5 Must-See Parks and Gardens in San Diego


By Robert Dev

San Diego is a year-round tourist destination, and it's loaded with beautiful parks and gardens. Along with staring at the breathtaking biodiversity, you can also hike and walk beautiful trails in the well-kept green spaces. Whether you are traveling alone or with your family, you will have plenty of options in the city of San Diego that can make for a perfect day out. This article will inform you of some of the most popular San Diego parks. But, before you include these gorgeous places in your itinerary make sure to book your tickets to San Diego in advance as booking airline tickets to San Diego at the last minute can be expensive.

Balboa Park

Sprawled in 1,200 acres, Balboa Park is an acclaimed cultural park in San Diego. The park features open space areas, natural vegetation zones, manicured gardens, and walking trails. Besides, it's also home to the world-known San Diego Zoo, a few notable museums and several theaters. With so much to offer, the park can easily fill you up for a day. And you can finish your day with shopping souvenirs for your loved ones from the gifts shops tucked in here. Since there is so much to see and do, consider saving some money with cheap air tickets to San Diego so that you can enjoy your day to the fullest in Balboa Park.

Mission Bay Park

The United States' largest human-made aquatic park, Mission Bay brims with plenty of activities for everyone. The orthodox attractions of the park include walking trails, biking paths, and playgrounds for kids. If you seek adventure, you have options to enjoy sailing a model yacht, kayaking, and flying kites. The park has 27 miles of shoreline that includes 19 miles of sandy beaches that cater for water-sports enthusiasts as well as beach bums. Mission Bay is also popular as a perfect picnic spot among the families, who also love to cook their food on fire rings.

Cabrillo National Monument

Your trip can't be considered accomplished until you visit the Cabrillo National Monument. Situated atop the cliffs at the edge of the Pt. Loma peninsula, the monument and park is best known for its iconic statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese explorer who sailed into port in 1542. This is a great spot to pose for a photo. Look around to savor the panoramic views of downtown San Diego and the majestic mountains. You can also visit a small museum that is run by the national park service and discover the story how the city was discovered through various exhibits.

Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park

If a park to you means views, tranquility, and happy faces; Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park is your place. You will find kids running around, families picnicking, and people soaking up nature. Furthermore, the sweeping views of the hills, downtown San Diego, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Mission Beach and others will spellbind you. Visit the park at night if you love star gazing.

Ellen Browning Scripps Park

This large grassy area is located on the way to La Jolla Cove. It's said that Dr. Seuss, a La Jolla resident, was inspired by the windblown trees at the park to write The Lorax. The park is an ideal destination for a picnic and some family time. Little huts lining the park offer shades and perfect spots to savor sunsets and sunrise. If you are driving to Ellen Browning Scripps Park, you can find plenty of garages close to the park.

The other acclaimed parks in the city of San Diego include Escondido's Kit Carson Park, Torrey Pines State Beach and Park, Mission Trail Regional Park and Waterfront Park. As it's evident that San Diego is loaded with gorgeous green space, you should plan your trip carefully to make the most of it. Also, find San Diego airline tickets deals and cheap tickets to San Diego on the internet so that you can enjoy your vacations within your budget.

Robert Dev has been writing articles about   airline tickets to San Diego and about various ways of obtaining it since several years. He also publishes articles for   cheap flights tickets and other Intuit products from time to time.

Best Tips to Avoid Ageing Skin to Look Young and Fresh


By Rajib KR Saha

People find it difficult to manage the skin, especially when they wake up in the morning and see a huge pimple around the nose or a cold sore at the corner of the mouth. Most of the people often suspect that they have sensitive, dry or oily skin, but do they actually know their skin type?

Having a correct idea about the skin type can help next time when people are in the cosmetics aisle. In fact, using wrong beauty products or following popular internet hacks - without knowing the skin type can also worsen acne, dryness as well as other skin problems. Buy some time to go through the post and learn some useful tips to take the best care of the ageing skin and have clear looking skin.

1. Nourishment

Respect your body and you will get the same treatment! It is important to give your body all the vital nutrients it needs to have radiant, healthy skin and to stay youthful for a longer period. Skin nourishment comes in different forms and they are extremely important like nutrition, hydration and oxygen.

Out of many, two most easy practices to follow are to drink adequate water throughout the day and try breathing deeply as much as possible. Having right nutrition could be trickier, but make sure to consume lots of green vegetables, fruits, dark leafy greens, water-rich fruits, etc. Nowadays, skin care experts also suggest using collagen supplements to take the best care of the skin because after a certain age body stops producing collagen.

2. Cleansing, Toning and Moisturizing

Another basic yet effective practice to take the best care of the ageing skin is to follow skin cleansing, toning and moisturizing. These skin care practices will help to renew the freshness of the skin by shredding off the skin dead cells. Cleansing is a process that is effective in removing impurities while moisturizing will add extra protection from the pollutants in the environment.

3. Exfoliate

Exfoliation is a medical beauty procedure that keeps the skin in good condition. It is important to exfoliate the skin at least once in a week. Innumerable options are available in the market to make the best use of this process such as microdermabrasion, chemical peels and retinoids.

People having a busy schedule can make use of the chemical peel as this entire process takes least time to take best care of the ageing skin. Scrubbing helps in eliminating the dead cells on the top layer of skin that often results in dull facial appearance. But it is important to be very careful about the quality of the scrubs as using poor quality can often scratch the skin and can cause more spoils than good.

Since facial skin is the most visible reflection of an individual, people equate healthy skin beauty. But at the same time, it is also true that healthy skin is more than just having good looks and it is extremely important for the survival. Thus, it gets even more important to keep the skin glowing with the use of right skin care products techniques and by eating well.

Rajib Saha is a reputed author who writes articles on health, lifestyle and beauty. He recommends his readers to use    collagen for skin to get better results. He also indicated in his many posts that collagen enhances the overall skin tone and helps fighting ageing skin.

Can You Really Automate An Online Business?


By Jon Allo

If you want to build a passive income online, you're going to need to use automation. Passive income is revenue that you earn today (and tomorrow) through the efforts you put in yesterday and today. Of course, earning passive income does involve work up front but if you build your automation systems correctly, you'll be able to take breaks and do less work while your income continues to rise on autopilot.

Your Blog

There are plenty of blogging activities that you can set to automate your online business so you can focus on more important parts of running your business. Schedule posts to go live on your blog in advance. If you can work your business a quarter ahead, you'll find that you will make a lot more money due to being prepared.

Autoresponders

These are great email marketing automation tools. You can set up an automated series for all your products or services, whether paid or free, that will automatically go to the people who sign up to your email list.

Email automation allows you to do a lot of your email marketing hands-off. You don't have to manually do everything. You can schedule autoresponder emails to go out and set up a sales funnel that works for you night and day.

Publish an eBook

When you write your own eBook, it's a great way to do work up front and then use it to get more customers and clients by telling people about it. Writing an eBook is not as challenging as you may think. It takes nothing but time to write an eBook. Just write every time you have 10 or 15 minutes of free time. Plenty of successful authors, of both eBooks and physical books, do it this way.

Sign Up As An Affiliate

An affiliate earns a proportion of sales that are made through their link. Even if you have your own products, locate good quality affiliate products to promote to your audience too. Work with companies that provide life-long cookies to help build your passive income.

Use Akismet For Comment Moderation

Reading, approving and replying to your comments takes time. This is one of the tasks many bloggers know is necessary, but can quickly become irritating and disheartening. Use the WordPress plug-in Akismet to do much of the work for you. There are filters and settings you put in place to take care of the vast majority of comment approvals for you.

The true benefit of automation is that if you set things up right from the start, you'll be able to build income for the future that you worked on today. To learn more on how to automate your business processes download my free checklist, A Guide To Business Systems And Automation at    https://jonallo.com/biz-systems

9 Ways Photographers Can Grow Their Business


By Andrew Scott

Every picture clicked is a memory!

Photographs capture moments and events that make life beautiful. Behind the lens we have the ability to freeze moments in time and share them. And the choices are endless in showcasing your talent to the world. If you can't select just one place to share, why not use them all? Here are top ways how photographers can grow their business:

Define Your Product and Services

Having a clear identity as a photographer - whether that be stylistically, location-based or subject matter focused - helps you define your niche, position yourself as a go to photographer in that area, and reach a very targeted group of customers. Said one art director from an advertising agency, "Photographers make mistakes when they don't clearly position themselves. I need to know what type of photographer they are and their style. If it looks like they are all over the place. I can't be confident that they can do my job well.

Determine Your Market

Who is your audience and what are their needs? Truly understanding your target market, including what they want and obstacles they encounter, can help you hone your marketing message and products to fit their specific demands. It will also help you better assist the benefits of doing business with you and deliver a smarter product or service.

Create a Marketing Plan

One-time marketing efforts rarely pay off. You often need to spread the news about your photography through many channels to get on people's radars and convert them into paying customers. To get the word out, consider using social media, email newsletters, and participating in trade shows and networking events. Tip: Make a list of your marketing ideas and slot each into a calendar to stay on track.

Focus On Your Finances

Whether you're full time, part time or a freelance photographer - or even if you make a few bucks on the sided from your photography - you are your own business. This means you need a separate bank account for your business, equipment and liability insurance and a cash flow plan. If this is new to you, we recommend sitting down with an accountant to help wrangle your budget, tax obligations and other financial needs.

Tune Up Your Website

Getting people to your website is hard work. If you site only showcases your photography, you lose the chance to capture a potential client's information ultimately convert them into a paying customer. Instead, think of your website as a sales and marketing tool where people can easily sign up for your newsletter or purchase prints and products directly online. And don't forget to include your contact information.

Build Your SEO

The goal of Search Engine Optimisation is to get found online - especially by people looking for your products and services without knowing who you are. Building you on-page content and list of "Backlinks" links from other sites to yours for example can help quickly improve your search engine rankings.

Get Social

A strong social media presence can translate into real exposure for your photography business. Why? Because your website is no longer a daily destination for your customers, whereas sites like Twitter and Facebook are.

Create an Advisory Group

When it comes to self-evaluation, photographers are often too subjective to assess their own strengths and weaknesses. So instead, try soliciting honest feedback from fellow photographers, friends, smart markets, financial advisors and designers about how you can improve your own prospects this year. People are normally glad to help.

Follow Up With Old Clients

Your old clients should be your easiest sale because you've already done business together. If you haven't been in contact with them for a while, reach out and update them on your new projects, products and services. Don't forget to remind them of how you worked together in the past and where you are located.

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Yoga For Seniors And More Proven To Help Many From Normal Aging Being Frightening


By James Nussbaumer

You, me, my neighbor, your neighbor, and everyone that we will ever have a conversation with in our lives, will sooner or later have to deal with the negative results of aging.

This can vary in all ages and from your physical appearance to certainly more major issues that address your health and daily living.

- A concern that many people have as they age is Alzheimer's.

One terrific method to help keep the mind more focused and exercised are things like mindfulness meditation practice, yoga, and some have told me about learning a foreign language.

Even the ever-increasing popular chair yoga for senior citizens is wonderful.

Numerous research studies have actually been conducted which show that individuals who understand more than one language have actually a postponed start of Alzheimer's.

- Any language will do so select one that you feel would be fun to learn.

The Body Doesn't want that Nicotine!

Quitting smoking is by far an essential way to secure every element of your body as you age.

Since cigarette smoking already has negative effects like reduced breath, heart disease, and even lowering your taste for good foods.

A heart doctor once told my friend Ronnie when convincing Ron to quit smoking, which he did do, that the "three top causes of heart disease" are: "Smoking, smoking, and smoking."

There you have it!

To put it simply, giving up cigarettes like right NOW, is an apparent method to slow and reduce the impacts of aging.

Aging can have numerous undesirable impacts on the body, and nobody looks forward to the obvious signs of getting old.

To have a much easier time as you age, you have to make certain that you take care of yourself now, no matter how old you are.

Always be Moving Forward in Life Previously I discussed facing life challenges by keep pushing forward in all areas of life.

Again, pushing forward might mean to consume a well-balanced diet, and attempt not to carry around additional weight is also key to the anti-aging tips.

Not only will that make your everyday life much easier, it will likewise expand your life.

- Start an exercise for senior's commitment with weights, or yoga perhaps for many results, and so much more to keep the mind healthy.

As you age, you start to lose your muscle density, so you have to make the most out of the muscle mass you have left.

Enter a routine of weight-lifting a couple of times a week so that you can remain strong even as you enter into your later years.

- Vitamin A is great for skin.

Not just does it avoid acne and cancer, it also assists to rid the skin of complimentary radicals that are understood to trigger wrinkles.

Products that have retinol in them have vitamin A, or you can take a vitamin A supplement daily.

A crucial tip for those starting the aging procedure is to look for the support and relationship of others in comparable circumstances and communicate with your Creator.

The Course in Miracles states, "Whenever you are in doubt what you should do, think of His Presence in you, and tell yourself this, and only this: He leadeth me and knows the way, which I know not."

Staying Active

By getting associated with social activities and peer groups, you will be able to keep your mind sharp and develop lasting relationships that will sustain you during the regularly tough process of getting older.

Noted above are a few of the best examples of ways to handle the effects of aging.

With assiduous application of this guidance, you will begin to feel and look like a newer, more youthful you, and it's never far too late to begin, either.

Aging can have lots of unwanted effects on the body and already listed above are some of the finest examples of how to deal with the impacts of aging.

Getting old is a fact of life so embrace it and don't hide from it, but indeed do make the best of it.

(I like to always suggest searching the web for more helpful material on dealing with adversity and facing challenges in life.)

To embracing the grace of age!

You can find related info on topics like, 'perhaps boost your confidence, here we uncover how to overcome adversity in life,' and so much more: http://jamesnussbaumer.com/boost-your-confidence-now-a-better-life-podcast-overcoming-adversity/

The link above gives you access to further helpful material and for folks who are interested in letting go of the past and moving on in life to attaining Real Abundance, Purpose, and Wellness in their lives.

Hi, I'm James Nussbaumer, I'd like to introduce myself through my thought provoking self-improvement and inspirational books, articles, videos, Podcast, and other content for a better life, where I reflect on the principles of A Course in Miracles. It's about being all you can be and a life of success and happiness. Thank you for visiting.

Development of FRP Composites As a Sustainable Construction Material


By Syed Ali Zain-ul-Abideen

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites or advanced composite materials were first used in the civil engineering during the late 1960s to build composite buildings. The construction industry at that time was of the opinion that composite materials should be used as concrete reinforcement. However, it was not until the mid-1980s when the structural design engineers and researchers throughout the world put efforts to investigate the practical use of FRP composites and its variants such as GFRP in building concrete members.

The construction industry was familiar with the unique characteristics of FRP materials, such as high strength and corrosion resistance at the time when they started exploring the potential applications of FRPs in the construction or rehabilitation of concrete structures. However, the high initial cost was really a drawback. In the late 1980s, FRP composites witnessed a breakthrough when they were used in the field of flexural, seismic retrofitting, and shear strengthening of deteriorated concrete structures. Despite the promising results, composite materials are still struggling to fully accepted by all areas of the civil engineering industry.

In the seismic retrofitting and rehabilitation area of civil engineering, the cost to implement composite materials is only a relatively small percentage of the overall cost. FRP materials are inherently lightweight making it possible to undertake fast on-site fabrication which reduces production costs. Its low weight offers an economic benefit in reducing closure period of roads and erection time.

Following the rising need for sustainable and environmentally friendly construction materials, The structural engineers now paying attention to mechanical and in-service properties of FRP and its components. The manufacturing techniques and long-term loading characteristics of FRP have been the point of discussion in civil engineering circles. Looking at the future, and considering the unique qualities, composite materials are likely to play a key role in building sustainable concrete infrastructure.

Undoubtedly, composite materials have become a key component of the construction industry because of their durability, high strength-to-weight ratio, accelerated construction, low life-cycle costs, and superior resistance to corrosion and fatigue. The scope of FRP materials is also expanding in terms of civil infrastructure applications. The civil applications of composites include bridge decks, seawalls, runways, bridge strengthening and repair. Composites are also valuable material when it comes to seismic retrofitting and building marine waterfront structures.

Being a contractor or structural engineer, you should explore FRP and its components such as GFRP fiberglass rebar. These materials can really help construction industry construct maintenance-free concrete members with a lifespan of 100 years.

Tuf-Bar is a leading    GFRP fiberglass rebar manufacturer in Canada, producing the highest-quality construction materials.

A Brief Introduction To Insulation And Insulated Garments


By Syed Ali Zain-ul-Abideen

What is insulation and what kind of impact it has on the clothes' performance? Why do we feel warm and cozy after wearing an insulated jacket? The insulation mechanism does not create heat; it traps the heat and maintains temperature. Insulated clothes reduce the transfer of heat released by our bodies. The prime purpose of insulated clothing is to provide wearer protection against cold.

Clothing plays a crucial role in protecting wearer's body by controlling heat transfer. People who live in areas where the temperature falls to an unbearable level have to wear insulated clothes in order to keep their bodies warm and protected against weather. Workers have to wear insulated coveralls, jackets, and other garments in order to perform their duties effectively and safely. The question is how our bodies lose heat? Following are two of the major channels through which we lose body heat in the cold.

Conduction

Our body releases heat to almost everything it touches. This is why a couch gets warm after you have sat on it for a while. Water can absorb the heat of a body 25 times faster than the air. This is the reason why it is important to stay dry in cold weather.

Convection

Convection refers to the movement of heat from one place to another by the movement of fluids. Air can also steal heat from our body. One of the functions of insulated jackets is to stop air from penetrating the clothes.

The insulated clothing offers a number of benefits including protection against air, snow, wind, etc. It also helps workers mitigate the effects of injuries. Following is one of the benefits of using quality insulated garments.

Built-in breathability

A thick layer of clothes can trap air; thus, making it difficult for sweat to evaporate. This is where technology comes into play. The modern insulated garments maintain the temperature while retaining a degree of breathability. They are manufactured by combining low-density knit with high-loft fibers. So you do not have to wear a combination of clothes in order to stay warm while performing duties at a workplace. Here are some of the examples of insulated workwear garments:

Insulated coveralls

Insulated bib pants

Insulated coats

You can find a variety of insulated workwear depending on your needs and the nature of work. As mentioned earlier, insulated clothes not only warm you up but also provide protection against workplace hazards. Make a good use of insulated clothes and protect yourself against environmental conditions.

Wildrose Garments is a reputable workwear manufacturer in Canada where we design, manufacture and sell a large variety of occupational garments including coveralls, bib pants,    insulated workwear, shop coats, and high-viz safety garments. Place your order now!

What To Never Do If You're In A Bad Mood - Research Says People Who Do This Feel EVEN Worse


By Kelan Ern

Sometimes we feel like lumpy dirt...

It'll happen. And if any expert, doctor, guru, or speaker tries to convince you otherwise - run for the hills and KEEP RUNNING.

Because it'll happen to us all, "feeling bad" is part of the human experience. The truth is, there will be times where we feel down... depressed... upset... or angry.

It'll happen, the question becomes how long do we stay there and how frequently does it happen.

There is an insidious type of feeling bad though. It's a nasty pattern that drags people into feeling even worse... And now research is finally shining a bright spotlight onto this debilitating pattern.

Here it is:

It's where you feel bad... about feeling bad.

Sad about feeling sad.

Depressed about feeling depressed.

Guilty about feeling guilty.

Anxious about feeling anxious.

It's an emotional double-whammy.

Because we aren't just feeling bad but judging ourselves in the process. It's piling guilt onto the negative emotion that we're already feeling. Ouch!

And now research has finally started catching on to the consequences.

A study done by the University of California, published by the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology took 1,300 adults in the Denver and San Francisco area to look at the connection between psychological health and accepting emotions.

Here's what one of the researchers, Brett Ford, found:

"People who accept these emotions without judging or trying to change them are able to cope with their stress more successfully."

I agree with Sir Ford.

It's important first and foremost to be honest about the emotion you are feeling.

Not to tell yourself, I shouldn't be feeling this way... I shouldn't be struggling with this... I shouldn't be reacting this way... This shouldn't be a good deal...

The fact of the matter is - you're feeling bad! And that's okay. It doesn't mean you are week. Or broken. Or something is wrong with you.

You can cut yourself some slack as opposed to beating yourself up because it happens to us all (Even if you don't publicly see it from others)

So accept the emotion you are feeling.

It does NOT mean you have to stay there for long.

It does NOT mean you are settling.

It does NOT mean you are giving up.

It just means you are recognizing the feeling for what it is.

Then you wield power over it... then you can try to change it.

But as soon as you stack guilt. And judge yourself for feeling bad that's when things turn from bad to worse.

P.S. One neat way to overcome anxiety and negative emotions FAST is a special type of breathing that "turns off" the fear-center of the brain (called the "Amygdala")... lowers blood pressure... and gives you mental clarity. And it does this all in about 42-seconds. It was discovered by a leading high-performance psychologist.

Read about it in a free chapter of my book at: http://www.elitelifecoaching.net

Beginner's Guide to Fireworks


By Cole Bumpus

Are you having problems with understanding all of the terminology in the fireworks industry? I have created this beginner's guide so you can understand the basics of many types of fireworks and what each product does.

Roman Candles: These are long sticks that shoot colorful balls out of them. They come in many different sizes. The smaller ones can be held in the hand while lit and the larger ones come with a sharp point so you can stake them into the ground. The large ones get placed in the ground while they shoot many shots into the air. They often contain up to 300 shots. Roman Candles are a classic firework that everyone has to try. The balls shot out are either colorful or contain effects like crackling or reports.

Firecrackers: This is often one of the first things that people think of when fireworks are mentioned. Firecrackers are the classic firework that people of all ages use during the day and night time. They are essentially little containers of flash powder that explode emitting a loud explosive noise. They sometimes have a little bit of color to them, but their main characteristic is the loud bangs. Firecrackers come in individual crackers or strips of multiple crackers. The strips can be strips of 12, 16, 100, 200, or even upwards of 20,000. The strip firecrackers are often the more popular product because of the multiple explosions and almost machine gun like noise to them. Regardless of the occasion, if fireworks are involved, firecrackers are a must have.

Bottle Rockets: Bottle rockets are almost like a small firecracker attached to a thin stick. You place these rockets at an angle so they can self propel into the air and then explode. Some bottle rockets even feature a whistle effect. When the rocket propels itself upward, it emits a loud shrieking whistle sound before exploding in the air. Bottle rockets are a great product to use in the daytime to get a pyro fix before the night time when you shoot off aerial shells and cakes.

Fountains: Fountains are usually small to medium sized objects placed on the ground. When lit, they emit showers of sparks, crackling, and even aerial effects. Fountains can be a great product to use with the family because they put on a little show of their own. They often stay lit for upwards of 3 to 4 minutes. The sparks and bright colors of fountains are sure to leave the children mesmerized.

Want to learn more about fireworks? Visit my blog: http://www.colesfireworks.blogspot.com

The Differences Between Connected Security Cameras and Local Storage Security Cameras


By Mitchell Carlson

Years ago, home security systems required expensive equipment and were often run by third parties. Security cameras today offer more features than the complex systems of yesterday, and cost much less, too!

The personal security camera market has exploded in popularity, and there are many options on the market. It is important to consider the features and benefits of each camera to see which one fits your needs.

Most home security cameras today fall into two major categories:

Cloud cameras

Local storage cameras

Cloud Cameras

These devices are the easiest to set up and maintain, requiring only a power cord and an internet connection. Cloud cameras record and upload footage to a third-party server. You can then view the live or recorded video feed from a web browser or smart phone app anywhere in the world. This is ideal for checking in on the house at work or on vacation.

These cameras often feature motion detection. When the device detects movement, it flags the recording and notifies you. This allows you to skip the sections of video where nothing happens and get right to the important parts of interest.

Cloud cameras are great because they save the content online for you. This makes your camera accessible from anywhere, but there are some drawbacks. Some cloud camera services require you to pay subscription fees for the online video storage. There may be limits on how long the video is stored. If you wait too long, it could be lost forever.

Cloud cameras can also create privacy issues. Some people are understandably uncomfortable with video of their home being uploaded to the internet. While cases of abuse are far and in between, it is possible for a rogue employee to view your camera. It is also possible for a person with malicious intent to hack your camera and intercept the video. Because of this, it is recommended not to place cloud cameras in private spaces.

Local Storage Cameras

If the thought of cloud cameras puts you off, perhaps a camera with local storage would be better. These cameras store the video on a physical hard drive or flash drive in your home. Nothing is uploaded to the internet unless you choose to do so.

The advantage to local storage cameras is control and privacy; however, the footage will be less accessible. You may have to connect to your home network or actually plug into the camera or hard drive itself to view the recordings.

If you're looking for a challenge, you can have the best of both worlds by building your own connected camera! If you run your own camera and web server, you can create a website for your device. Then you can view the camera from a web browser anywhere you choose. In this situation, you retain the recordings locally, so no third parties should have access. Of course, this takes more work and still opens you up to the potential threat of camera hackers.

Regardless of the option you choose, home security is better and more affordable than ever before. Consider adding a camera to your home to protect from theft and damages.

Mitchell Carlson - Founder of The SmartHome Experts

Website:    https://www5.cob.ilstu.edu/mscarls/

Check out our website for more information about connected cameras and other smart devices! We offer consultations and resources to get you on the right track.

Life Lessons Learnt From Heading a Hackathon


By Wei Chun Chew

Flashback to four months ago when the business association I was volunteering for mentioned the idea of running a hackathon alongside their annual business forum, the "hackathon seed" was planted. Appointed to co-lead the hackathon segment with one of the member of the 6-team strong core committee, I had no idea what I was signing up for.

No one in the team had experience organizing a hackathon; I was the only one who had participated in a couple of it and that's all! All we knew was that it would be cool to organize one. We challenged the conventional weekend hackathon model and settled for a hybrid hackathon-case challenge that lasted for a week. We had 6 case sponsors from various industry crystalize their operational issues into problem statements for participants to challenge. Boy oh boy, it was one heck of a 4 months I had! I probably would have never agreed to it knowing how soul-destroying it was. But still, there are some lessons that I had learnt and wish to impart to you:

Life Lesson 1: Always Take Promise with a Pinch of Salt

People can promise you this and that but at the end of the day, they own you nothing. They are not obliged to do what was promised, neither are you allowed to enforce it. It all boils down to the fact that business is business, mutual benefit is mutual if he or she benefits it more than you. Unless written in black and white, never take promises for granted. Always take things with a pinch of salt and do not hold grudges if promises don't actualize. This leads to my second life lesson: Plan ahead of your planned plan

Life Lesson 2: Plan ahead of your Planned Plan

Plan plan plan. Period. I can't stress enough the importance of planning, for I have failed terribly for failing to plan out a contingency plan. When things go wrong, it will snowball until you are able to grab a hold of it or have someone experienced enough to bail you out (Trust me, I have been there, done that.)

Even if you have planned out well enough to pass the eyes of the experienced, Murphy's Law (What goes wrong, will go wrong) never fails to foil your plan. Always make the effort to draft out Plan B, or even Plan C for it may be your life savior in the event of a fallout.

Life Lesson 3: Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

Organizing a hackathon is tough enough. Opting out of the tradition hackathon model and doing something new is even tougher considering that every "How to Organize a Hackathon" or "Hackathon 101" guide became a reference rather than a template. What's more, our hackathon was divided into "Student" and "Open Category", adding another layer of complexity in a bid to appeal to a larger audience. My unwillingness (or rather, inability) to delegate work caused me countless nights drafting letters and emails, planning the program and corresponding with sponsors.

Hence, even if you feel guilty delegating work or prefer to do it yourself because you THINK you can do a better job, make the conscious effort to delegate available tasks on hand to your committee. They are there for a reason and delegating work will go a long way in keeping you sane and well rested.

Life Lesson 4: Learn to Fight Alone

There will be moments when you don't get the help you have expected (Linking back to lesson 1, don't take promises for granted). There were moments when I thought to myself: "What am I doing all these for? Why did I trust him/her? Could I be doing something more meaningful?" While I was fortunate to co-lead the hackthon with my mentor, he is no superman or hackathon guru. You will definitely come to a point when burnout sets in and you feel helpless and hopeless. It's these moments that your actions define you. Push on and make it count.

Life Lesson 5: Be Prepared to be Disappointed Again and Again

Despite all the hard work that you put in, things will never go according to plan. Remember the unyielding Murphy's Law? This is why you always plan ahead of your planned plan. Empty promises, backing out in the last minute,, failure to deliver; you name it, I've experienced it.

Other than disappointment in others, you will be disappointed in yourself. Zero experience is often my "Get Out of Jail, Free" card for any blunders I've made, but it is by no means an excuse for everything. Time after time I was disappointed in myself for failing to meet the demands and execute what was expected. It is as if success just happens to be beginner's luck. But trust me, your luck gets better after a few rounds of failures.

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done" -Rocky Balboa

Life Lesson 6: Don't Strive for Perfection. Instead, Strive for Completeness

When one has seemingly an endless list of things to do, never try to do things perfectly. Instead, aim to check it off and move on. I am a self-proclaimed perfectionist, or even borderline OCD: I would proofread my drafts a couple times, send it to others and proofread it again! In the weeks leading up to the hackathon when time is of the essence, such a behavior is unwarranted.

Start with the end goal in mind and aim for practicality. Make a couple revisions, make sure that what you are doing achieves what you have set out to do and move on; no point lingering around just to make it perfect.

Life Lesson 7: Just Do It

Don't wait for things to happen, cause everyone in the team is going to think the same way. Instead, take the initiative to just do it. This is human nature- no one wants to do the dirty work when they have 'better' things to do. Things will not work out on its own. If it does, that's because someone did the hard work, not some fairy who waved his or her magic wand and things magically get done.

One thing to note is that be prepared to spend a heck lot of time learning new stuff. I have spent countless hours searching for templates and drafting letters to for the sponsors and participants. It was a steep learning curve learning how to integrate the various aspects of a hackathon (sponsors, food, venue, participants, logistics etc... ) and ensuring that things fall in place seamlessly on the actual day.

Life Lesson 8: Know Your WHY

In overall, the hackathon was a success despite all the hiccups along the way. At the end of the hackathon finals when everyone was having a great time celebrating, I saw their smiles and laughters. It took me a good couple of minutes to register and soak it all in but that's when I realized: I found my WHY.

The hackathon was more than just an event for participants to compete against one other for the cash prizes. It was an event that brought together people from all walks of life and having them plant an idea in someone. It was bringing friends who are often busy with their own stuff together and having a fun time. It was seeing the smiles of everyone who had attended and gained something out of this event. For me, it was seeing the hackathon seed grow and come to fruition; and I was fortunate to have grown alongside the hackathon to be a better organizer, a better friend and best of all, a better individual.

Thanks to everyone who have made this event possible. #hackathon #noregrets

Find out what I have learnt from heading a Hackathon!

FAQs - Social Confrontations and How to Deal With Them


By Eby M

In what follows, an expert and fully qualified martial arts practitioner will answer some questions on social confrontations.

Where do social confrontations typically occur?

In the vast majority of cases, alcohol is usually involved. By definition that means that they typically take place in clubs, pubs, discos and in their immediately surrounding areas, as people are coming or going to these venues.

Less commonly, they can happen in the street or on public transport when, for whatever reason, someone or a group of people start to behave aggressively towards others around them.

What are the causes?

There is an almost infinite number of potential causes, although alcohol and so-called "recreational drug" use are often common denominators in unacceptable social behaviours.

Assuming we discount things such as feuds and settling of outstanding grudges between people, most spontaneous confrontation tends to occur in situations such as:

a male is out to try and prove something about what he believes to be his "virility" by challenging another man in the vicinity;

again, typically a male has interpreted the actions of another man as being unacceptable and is over-reacting. Examples there typically include things such as "don't look at my girlfriend mate";

a trivial problem (e.g. accidentally knocking someone's drink over) results in someone losing control due to them having fundamental behavioural problems such as anger management issues;

sadly, there is some evidence to suggest that certain individuals just simply enjoy fighting, bullying and intimidating others - and they will seek to do so under any circumstances whatsoever. They need no justification before starting.

Are these situations always ones that involve men?

Although confrontation with the threat of violence is far more commonplace when males are together in public places, it is by no means restricted to them alone.

Although once considered, possibly incorrectly, to be extremely rare behaviour in females, physical and threatening confrontation in public places is now much more commonly seen in women than was once the case.

Don't such social confrontations almost always result in physical violence?

No.

The good news is that there are techniques that can be adopted that will help to defuse such situations and stop them spilling over into actual physical violence. They're very frequently successful.

However, the bad news is that such techniques don't always work. An angry verbal confrontation can switch into violence with virtually zero notice.

Should I just walk away from a confrontation?

It is extremely difficult to give specific advice in a general context here. For example, there is a very big difference between spotting a potential confrontation before it arises and finding yourself being confronted.

In the former, walking away is a very smart idea.

In the latter, a lot more depends upon your assessment of the situation. In some situations, it might still be possible to quietly walk away but in others, that may simply be an invitation for the other party to attack you.

There are certain positions and body postures you can adopt once you are already being confronted, that are typically not interpreted as challenging to the other party but which show you are not likely to be a pushover should the other person be considering violence.

Why do so many people advocate martial arts self-defence training?

However much we may intellectualise this subject and wish the world were otherwise, it is a fact of life that there are people out there who are violent or have a strong conscious inclination towards being so.

There are also even larger numbers of people in life who struggle to control their temper and anger, with the end result being that they are liable to uncontrolled acts of aggression.

It's critically important to recognise that you cannot always control the circumstances under which an initial confrontation becomes violent. Some people are perfectly capable of resorting to violence with absolutely no provocation on your part whatsoever.

In such situations, reason and discussion suddenly have no place in what happens next.

If you are forced to try and defend yourself from a physical attack, it's best if you have some form of martial arts skills and training in order to ensure that you and those with you are not injured. Note this is not about "winning" or defeating the aggressor - it's about keeping you and those you're with safe.

That is why there is such emphasis today on martial arts training for self-defence purposes.

Sometimes we caught in critical and violent situation, where we are forced to defend ourselves from a physical attack. WAIMA is one of the best institute in Western Australia who provides    self-defence classes and    martial arts classes for kids and adults.

SERVICE: The Basis For Leading


By Richard Brody

If one would have to choose, one specific item, which differentiated, pseudo - leaders, from those, who are truly leading, in a relevant, sustainable, meaningful manner, it would be, the latter individuals, focus on providing the highest level of true SERVICE! Stakeholders, generally, are either inspired and motivated, or turned - off, and disillusioned, by whether their leader, focuses on them, and their needs, goals and priorities, as opposed to the pseudo - leader's personal agenda, and/ or self - interest! With that in mind, this article will briefly consider, discuss, and review, using the mnemonic approach, why this concept, and action, is most relevant and significant.

1. System; sustainable solutions: How can anyone provide a difference, for the better, if he fails to proceed, to perceive and conceive of, create, develop and implement, a relevant, reliable system, focused on truly, sustainable solutions?

2. Empathy; emphasis: The key, to being capable of providing relevant, significant service, in the best interests of the organization, and stakeholders, is proceeding, with the utmost degree of genuine empathy! One must be ready, willing, and able to effectively listen, and learn from every conversation and experience, and proceed, to place his emphasis,. based on this knowledge and understanding!

3. Relevant; realistic; reasoning: How can anyone serve others, unless/ until, he prioritizes relevant needs, etc, and proceeds, in a well - considered, realistic way? When someone develops this degree of well - defined, understanding and reasoning, those he serves and represents, generally, benefit!

4. Views; value; values: A leader's views must align, with those he serves and represents, if he is to make a difference, for the better! Clearly demonstrating the value provided, by the organization, in a way, which focuses on serving their values, makes the group, and constituents, better, and stronger!

5. Integrity; imagination; intentions: Examine a potential leader's intentions, and who, he focuses on! Quality leaders proceed, with the utmost degree of relevant imagination, combined with maintaining absolute integrity, even when there might be a path of least resistance, which might seem simpler and the best approach!

6. Character; clever; creative: When one maintains the quality of character, where he is clever, enough, to perceive and conceive of, the needs and priorities, while having the ability, to make a difference for the better, the organization and stakeholders, benefit! This, often, requires, someone, creative, enough, to consider, options, alternatives, and the best paths, to choose!

7. Enrich; endurance; excellence: The over - riding focus, needed to be a quality leader, must be, to enrich the experiences of stakeholders, while maintaining the endurance, to persist, when lesser individuals, fail to be able to do so! A real leader must demand his highest degree of personal excellence!

Quality, relevant, focused SERVICE, is essential to relevant leading! Will you maintain that focus and commitment?

Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, Director of Development, consultant, professionally run events, consulted to thousands of leaders, and conducted personal development seminars, for 4 decades. Rich has written three books and thousands of articles. His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://facebook.com/Plan2lead

PREPARED Leaders Are The Most Effective


By Richard Brody

Doesn't it seem, at least, somewhat, odd, and confusing, we, simultaneously, are challenged, finding quality, effective leaders, yet, when we identify these individuals, few are ready, willing, and/ or able, to do what's necessary, to be, as PREPARED, as possible, to make a difference, for the better, for those, they should be leading, in a relevant, significant, meaningful way? After more than four decades of involvements in nearly every aspect of leadership, from identifying, qualifying, training, and developing, to consulting, and serving as a leader, in a variety of different types and sizes of organizations, I have become convinced, nothing positive happens, unless/ until, a leader prepares thoroughly and properly, so he is positioned to make well - considered decisions, based on effectively learning, as much as possible, and consistently learning, from every experience and conversation. With that in mind, this article will attempt to briefly consider, review and discuss, using the mnemonic approach, some of the requisite components, of effectively learning, based on quality, relevant preparation.

1. Priorities; perceptions: How must a leader, know, what the true priorities of his organization, might be, and, thus, be prepared to act accordingly? When one studies the history, heritage, mission and vision of the group and its stakeholders, and proceeds, to pay keen attention, to what's going on, including the strengths and weaknesses, he becomes capable, of proceeding, in the best possible manner! A true leader is wise - enough, to recognize the perceptions of his constituents, and address them, in a relevant, inspiring, motivating manner.

2. Relevant: Quality leadership requires proceeding, in a relevant way, rather than merely acting in some, haphazard, or mis - guided manner!

3. Empathetic; emphasis: Prepared leaders, begin, by being truly empathetic, and placing their emphasis, on the needs, concerns, priorities, goals and perceptions, in a focused manner!

4. Planning: What differentiates quality leaders, from the rest - of - the - pack, is, often, their commitment and ability, to proceed, with the finest degree of effective leadership planning, and proceeding accordingly!

5. Attention; attitude; aptitude: One must begin, by paying keen attention, to the realities and perceptions, and aligning them, in the best interests, of the organization, and stakeholders. One must proceed, with a true, can - do, positive attitude! However, until/ unless, this is accompanied with the development of a well - developed, relevant aptitude, and skill - set, the group will rarely, become, the best, it can possibly be!

6. Reasoning; realistic; rationale: Becoming properly prepared, requires, a combination of, being willing to be realistic, while articulating your rationale, so others, become inspired by your reasoning!

7. Endurance; energize: How will you maintain the necessary degree of endurance, to continue to persist, in the best way, in order to energize others, to become more committed, and involved?

8. Delve deeply; deliver: One must go beyond their own surface observations, and be willing to delve deeply, if they hope to make a real difference, for the better! This must focus, on delivering, beyond expectations, consistently!

How will you ensure, you are consistently PREPARED, to make a significant difference, for the better, in the best interests of your organization, and stakeholders? Will you be up to the task and responsibilities of effective leadership?

Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, Director of Development, consultant, professionally run events, consulted to thousands of leaders, and conducted personal development seminars, for 4 decades. Rich has written three books and thousands of articles. His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://facebook.com/Plan2lead

Android Phone - Unveiling the Hidden Features


By Rizvana Manzoor

Are you an Android phone user, but are unaware of most of the features it provides? Do you want to discover safer and interesting features on your phone? Go through this article to know some of the Android tips and tricks, which will be useful for you.

Most of the people in the present world use Android phones daily, for calling, messaging and more. Android is the mobile operating system, which most of the phone manufacturing companies use in their phones. There are lots of features, rather than calling and messaging to be examined. Explore the hidden features and many time-saving tricks in your gadget.

The basic problem, a phone user face, is the battery issues. Most of the Android phones have an inbuilt power strip option, which when activated, provides faster disconnection of all the phone 's battery thus killing the applications. Another feature is that, you can be the developer of your own phone settings. Go to the 'Settings', select 'About phone' option and tap seven times on your phone's 'Build number'.

An onscreen countdown will be shown on the screen, which will be followed by a command telling that you are now a developer and 'Developer option' will be shown just above the 'About phone' option.
This 'Developer option' can be utilized well to reduce the lagging of your Android phone as well.

By reducing the 'Window animation scale', 'Animator duration scale' and 'Transition animation scale' in 'Developer option', from 1x to 0.5x, your phone may actually feel faster than before. Now you can get a grip on those annoying app notifications by long pressing on the notification of the app, on notification bar, which will show an information icon on the right corner. Tapping on this icon gives you option to prioritize your notifications. You can block unwanted apps, hide private information or select priority mode for most prior app.

To zoom in and out your Google maps while driving, all you need to do is a just double tap on the spot and swipe upward or downward. This tip will help you to avoid the problem of pinching your phone screen while managing your phone to stay in place, all while driving.

Nowadays kids use their parents' phone more frequently. To keep away your kids from getting into unsafe games, adult contents or accidental access to your bank, this feature will be of great help. Go to 'Setting' then to 'Security' and enable the 'Screen pinning' option. Open the app you wish to pin and protect, then press the overview button to pin the app.

Another interesting feature is the inbuilt games on the Android phones. In 'Settings', select 'About phone' and tap several times on the device's 'Version number' to get this feature.

Android phones are full of surprises for those who want to explore and know more about them. Try and enjoy these features on your own. Find the products that best suits your needs at   JohnAlexPro.

Fun Things To Do In Kemah, TX, On Date Night


By Morris Raymond

It doesn't matter if you're a goofy teenager or a slightly less goofy adult, putting together plans for a date night is exciting because it means you get to see that special someone who makes you smile from ear to ear. If you happen to be in the southeast area of Texas near the Gulf Coast, then your planning will most certainly include looking at all of the fun things to do in Kemah, TX.

Kemah is a city located in an area of Texas known as Bay Area Houston. The area happens to encompass the vast area of land between the southeast border of Houston all the way to the Texas Gulf Coast. It's hard to put into words the amazing natural beauty of the area's landscapes, beaches, outdoor activities, and a diverse population. When you consider all of this, picking out something fun to do for a date night doesn't sound so tough.

Here are a few things to consider for your next date night in Kemah, TX:

Kemah Boardwalk - The Kemah Boardwalk is open daily providing fun for everyone! Located just 20 miles from downtown Houston and covering 35 acres, the Kemah Boardwalk is home to fabulous waterfront restaurants, amusements, charming retail stores, festivals, and seaside shows everyday. This might be the ideal place for a date night simply because you've got everything you might want in one place.

Escape Kemah - Working as a team, your job is to escape in less than one hour. Not only does each escape room game provide an opportunity for challenging your logical thinking & puzzle-solving skills, you're also challenged to be a team member. Word to the wise: this may not be the best idea for a first date as the results of your 'escape' may dictate whether there's a second date.

Space Center Houston - If you're a fan of "the final frontier", you will love Space Center Houston. Space Center Houston, the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center, serves as Houston's top attraction for international visitors. It's the only Smithsonian Affiliate in the greater Houston area. The exhibits, attractions, and activities in this 250,000-square-foot educational entertainment complex tell the story of America's human space flight program, giving guests an experience like no other.

Clear Creek Vineyard - Clear Creek Vineyard is a cool option if both you and your date are 21 and over. Try out wine flights and tours of the facility. Keep in mind that vineyard tours and wine tastings are pretty chic right now.

Art of Coffee - Let's say you watched a movie and both of you have some big opinions to share. Why not skip the "big-box" coffee places and keep the date low-key & relaxed by grabbing a cup of coffee at this little place. They've earned a reputation as a "go-to" spot in the heart of the city.

Finding fun things to do in Kemah, TX for a date night is not only easy, but you'd be hard-pressed to have a better time just about anywhere else. With a perfect combination of old-school and new-school, Kemah, TX has the magic you look for in a great date night. Click here for more fun things to do in Kemah, TX.

Five Reasons Why Red River, New Mexico, Needs A Place On Your Bucket List


By Morris Raymond

Trust us on this, OK? Put Red River, New Mexico on your bucket list right now. Sure, there might not be a huge buzz about the town and what it has to offer, and you want your proverbial bucket list to have zing, snap, pow, and pizzazz. Red River may not jump off of a page, but once you get a chance to know a little about this gem in the southwestern United States, you will be singing a different tune.

A "bucket list" is something that is often associated with getting older, but in recent years, it has become a part of how folks are describing the things they really want to see and experience at some point in their lives. Therein lies the reason people are looking for excitement and a bit of (or a lot of) the exotic. Why would Red River, New Mexico find a place on that type of list?

Well, for starters, there's a good chance you've never had the chance to really explore the world beyond a city bike trail. You have some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the entire country, as well as some of the most pristine fishing areas around. You're getting the chance to explore Carson National Forest, and best yet, you're actually in the Rocky Mountains! Yeah, you might think sandy beaches & tropical weather are where it's at, but is it? Average summer temperatures in Red River are in the mid-70s, which makes their Ski & Summer Area the place to be! Again, this is during the summer.

You might argue, "Well, I like my trips to have variety and excursions that take me beyond my original destination. No way Red River, New Mexico can compete with other places." Wrong. You're also about an hour's drive to Taos and Angel Fire (also in New Mexico), two of the most popular ski resort destinations on the planet. You also cannot pass up the chance to check out the ultimate in spa chic by visiting the geothermal hot springs in Ojo Caliente.

It seems as though you might be coming around to the idea of Red River having a place on your bucket list, but you're still not 100% ready, right? Well, consider this: the extravagant bucket list trip to a worldly location seems to go hand-in-hand with really living it up & leaving nothing on the table. That might be nice for some folks, but maybe you're looking for something a little more low-key & peaceful. The town's population is only a few hundred people (about 500 at the end of 2016), so there's no onslaught of people. There's a real sense of community, exemplified by the Red River Community House, the "cool" place in town for all sorts of activities since the 1940s. Don't forget the annual Bluegrass and Old Time Music Festival, 4th of July Parade and Celebrations, and the Art and Wine Festival held Father's Day weekend. Red River is also open to new experiences, such as the first annual Bacon & Brews, which celebrates the start of summer & all things Red River.

Red River, New Mexico may not come across in the same way as some of the eternally beautiful towns and cities around the world, but it does have that special something that's hard to describe. Even so, it is quite the place to visit, and bucket list or not, you'll be doing yourself a favor by coming by.

If Red River, New Mexico is your next stop, Lifts West is the place to call home!

Finding The Right Vacation Rental Is Easy If You Do This First


By Morris Raymond

Choosing between vacation rentals may seem like a tough decision, but when you consider how popular these lodging alternatives have become over the last few years, you'll realize you have a pretty big market from which to choose. Everyone wants your business, and that means you have a lot of power as a consumer.

Even though vacation rentals are seen as "the new kid" with respect to the travel industry, they've been laying their claim for the next big thing for enough time to get everyone's attention. The main issue you face happens to be your lack of knowledge on vacation rentals. It sounds like it could be the kind of thing that revolutionizes the way you and your loved ones travel, but you also don't want to make a bad call.

You may be surprised to know that finding the right vacation rental is easy if you do this first - plan ahead. Yes, it's that simple. Just plan ahead. As with most things in life, having the initiative to think about your vacation ahead of time in order to plan for any unforeseen issues that could arise is the easiest way to help you find the right vacation rental. Moreover, it means you have to do a little research and soul-searching.

But what exactly does 'planning ahead' actually mean? It means coming up with a comprehensive list of "necessary" amenities that everyone going on the trip cannot live without. This can be a little tricky though. Most people would look at the word 'amenities' and think it means something extra, whereas others might interpret it the exact opposite. In either case, You want to be sure the whole family is on the same page.

Once you've come up with a list of amenities, it's time to use your old friend, the internet. Though it's a tool that can be poorly used, this is one of those instances when having access to the World Wide Web is crucial. Take a look at contending vacation rentals' websites. Is there anything distinctive about what they offer that's unique? If you can, check to see if you can see available floor plans. Look elsewhere for online reviews, and see what others think of a place.

The final stages of your pre-planning deal with your vacation budget. Vacations are supposed to be carefree, so the last thing you want to think about is how much money you have to spend for your trip. Unfortunately, not operating off of a budget can be detrimental. Search for vacation rentals that offer many, if not all, of the amenities you want at a price point that works for you. Also, you need to think about how you'll get around when you get to your destination. If your rental is in the middle of the action, you might be able to handle most things on foot. Otherwise, you'll need to consider renting a car or having a public transportation budget.

Vacation rentals can make your vacation go from pretty nice to ridiculously awesome pretty quickly, but you need to do your part. With some planning & a little research, your next vacation might be in for a serious upgrade!

Looking for ideal vacation rentals in Red River, NM? Contact Lifts West today.

7 Tips on How to Be a Better Girlfriend - Learn How You Could Be a Better Girlfriend


By Lexi Muller

Every once in a while a girl will meet a great guy - you know, one that ticks all the boxes. Smart, kind, educated, tall, financially responsible, resourceful, handsome, not forgetting a great personality to wrap up such an almost-perfect package. In such instances, it is natural to feel the pressure to 'step up' your game and flair to be the best wife or girlfriend to this superb-out-of-this-world guy. Right?

Well, if this describes you - even remotely - here's how you can be a better girlfriend to your all-deserving partner.

1. Help him Fix his Problems - Stop Trying to Fix him

We live in a day and age where its extremely rare to come across an individual who isn't grappling with one issue or another- be it personal, financial, emotional, physical or social. Such is the kind of technical world that we live in - one that is punctuated with a myriad of dicey scenarios and un-foldings. As you may know already, even the most seemingly loving, attentive and adorable of boyfriends/husbands will have a couple of faults sticking out like a sore thumb.

It could be a small bad habit that he's been unable to shake off or a long-time buddy that you don't necessarily find likable. We are only human. However, your maternal instincts imply that you're more inclined to want to 'fix' him rather than aid a helping hand in solving his problems. Which, of course, explains why most men often complain of their nagging or ever-complaining better-halves.

Be different; men will naturally appreciate genuine support but rigidly resent any attempts - however sincere - to change him. Let him be, instead, focus on helping him improve the state of both of your lives.

2. Compliment Him

It's surprising how most women are oblivious to the fact that men love been complimented as much, if not as often, as we do. And this is especially true if he goes the extra mile to hit the gym, stay in top shape and complement this by dressing presentably. So, don't shy away from telling him occasionally of how dashing he looks with that tuxedo on. Or how sexy his biceps look as he steps out of the shower. Even better, nothing is as more attractive as a woman who can spot beyond the obvious physical - such as his intelligence or kindheartedness.

3. Subtlety Show Him Love in Public - Catch Him Unawares too!

Although men are not naturally emotional beings, this does not necessarily imply that they don't appreciate occasional subtle romantic gestures every once-in-a-while. It can be as simple as a naughty thigh graze to as open as a midstroll kiss. Either way, you pleasantly surprised at the beam of happiness that lights up his face when he knows that you're thinking about some of the most intimate moments that you two privately share even in public.

4. Trust him - or At least Try not to Act so Suspicious

Well, in as much as we as women are naturally jealous beings, it pays to exercise some restraint and give the man some credit. Truth be told, men are instinctively wired to hate insecure and suspicious wives or girlfriends.

You have to train your mind how to trust him; in fact, if you cannot trust the man, then you're not with the right person, to begin with. So, instead of rummaging through his phone or constantly questioning his whereabouts, it would do more harm than good to have some faith in what you share together, for starters.

5. Your Relationship Shouldn't be the Focus of your Life

As a modern woman, it is helpful and even healthy to have a life apart from your romantic relationship. In any case, if you didn't know this is actually what attracted him to you in the first place. Therefore, don't be the damsel that fall head over heels in love with a man and loses her social, professional or religious circle. Simply put, maintain your usual focus.

Have a side hustle/hobby/pastime to occupy yourself regularly. Also, don't forget or cast away your immediate friends/family that you originally had before you met him. Above all, expand your knowledge base by learning new things on a daily basis. This is primarily what makes a woman irresistible.

6. Honesty and Faithfulness Pays

Nothing will wreck any relationship - regardless of how seriously it is - faster than infidelity or traits ( tell-tale signs ) of infidelity. Speaking of which, reserving sex for him is not enough. Go a step further and make it succinctly clear to all your close friends or colleagues (especially your male pals) that you're in a serious romantic relationship with so-and-so.

This is a necessary red-tape measure to avoid situations/gestures from your closest circle that could be misconstrued for unfaithfulness by your boyfriend. What's more, if he feels that he can trust you with his life, then there's no stopping him from giving the world to you.

7. Shower Him with Gifts Every Once in a While

Just like compliments, women at times tend to forget that men also secretly love surprises, gifts, and romantic getaways. It doesn't have to be a daily affair - you can limit these to some of his special days such as his birthday or significant holiday seasons such as Xmas and New Year. All in all, an impromptu gift - can be as plain as a pair of shoes or nice belt - out of the blues is guaranteed to work wonders in improving the positive outlook of your relationship.

In Closing:

Finally, adding to the above gem points, another way of being a better girlfriend is giving your man space and time to hang out with his buddies. The boys, as they are fondly referred to - is the last line of defense between your lover and any unfortunate emotional or physical occurrence that may accost him. What's more, men are like wolves. They roam in packs and always enjoy a good time cheering their favorite soccer or rugby teams.

Read More about Getting Better Girlfriend:   https://www.helpwithmen.com/how-to-be-a-better-girlfriend/

How To Build Trust in Relationship:   https://www.helpwithmen.com/how-to-build-trust-in-a-relationship/

Forget Netflix - See These Date Night Movies On The Big Screen


By Morris Raymond

In this day and age, it can be quite easy to rely on the progress of technology to get you what you want when you want it, all without having to leave the comfort of your home. Unfortunately, even something as cool & exciting as the date night movie has fallen victim to this inherently lazy way of living life.

A date night, along with a date night movie, are made to actually get you to do something more than just sit at home and stream something you can kind of watch. It also gave you a chance to spend some time with someone special, grab a bite to eat, take a walk along the beach, anything really. Instead, we "veg" at home and use game console controllers to navigate the menus of our subscription-based programming. While you might contend that live doesn't get much sweeter, the truth is that it does, and you are missing out on a lot.

So, take a second and look back at your last few date night movie adventures. Have they actually been spent out in the world, or did you both decide to stay home & hang? If it's the latter, these movies might just be what you need to get you to your local movie theater for your next date night:

Solo: A Star Wars Story - Anyone who has seen the Star Wars movies knows that the most suave character of all was Han Solo. He was charming, sexy, cool, and he had his own space craft. No matter which way you looked at it, he was who we all wanted to be (no disrespect to Luke, of course). In this new movie, we get a chance to learn more about how Han became the maverick we've grown to love, as well as how he got to know the people he knew.

Breaking In - This one is intense. If ever there was a relationship you didn't mess with, it is that of a mother and her children. Here, our hero mom is going to stop at nothing while trying to save her children as they are held hostage by a group of nefarious figures. This is an action movie for the sake of being full of action sequences.

Incredibles 2 - It's been almost fifteen years since the release of the first movie, so fans have been anticipating this one for a long time. This film tackles the changing dynamic of the modern American home, as well as societal views on those who are different. There's even some cleverly woven interplay about people change as parents. There's a lot packed into this one & it appeals to all ages.

Make your next date night movie special by actually ditching the streaming & go paint the town red! Even if the movie might not have been to your liking, make that part of the fun. Grab a cup of coffee afterward & discuss it. Who knows? You might learn a little more about yourselves than you thought. The important thing to keep in mind is making your next date night more than just an appointment - make it special.

Visit  Flix Brewhouse in Des Moines, IA for the perfect date night movie.

Building Up Your Faith Through Christ To Gain Victory In Life


By Ngozi Nwoke

Do you desire to build up your faith? A believing Christian needs to build up his or her faith in order to survive or succeed as a Christian. However, this is a big challenge to many, not knowing how to do so. This article points you to how to build up your faith through Christ.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God - Romans 10:17 (NKJV).

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth - John 1:1, 14 (NKJV).

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith - Hebrews 12:2a (NKJV).

Faith is a very important virtue a believing Christian must possess, because without it no man can please God. In fact, Christianity (the gospel of Christ) is summarized as "the faith." Our victory in Jesus is dependent on our ability to believe in Him and what He had done for our salvation and dominion on earth. The good news is that every child of God has a measure of faith. However, the level of dominion you exercise on earth at any time is determined by how much you have built your faith at that time.

But how do you build up your faith?

The word of God says that faith comes as we hear and understand the word of God (Romans 10:17). Also, the scriptures say that Jesus is the word of God. So, we can say that faith comes as we hear and understand Jesus. Hebrews 12:2a confirms this by telling us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Therefore your faith starts and ends with Christ.

Having a burning desire to know more about Jesus is a vital step in building up your faith. This will move you to search the scriptures, which will reveal Christ more and more to you. The more you believe in what Christ has done, and as such what He can do, the more your faith grows.

The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John give account of Christ's walk on earth: His teachings, the miracles, signs and wonders that He performed. Then the Acts of the apostles recorded the acts of the apostles of Christ, who believed in Him and exercised their faith in His teachings, and the Lord confirmed the word with signs and wonders following. A journey, with a desire to have an encounter, through these books will jack up your faith in God.

Now, note that every book in the bible has a lot to say about Jesus and so should be equally read along with the above books of the bible. However, the above books expose you to the Lord's teachings, miracles, signs and wonders and teach you how to exercise this acquired knowledge and get results.

In conclusion, without faith it is impossible to please God. Therefore, it is very important that you know, understand and believe in the author and finisher of your faith. Start today if you haven't and your future will be full of signs and wonders.

Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker, counselor and author of "Peace Money Can't Buy" and "The Man Jesus: What You Need to Know About Christ". She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com

Do You Love Me More Than These?


By Ngozi Nwoke

Are you in a struggle to obey God? Is there anything you need to let go of for you to please God? To love God means putting Him first before any other thing. It is letting go of what must go for you to do the will of the Father. This article stresses the need to do the required thing in order to walk in love towards the Lord.

"So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." - John 21:15-16 (NKJV).

Loving God means obeying His commandments (John 14:15), and that includes the ones that we personally won't want to do. It means obeying God in all things, whether it's convenient or not, we understand it or not, it makes sense or not, it's a sacrifice or not. God demands absolute obedience if you are to please Him. The good thing is that every instruction from God is aimed at blessing us. When God demanded that Abraham should sacrifice Isaac, He tested his love for Him above that which he had for Isaac. Abraham passed the love test and God swore great blessings to him, which his generations after him are still reaping till today.

Sometimes, obeying God demands that you let go of certain things, especially things that are competing with your full obedience to God. As a Christian believer, such things may not be bad in themselves, but are obstacles in fulfilling the Lord's perfect plan for you. It may be to let go of a relationship, hobby, food, or even a business or career. You may not quite understand why God is asking for you to let go of it, but as you obey you will discover the reason. The Alpha and Omega never makes mistakes, neither can He fail you. His thoughts for you are of peace and not of evil to give you an expected end.

Peter was originally a fisherman fishing fish before Jesus called him to fish men. When Jesus died, he remembered his fishing again. Apparently, Peter loved fishing. Jesus had to ask him three times if he loved Him more than the fishes to show how serious He was about the assignment He had given Peter. Fishing on its own was not wrong, but it was distracting Peter from the instructions of Jesus. He was to feed and tend the sheep of the Lord. He was to spearhead the spread of the gospel of Christ, and not to go back to fishing fish. The souls of men are more important than fishing fish to earn living or for fun.

Is Jesus asking you the same question concerning certain things, "Do you love Me more than these?" God tested Abraham with his son; this incidence shows that the Lord should always be number one in your life. Concerning certain things, the Lord may require total severance from them to get your full commitment to the assignment He had given you, while in some other things, He will require that you put them secondary, that is after Him in your life. For instance, as much as it is very important that you are there for your family in everything, the Father demands that you put Him first before your family. It all calls for wisdom. Besides, putting God first releases the wisdom, grace and the resources to carry out your responsibilities in the family.

In conclusion, it is important to note that the Lord will never require of you to do what He had not equipped you to do. He will never ask you to do what is contrary to His word or impossible for you to do. All He requires is that nothing should come between you and Him. Truly, nothing is worth jeopardizing your relationship with God and your ability to fulfill your purpose in life. Therefore, with boldness and certainty, declare to Jesus in the face of that issue of concern, "Yes Lord, You know that I love you." By the grace of God, you will not fail the Father.

Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker, counselor and author of "Peace Money Can't Buy" and "The Man Jesus: What You Need to Know About Christ". She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com

The Truth - Having The Mind Of Christ Takes You Higher In Life


By Ngozi Nwoke

Do you want to fly high in life? Then the secret is to have the same mind which was in Christ Jesus. The secret of the Lord's success on earth lies in the mindset He carried and operated with. It rewarded Him with the name that is above other names till date, such that at the name of Jesus every other name and authority bows. This article explains what this mindset is and encourages you to do likewise that you may obtain your heart desire this year.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross - Philippians 2:5-8 (KJV).

Everyone wants to be great in life but not everybody is ready to pay the price. Nothing great comes cheap. Wishing for success and breakthrough will get you nowhere and praying without obedience will equally not benefit you. It takes having the mind of Christ to soar high in life.

What was the mind of Christ?

Our Lord Jesus, though God, made Himself of no reputation, became a servant, humbled Himself and became obedient unto death. He stripped Himself of His glory and came and walked among men He co-created. He was scorned and humiliated many times by men but it never stopped from obeying the command of God His Father. He went from cities to cities, villages to villages preaching the gospel of the kingdom that He may reconcile many people back to Father. He moved most of the time on foot, entered boats or ship where He needed to cross the sea. He had no place of His own to lay His head. He went about healing all that were sick and oppressed by the devil. Indeed He tirelessly pursued the will of the Almighty God. He had great compassion on the people and was ever ready to set free anyone under any kind of bondage. His life was a total sacrifice unto the Father for the salvation of man.

Was He able to do all these because He was God? No! He succeeded as a man. He humbled Himself and chose to be obedient to the Father's instructions, knowing the joy that was set before Him. Therefore, as the scripture says work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

What can stop you from obeying the great commission: "Go and preach the gospel to every creature?" (Mark 16:15). What can stop you from going from street to street telling people that Jesus loves them? It's time for us to humble ourselves like Jesus and choose to obey God in all things that He may pour upon us His great blessings and lift us above our peers.

In conclusion, if you desire salvation from the unpleasant state of your life and destiny, choose to do as Jesus did and the Father will lift you beyond your present position.

Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker, counselor and author of "Peace Money Can't Buy" and "The Man Jesus: What You Need to Know About Christ". She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com

Heart Service - Access To Open Doors


By Ngozi Nwoke

Do you desire to gain access to open doors in your life? Then this post is for you. Many people desire open doors but they are not getting it because they are not doing what is needed to gain access to it. God has made available open doors for His people but it takes heart service to gain access to them. This article emphasizes service from the heart as a channel to God's open doors for you.

And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil - Deuteronomy 11:13-14 (NKJV).

These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men - Matthew 15:8-9 (NKJV).

Many people are Christian believers but they are not serving the Lord with their heart. Their lips honour God but their hearts are far from God. They go to church but they don't want to be committed in any service in the church, they don't make out time to pray for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and they don't go out to preach the gospel to unbelievers so they can be saved. They are just nominal Christians: hearers but not doers of the word of God. Such Christians are denying themselves access to open doors in their lives.

God has promised that when you obey His commandments to love and to serve Him, He would open the heavens and pour out rain upon the land for you, so that you can gather grains, new wine and oil. These connote abundant blessings. When you love God, which is to obey His instructions: both personal instructions and the instructions in the word, and serve Him with all your heart, you gain access to the floodgates of heaven. The Lord becomes committed to seeing that your requests are answered.

When the shunammite woman (2 Kings 4:8-37) chose to serve God by serving Elisha the man of God from her heart, she gained access to her open door of fruitfulness and she gave birth to a male child after many years of barrenness. Also, when the enemy struck this son of hers to death, her service gave her access to restoration of her son back to life; complete package- fruitfulness and preservation of the blessing.

Dorcas in Acts 9:36-42 is another woman who gained access to open doors through service. She wasn't the only one who had ever died in Joppa, but her service unto the Lord compelled the brethren to desire her restoration and God granted their heart desire. Service unto the Father compels God to cause people to favour you.

Furthermore, the favour of God was upon Joseph even during his challenges because he chose to serve God with his heart. He preferred to be thrown into prison than to disobey God and lie with Portiphar's wife. However, God used that prison to open the door to his palace. Joseph, a slave in Egypt, over night became the second in command in the same nation. Service from the heart will always lead you to your open door.

Therefore, is God laying it in your heart to serve Him in a specific capacity or is He prompting you to obey and serve Him more? If so, know that you will not gain access to your open door until you obey Him. So, I encourage you to take a step of faith today and do as you have been instructed and you will be sharing testimonies of your open doors.

Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker, counselor and author of "Peace Money Can't Buy" and "The Man Jesus: What You Need to Know About Christ". She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com

Praying In The Spirit - Power Channel For Effective And Fruitful Prayer Life


By Ngozi Nwoke

Are you baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with tongues? Praying in the Spirit or speaking with tongues is God's wisdom for empowering our prayer lives and ensuring that we pray in line with the will of God, thereby securing the Lord's intervention and blessings. It is a weapon that the enemy can neither understand nor interfere with. This article encourages you to pray more in the Spirit.

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God - Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV).

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit - Jude 1:20 (NKJV).

Praying in the Holy Spirit is very important for a powerful Christian living. It helps you to pray aright through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps you to pray very well when you pray with tongues. He helps you to pray the way and for the things you ought to. He intercedes for us with groaning which cannot be explained, He goes deep into the root of a matter to pray about it. The Spirit of God prays directly to the Father according to His will and so the Father hears Him expressly.

What happens when you pray in tongues?

When you pray in the Spirit, you move from the earthly realm to the spiritual realm where the enemy cannot interfere with what you are saying, since he can't understand it.
You are empowered spiritually, because God praying through you will rub off on you His nature. It is just as when you stay a while where there is smoke; you end up smelling of that smoke, the smoke rubs off on you. God's nature rubs off on you the more, as you spend time praying in the Holy Ghost. You will love and do great works like He does.
The day, things, situations work out according to the Lord's plan since the Spirit of God has prayed about them through you. This is why it is advisable to spend some time praying with tongues to thoroughly take care of issues unknown to you before stepping out or making major decisions.
You build up your faith in God and in His words. You will discover that you effortlessly believe God's word and that you truly expect the word of God to be fulfilled in your life as it is written in the scriptures.
You become more sensitive to the voice and leading of the Father. When you pray in the Spirit long enough you will get to a point where you are absolutely quiet within you and you can hear the still small voice of God speaking to you.
Your wisdom and understanding of the scriptures are sharpened. As the Holy Spirit is praying the mind of the Lord through you, your mind is equally sharpened. You tend to reason like God and understand things explicitly, including the scriptures.

Therefore, take a decision to spend some time praying with tongues because it makes a great difference in what comes your way in life and how you respond to issues. The longer you pray the better your testimonies. However, you must pray in the Spirit believing that the Holy Spirit is praying through you according to the will of the Lord and that it shall be as He had prayed.

If you are born again and not baptized with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking with tongues, ask Jesus to baptize you with Him, for Christ is the baptizer and He will. However, you may choose to go to your Pastor who will minister the baptism of the Holy Spirit to you. But, know that only Jesus can baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11). Baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers you to do exploit for God. Paul is a good example of someone who enjoyed the power of speaking with tongues.

Paul the apostle prayed in the Spirit more than the rest, no wonder he was so powerful, did great signs and wonders, had great revelations from Jesus and achieved a lot for Christ. He covered so many territories for Christ and wrote about two-third of the New Testament. Praying in the Spirit is a blessing, therefore key into it and derive all the blessings within it for you.

Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker, counselor and author of "Peace Money Can't Buy" and "The Man Jesus: What You Need to Know About Christ". She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com

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