local bookstore.

My Spanish-speaking assistant wanted to learn English, and we helped each other during work, lunch, breaks, and after work. Within a year, we could both construct sentences in the other’s native language. We shared information about culture, music, and food.

As a result, we became good friends, worked in harmony, and we had a very productive department. Although my Spanish is a little “rusty” now, I still have an opportunity to speak it, every week, in my own company.

Just by taking the time to understand actions, culture, behavior, and a different viewpoint, you can cultivate influence. Developing influence shouldn’t be for self-centered reasons. It is best when used for the common good of a group.

Starting a virtual assistant business is just one of many ways to be a Work at home mom. If you have experience in an administrative field, or can offer virtual services to business clients, then you are a prime candidate for having a successful virtual assistant business.

Getting started as a virtual assistant requires a few simple steps. There is no formal credential process to become a virtual assistant, but there are several companies who offer training and their own credentialing. This is not absolutely necessary to be a successful virtual assistant, but it can be helpful in obtaining jobs as a newcomer. Before you sign up for any program or course, do your due diligence and investigate the company. Get recommendations from other successful virtual assistants and consider finding a mentor who can help you get started.

Legally, you’ll need a business license in order to become an independent contractor. By obtaining a business license you’ll be able to open up a business bank account and keep your business and personal finances separately. Being legal also means you can declare many of your business expenses as tax write offs.

Once you’ve set up your home office, you’ll need to establish your virtual office. On the Internet, you’ll use a website to advertise yourself as a virtual assistant. Having a website is essential to establishing your presence. If web design is not in your skill set, find someone who can make a website for you. Try to contact other virtual assistants and see if you can barter for the design if it’s something that you cannot afford to begin with.

On your website you should, at minimum, list your services and who you are. You can also include an hourly rate, although many virtual assistants like to charge by the project instead of by the hour. As far as services go, don’t offer services that you don’t like to do. If you can make spreadsheets but don’t like to do it, then don’t offer that service. If you have background in a specific field, for example law, then list this as a specialty. You can also specialize in the type of work that you offer. Many virtual assistants limit their business to writing and editing, web design, data management or planning, but some offer a mixture of all types of services. Remember, this is your business and you can choose what tasks that you want to perform.

The best way to get virtual assistant jobs to begin with is to start networking. Your best leads will come through people that you already know, whether they are online or in your hometown. Let people know what you are offering and promote your website address so people can see who you are and what you are doing. Make sure to include up to date contact information on your web page, including a phone number.

When you get your first client, its important to have a contract set in place before you start working on a project. You can get many sample contracts online that you can adapt for your needs. Make sure you and the client are both on the same page about the type of work that you will be doing. That way there are no surprises when you deliver the project and your bill.

After you have a few projects under your belt, you’ll begin to build a reputation. Then your virtual assistant business will grow naturally to include repeat clients and new projects. When you consistently do good work, your reputation will precede you and you may have more projects that you know what to do with in a short period of time. Make sure not to overbook yourself, and collect a network of other virtual assistants who are willing to take overflows for you if the need arises.

Getting your virtual assistant business off on the right foot is simple when you follow the basic steps mentioned above.