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: You have survived the 2007 shopping and eating season. Congratulations! Now it's time to shift gears and focus on 2008...whether you write down some New Year resolutions or contemplate some things that you want to let go of from last year and set intentions and goals for this year - as is a friend's tradition on the winter solstice.To summarize the key findings of the last 20 years of neuroscience research on how to "exercise our brains", there are three things that we can strive for: novelty, variety and challenge. If we do these three things, we will build new connections in our brains, be mindful and pay attention to our environment, improve cognitive abilities such as pattern-recognition, and in general contribute to our lifelong brain health.With these three principles of brain health in mind - novelty, variety and challenge - let me suggest a few potential New Years resolutions, perhaps some unexpected, that will help you make 2008 a year of Brain Health and Fitness:1. 2008 Primaries and Elections: If you haven't yet done so, register to vote - active participation is good for your brain health. But, before rushing out to vote, take some time to think through the criteria you want to set up to evaluate who deserves your vote. Don't let politicians and their spin doctors set your agenda. Ask yourself, what matters most to me? What type of President do I think we need? Why? I personally find it quite intriguing that no candidate so far is resurrecting the "It is the economy, stupid" mantra, and proposing solid plans to get our economy back on track.2. Next time out shopping: Don't let advertisers treat you as if you were Pavlov's Dog - remember the dog that was trained to salivate automatically every time a bell rang. There is a whole industry out there trying to make you buy stuff on impulse. Notice your reactions to a movie trailer or a TV ad Resist. Be the true "Decider". For bonus points, once you learn to identify and manage your own buying impulses, try explaining this to your kids...3. Reading habits: If you usually read non-fiction, try something new this season. Pick up a good fiction book. Or vice versa. For bonus points, subscribe to or simply read a new magazine, perhaps one that your partner craves? It will help you understand another perspective.4. Learn about the Brain: Pick up one of the books in the Science section in your bookstore. In the unlikely scenario that you read as many brain-related books as I do, pick up some Russian poetry book and let's discuss this instead.5. At work: Find, or create, an intellectually and socially stimulating new job for yourself at your current workplace or a new one. Engaging work has been shown to contribute to lifelong cognitive performance. At the very least, go out of your way to make whatever job you have more stimulating: try talking to a new colleague or client everyday and learn a new thing about them. You will not remember everything, but surely more than if you don't even try.6. Gratitude vs. the Subprime mess: With increasing coverage of economic woes, the subprime mess, recession risk, the falling dollar and a ballooning deficit, it is easy to lose perspective and become depressed. Which doesn't help anyone, much less our brains. To put things in perspective, it pays off to devote some time to keep a Gratitude Journal and simply scribble a few notes a day. For bonus points: do this while you are watching TV news and share your notes with your partner.7. Cultivate your Critical-thinking abilities: Ask yourself, "Where is the evidence?" at least once a day - see points 1&2 above. Don't just believe this article. Even if it had been endorsed by 20 Harvard Medical School researchers and doctors, nothing substitutes your own brain in action. And the more you practice, the more you refine your judgment.8. Participate in creating a better environment. Our planet, our families, our communities, our schools, all can benefit from our help. What project do you care enough to commit some of your time to in 2008? If you have school age kids, have you considered joining the school board?.9. Computer-based programs: With the growing number of "brain training" products, you may be thinking of giving one a try, either for you or for a loved one. As mentioned in point number 2 above, it makes sense to do some research before making a purchase.10. Where to start? OK, now you have read many suggestions, resolve to keep at least one of them...which one will you choose?.Enjoy a Happy and Fruitful 2008, for you and your loved ones!Copyright (c) 2007 SharpBrains : 0 Apr Credit Cards - Ok, What's The Catch? : : http://www.uldepuentearanda.net/redempresarial/index.php?option=com_blog&view=comments&pid=338348&Itemid=0 : http://www.511717w.com/xbbs/xsite/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=560767 : : If you are serious about making money on eBay you need to have an eBay store. This gives you your own unique URL that you can use to promote your store.Now it doesn't take a genius to work this formula out. More visitors = more sales.Here are 10 easy ways to promote your eBay store and gain extra traffic that in turn will lead to more bids.1. Make sure you provide a link to your eBay store from every auction you run. If someone is not interested in your auction they may be interested in something else you are selling in your eBay store.Make sure you ask people to click on your link and they will. How many times have you seen the term 'please view my other auctions' or 'visit my eBay store for more bargains' I bet you've clicked on those links sometimes too? I know I have. It's all about encouraging the person to do what you want. After all, if they don't click on your link what have you lost? Nothing.2. Include a simple email signature in all outgoing emails. Make sure you use a catchy headline to attract visitors. Again, ask people to click your link.3. Include a link to your store in all winning bidder emails you send to your eBay customers. Just a simple line of text explaining you have many more quality items in your store will do.4. If you use eBay to automatically invoice your customers make sure you mention your eBay store and provide a link.5. If you take part in forum discussions and are allowed a signature make sure you provide a link to your eBay store in all forum posts you make.6. Look for forums related to what you sell, offer advice and take part in discussions and make sure you mention your eBay store wherever possible.7. If you can set up an auto responder for your customer emails have it say something like:- "Hi. Thanks for getting in touch, I have received your email and will respond soon" then include your signature.8. Write at least one article per month related to your eBay business and include a link to your eBay store, just as I have done here.9. Create an eBay about me page and make sure you mention your eBay store. Again, ask people to click your link and they will.10. Consider upgrading your store to the featured level. If you are a high volume seller the extra cost will be worth it.There you have it, 10 simple steps to ensure you gain more visitors to your auctions. If you implement these steps into your eBay business you will receive more visitors and in turn more bids. : One of the major concerns in the world today is depletion of energy. As concerned citizens all of us must make a concerted effort to be conscious citizens and save electricity. Electricity has become integral to life but imagine having to live without power.Conservation of electricity benefits you personally as you will pay lower bills. Consider:1.Doing an energy audit. This will tell you how and when you use energy and where the wastage lies. You will be able to make an �energy savings plan� by pinpointing exactly how you can cut back on energy consumption. Some ideas may be as simple as don�t leave the coffee machine on at all times. 2.Think about resetting the thermostat ten degrees lower during the night. If you can do this for say approximately eight hours a day you will save 10% on electricity without sacrificing comfort. Insulate the home in winter by drawing shut the drapes.3.Check all insulation in the house. If you increase attic insulation to around 12 inches the electricity consumption will reduce by 20 percent.4.Plant more trees around the house these will cool the house in summer and insulate the house in winter. Studies show that a green cover benefits in many ways.5.Have all electricity wires and outlets checked for leakage. Check all fuses and appliances.6.Fluorescent light bulbs are energy efficient. They use 75% less energy than ordinary light bulbs. These have a longer life and contribute to great savings.7.Use energy efficient appliances. These use less energy and believe it or not a high efficiency refrigerator uses less electricity than a light bulb.8.When you are away even for a few hours or days you should turn off and unplug all electrical appliances and turn settings on the thermostat, water heater, and refrigerator to the lowest setting.9.Ensure that you use a water-saving shower head. Water heating costs for a family can be lowered by at least US$ 250 a year.10.Weatherize your home. This helps reduce heating bills by 20% and cooling by at least 10 percent. Even when building a home or decorating it use weather friendly materials�those that are not good conductors of heat and cold. Install windows and glass panes in the roof in such away that you use sunlight to light up the rooms during day light hours. Make an effort to switch off lights and fans when leaving a room. Ensure that the filters in air conditioners and heaters are always cleaned and free of clog and dust.If you live an energy efficient lifestyle you will see the numbers on the energy bill actually reducing. The power to cut energy costs is well within your control. It is as simple as only washing full loads and that to in cold water. Use the hot wash option only for very dirty clothes. Cook food only just before you are ready to eat that way you can save reheating costs as well as refrigerating costs of storing the food. Turn the thermostat of the refrigerator to minimum in cold or cool weather. Switch off freezers if they are not in use. Small contributions can all add up to significant amounts of power saved. And, power saved means money in the bank. : : http://mymuzik.konordo.com/article/rock-says-pain-and-gain-right-track#comment-161831 : http://bbs.it0668.com/thread-7889-1-1.html : : 10 Tips To Avoid Work At Home Mom Burnout : "A Piece of Blarney Stone" 10 ways to empower your communicationThe Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs; clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.1. What you know.Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share what we know.2. Listening.It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.3. HumilityWe all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words, stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.4. Eye ContactThere's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even though he or she may be gorgeous.5. Kidding aroundA little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as approachable, and as human to those who listen.6. Be like the rest of themInteraction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.7. Me, Myself, and IAdmit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.8. With a smileA smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake. You can better express what you're saying when you smile.9. A Role ModelThere must be at least one or two people in your life you have listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church. Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.10. PreparationMake the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy your work.And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as educational. : : http://www.yuanlimazu.com/viewthread.php?tid=591315&extra= : http://topbdnews.com/component/blog/comments.html?pid=129486

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