by editor | May 16, 2012 | Lead Story
Former 400m Commonwealth champion takes on 12 miles of earth, wind and fire as a member of Team Dyno-Rod
Former 400m Commonwealth Champion Iwan Thomas today takes part in the inaugural Tough Mudder event in the UK.
Sponsored by Dyno-Rod the drain’s experts, Tough Mudder UK sees the teams that enter the event run through water, wind and fire en route to the finish line. Tough Mudder events place an emphasis on teamwork rather than finishing times, and entrants are encouraged to help their fellow “Mudders” along the 12 mile, army-style assault course to build a spirit of camaraderie amongst competitors
Today’s debut event takes place at the Boughton House and Estate, outside Kettering in Northamptonshire with further UK events scheduled for Drumlanrig Castle, Scotland in July and the Cholmondeley Estate, Cheshire in November. Prospective participants and spectators can find out more by visiting the Dyno-Rod Tough Mudder Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/DynoRodUK
The first Tough Mudder event was held in Pennsylvania in 2010 and the series has been so popular that events are currently scheduled to take place in the USA, Australia, Canada and the UK in 2012. Countries including France, Japan, South Africa, Sweden and Germany have also already expressed an interest in bringing Tough Mudder to their shores in 2013.
by editor | May 10, 2012 | Lifestyle
TAKE ME “AS IS”
On her 50th wedding anniversary, a woman revealed the secret of her
long and happy marriage. She said, “On my wedding day, I decided to
make a list of ten of my husband’s faults which, for the sake of the
marriage, I would overlook.”
One of her guests asked her what some of the faults she chose to
overlook were. “To tell you the truth,” she replied, “I never did
get around to making that list. But whenever my husband did
something that made me hopping mad, I would say to myself, ‘Lucky
for him that’s one of the ten!’”
It’s nice to decide what to overlook. In relationships, I get plenty
of practice overlooking the foibles of other people. And I suspect
they get plenty of practice with me, too.
As they hung wallpaper together, one husband became frustrated with
his wife. She seemed, to him, to be indifferent about the quality of
her work. He felt she was doing a poor job. He finally put it into
words this way: “The problem is that I’m a perfectionist and you’re
not.”
“Exactly!” she replied. “That’s why you married me and I married
you!”
Miss Perfect certainly did one thing well. She knew how to overlook
annoying observations from her perfectionist husband.
We human beings are nothing if not flawed and imperfect. But, the
point is, people are not meant to without blemish. We’re scraped and
scarred, flawed on the inside and marred on outside. It’s just the
way we are. (Sometimes I think it’s one of our more endearing
qualities.) I never want to forget that “perfect” is only found in
the dictionary.
Even pottery may be closer to perfection than we humans, if Belleek
Pottery in Ireland is any example. I hear that every finished piece
there undergoes a final inspection. It is held up to a fierce,
bright light and examined for imperfections. If even the slightest
flaw is detected, the cup or plate or vase or sugar bowl is smashed
to pieces. That’s right. The blemished piece is never sold as a
“second.” If Belleek pottery is not flawless, it is reckoned to be
no good at all. No doubt other makers of fine china and crystal
operate the same way.
I surely cannot stand up to that kind of scrutiny. I have flaws I
haven’t even begun to explore yet.
How much pain prompted the words of that sensitive artist Vincent
van Gogh when he lamented, “I wish they would only take me as I am.”
How many times a day are those words repeated by countless people
feeling the sting of rejection? To be accepted as one is and not
discarded as useless is more than just a wish, it is a deep, human
need.
All of us sport an invisible sign around our necks — “AS IS.” It
means, take me as I am. I may not become what you want me to be. And
I’m far, far from perfect. But I have some great qualities, too, as
well as my share of faults. You will have to take me “AS IS” and
I’ll take you that way, too.
AS IS will be the best guarantee any of us can offer. But quite
frankly, most of the time we’re getting a pretty good deal.
– Steve Goodier
__________
Find Steve Goodier here: http://stevegoodier.blogspot.com/.
Newsletter: http://LifeSupportSystem.com.
by editor | May 10, 2012 | Lifestyle
Online dating… the whole concept sounds very exciting yet
mysterious.
There are people around the world who have done the online dating
thing, many of which were able to find their soulmates.
Most of us have dated at least offline, and some of us have dated
online. Either way, online dating can be a good experience for
each one of us – if we don’t let the bad outshine the good.
It has been said that risk is required to attain great reward.
And after having heard some of the stories about the online
dating experience, you just about have to concede that sometimes
online dating brings with it great risk. Well, everything in this
world involves some drawbacks and dangers with it and so does
online dating.
Where there are good people, there may also be bad people. It is
a risk we all take when we choose to socialize with others.
The greatest risk of online dating is that the person with whom
you are speaking is not who he or she says that they are. Of
course, that could happen in the real world of dating, but it is
not as prevelent as it is online.
The people who are faking their online identity fall into one of
three groups: lonely people, married people (sometimes also
lonely married people), and the criminal element.
Ladies, don’t think that a reference to the criminal element
only includes men who seek to harm women. More so, most of the
criminal element in the online dating world are those who are
looking for a mark for an identity fraud or money scam. Whether
you are a man or woman, you should be forewarned that if someone
starts asking for money to pay for some emergency expense, then
you are probably talking to a criminal involved in some sort of
money scam. You know, it might be different if you have met this
individual in person, but if you have never met them and they are
asking for money… BEWARE!
Faking an online identity on a dating website is not always
indicative of a fraudulent mind. When lonely, some people simply
create an online identity that might be more exciting and more
attractive to others. This kind of fake may not hurt you
physically or financially, but it may very well put a long-term
relationship on the rocks as the deceptions are discovered.
By far, the most common reason for faking an online dating
website identity is the ignorant spouse at home. He or she might
be a wretch, but being a wretch does not make them dangerous.
The online dating websites have gotten pretty good over the years
at setting up systems to identify and target the criminal
elements within the dating site. Typically, the male or female
criminal scammer will be identified and deleted from the dating
websites’ database within 24-48 hours. So, if you find yourself
talking to someone and their profile is shown to be deleted in
mid-sentence, you can usually rest assured that the online dating
site just saved you a world of headache and heartache.
While the dating websites are good at detecting and deleting the
criminal scammers from the dating community, the dating websites
are less inclined to eliminate the married members from their
database. However, some of the bigger dating websites have
provided mechanisms for members to prove that they are who they
say they are, for the purpose of giving the website a method to
tell its other members whether the individual has submitted proof
of identity to them or not. The married guys and gals usually
won’t go through the proof of identity process, for fear that
his or her significant other will find out about the attempt to
cheat.
But before you go jumping to any conclusions about an individual
on an online dating website, keep in mind that many people simply
will not go through the identity verification process, for a
number of reasons:
1. Too much hassle;
2. It sometimes costs money; and
3. Some people are afraid to give private data to some unknown
third-party that might be operating the website.
The truth is that the online dating community should be treated
as a buyer-beware process. While most people who frequent the
online dating websites are honest, single and looking for love,
there are a few out there who are not.
If you gather a group of people in any single setting, whether it
is an online dating website, a church, or a grocery store, most
of the people you will find at that setting are good, honest,
hard-working people. So, when you are online, you should look at
the online dating experience as one where most people will be
above-board, honest, and sincere. But you should also keep in the
back of your mind that you do not know for sure what you are
getting until which time you are able to prove to yourself that
the person at the other end of the conversation is exactly who
you believe that they are.
When searching for that proof of sincerity, keep in mind that
lesson from our youth… Liars will never be able to keep their
lies straight, and they will always begin to make mistakes and
let the truth slip out.
At the end of the day, the online dating community is just one
more way for people to meet a potential love interest. It is a
way where you can meet people that you would not have been able
to meet otherwise, and who knows, it might work out to be the
best love connection you will ever make.
———————————————————————
Lance Metzger writes about relationships, offline and online
dating. Our no-strings-attached dating site has become a popular
online adult dating destination, due to its large membership
base of people looking for relationships of all kinds. Learn
more at: http://www.nsadatingsite.com/
Consider Lance’s new Kindle book, “Making Memories: Creative
Dating Ideas”: http://raintreepublishing.com/creative-dating-ideas/
by editor | May 8, 2012 | Lifestyle
How To Create A Successful Professional Speaker Website
There are thousands of people who are or want to be professional speakers. You
have so much competition that you have to be creative in how to differentiate
yourself. One way of doing this is by making a great first impression with your
website.
Speaker bureaus and meeting planners often book a speaker after looking at their
website so there is an expectation that a speaker website be sophisticated and
complete. Following is a list of what every speaker website must include:
* Home Page ? This page should have your best photo, your most impressive
testimonial and emphasize what makes you different from other speakers. What
can you offer that no one else can or what?s your unique angle or perspective?
* Biography ? Include all of your professional experience including what you
accomplished before you became a speaker.
* Services ? Even though you think that people can tell you are a speaker tell
them again anyway. Let them know if you offer keynotes, workshops,
facilitation, etc.
* Topics ? On this page less is more. Don’t try to offer a topic to please
everyone. Only offer topics within your specialty.
* Client List ? Include this even if your client list is short. You may include
both paid and unpaid engagements. Make note of clients with repeat engagements
to build your credibility.
* Testimonials ? Don’t hide these on a page on your site. Add them to every
page and ask clients for video testimonials whenever possible.
* Video ? If you want to get booked you need a video. Try calling local
organizations and offer to speak for free in return for bringing a camera crew.
Link to your video from every page of the site.
* Pictures ? You should offer both high resolution and low resolution head shots
for both web and print use.
* Logistics ? Let potential clients know how you travel and what technical
requirements you may have.
* Content ? Show off your expertise with free articles, a blog or regular social
media updates that stream to your website.
* Lead Capture ? Ask people to register for your e-zine or blog updates so you
can keep in touch.
* Social media ? Display all of your social media site icons with links to your
profile.
* Contact Information ? This should be on a page by itself with a contact form
and then on every page at the top or bottom.
This list is a great starting point to satisfy meeting planners and potential
clients but the most important point you should remember is to differentiate
yourself from the thousands of professional speakers who are competing for the
same speaking engagements as you.
© 2012. Davis Virtual Assistance. Reprints welcome so long as the article and
byline are reprinted intact with all links made live.
Bonnie Jo Davis is a Virtual Assistant who has been working with professional
speakers and other clients since 1995. She offers administrative,
organizational and marketing services to clients from all industries. For more
information visit http:
by editor | May 8, 2012 | Lifestyle
A CHANGE OF PACE
According to a Greek legend, in ancient Athens a man noticed the
great storyteller Aesop playing childish games with some little
boys. He laughed and jeered at Aesop, asking him why he wasted his
time in such frivolous activity.
Aesop responded by picking up a bow, loosening its string, and
placing it on the ground. Then he said to the critical man, “Now,
answer the riddle, if you can. Tell us what the unstrung bow
implies.”
The man looked at it for several moments but had no idea what point
Aesop was trying to make. The moralist explained, “If you keep a bow
always bent, it will break eventually; but if you let it go slack, it will
be
more fit for use when you want it.”
So it is with us. Our minds and bodies are like the bow. When
constantly under pressures of everyday life, we can eventually
break. We need to loosen up; we need time to take the pressure off
and relax. For some, that may mean time off to rest and recreate.
For some, it may mean Sabbath. It is no wonder that observing the
Sabbath in Judeo-Christian tradition is a commandment, not a
suggestion.
Have you heard the funny story of the woman who needed a few days
off from work, but knew the boss wasn’t likely to give her leave?
She thought that maybe if she acted “crazy,” then he would tell her
to go home for a while. So, she hung upside-down from the ceiling
and made funny noises.
Her co-worker asked her what she was doing. She said that she was
pretending to be a light bulb so the boss might think she desperately
needed of a few days off.
Her plan worked beautifully. A few minutes later, the boss heard the
commotion and came into the office. “Oh, my!” he exclaimed. “What in
the world are you doing?” She explained that she was a light bulb
and he told her to go home immediately and rest for a few days.
As she walked out of the office, her co-worker followed close
behind. Their boss called, “And where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m going home, too,” she said. “I can’t work in the dark.”
I suppose we all have our ways of getting our needs met. And one of
the things we all need, especially those of us in stressful
environments, is real down time.
Former baseball pitcher Dutch Leonard might have put it a little
differently. He once said that the secret of great pitching is not
speed or the ability to throw curves. It’s the “change of pace.” The
average batter will soon learn to hit a pitcher who continually
throws the same kind of pitch. But it’s hard to hit against a
pitcher who changes the pace of delivery. That change of pace gives
a pitcher the edge over the best of batters.
A change of pace likewise gives us an edge in life. Taking time to
watch the clouds, enjoy a breeze, take a walk, read or just slow
down is necessary if we are to be our best later. And for me, a
regular day of rest is as important as regular sleep. It’s a way of
taking the pressure off.
To be my best, I need to be sure to change my pace. It is usually
just the change I need.
– Steve Goodier
__________
Find Steve Goodier here: http://stevegoodier.blogspot.com/.
Newsletter: http://LifeSupportSystem.com.
