Before You Write Your Book, Organize Its Parts - Part 2

If you are a serious writer who wants to publish and sell books and informational products, you need to be able to find all of its parts in a minute or less. Filing only the important parts of your book will yield fast-writing your book. With the tips below, you will find any book-related paper within two minutes!

After you decide on your topic, working title, audience, thesis, and "tell and sell" and before you write a single page of a chapter, it's best to organize your book, its chapters, even your promotion how-to's. Part one of this article is available at http://www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-54.shtml.

Other Book Files to Keep

1. Front Matter. Placed at the front of your book, you may use all or only a few of these: acknowledgements, testimonials, forward, copyright page, Introduction, dedication, Library of Congress and ISBN information. If you sell on your own site, you do not need an ISBN number.

2. Book Chapters 1-End. Within each you will put your research, articles, quotes, how-to’s, exercises, tips, partially written chapter using your book chapter format worksheet, and four-fifteen questions you want to answer in each chapter. You can file both in your computer and in your hard files arranged from A-Z.

3. Book Essential "Hot-Selling Points." When you know these before your write your chapters, you will write more compelling, organized, focused chapters, easy to read. They include: your book's preferred audience, its sparkling one-page introduction, its "tell and sell" that includes major benefits, table of contents, back cover sales write up, thesis or theme, and working title.

4. Lists of your book's benefit words and phrases to give to influential people later for testimonials. You will need this list for any promotion or marketing you do too. Transfer them to your Web site sales letter.

5. Contacts Influential - Gather names of authors or other professionals you quote in your book. Think about top people in your field and other business associates who can help you. Make friends with a few media people. Place email addresses and other contact information in this file so you will be ready to act before you finish your book. These people can give you a peer review or even a testimonial.. They help sell your books. If you make it easy for them to respond, they will be glad to help you.

6. Back Matter: At the end of your book, you may want to include many of these: bibliography, index--need this to sell to libraries, resources/appendix, glossary, author's bio and photo (inside back cover), and an order page for this and other books and services you offer.

7. Permission requests - Get it in writing when you quote others.

8. Marketing plan-launch and lifetime. The plan includes how much money you want to make from your books or services. It lists the high level activities you will practice to get your books out there to your audience. That may include Online or Web marketing as well as talks, radio shows or book signings. Chose 3 best marketing techniques for yourself so you won't feel overwhelmed.

Within this folder, include these if you go the traditional publishing route: query, one-page book proposal, one-page listing of programs, seminars, or talks. If you plan online promotion, keep categorized email database lists to send free articles, reports and ezines to with just one click.

For Online and Web Marketing, include these: Web site plan to sell products before you hire a web master, your ezine, teleclass topics, magazine articles and tips to submit to opt-in ezines and on top Web sites.

9. Promotion Online and Off. Include a press release for offline, how-to articles and ezines to submit Online Promotion means the action steps you take on your marketing plans. What will you do to get people to visit and buy from your Web site? Traditional business cards and flyers always work.

Without organizing your book folders and files, you will waste a lot of time looking for the correct one. You will waste money because unfinished projects that don't get shared, don't make you money.

Judy Cullins ฉ2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at http://www.bookcoaching.com and over 185 free articles.

===============

Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com or Cullinsbks@aol.com
Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743

Before You Write Your Book, Organize Its Parts - Part 2

If you are a serious writer who wants to publish and sell books and informational products, you need to be able to find all of its parts in a minute or less. Filing only the important parts of your book will yield fast-writing your book. With the tips below, you will find any book-related paper within two minutes!

After you decide on your topic, working title, audience, thesis, and "tell and sell" and before you write a single page of a chapter, it's best to organize your book, its chapters, even your promotion how-to's. Part one of this article is available at http://www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-54.shtml.

Other Book Files to Keep

1. Front Matter. Placed at the front of your book, you may use all or only a few of these: acknowledgements, testimonials, forward, copyright page, Introduction, dedication, Library of Congress and ISBN information. If you sell on your own site, you do not need an ISBN number.

2. Book Chapters 1-End. Within each you will put your research, articles, quotes, how-to’s, exercises, tips, partially written chapter using your book chapter format worksheet, and four-fifteen questions you want to answer in each chapter. You can file both in your computer and in your hard files arranged from A-Z.

3. Book Essential "Hot-Selling Points." When you know these before your write your chapters, you will write more compelling, organized, focused chapters, easy to read. They include: your book's preferred audience, its sparkling one-page introduction, its "tell and sell" that includes major benefits, table of contents, back cover sales write up, thesis or theme, and working title.

4. Lists of your book's benefit words and phrases to give to influential people later for testimonials. You will need this list for any promotion or marketing you do too. Transfer them to your Web site sales letter.

5. Contacts Influential - Gather names of authors or other professionals you quote in your book. Think about top people in your field and other business associates who can help you. Make friends with a few media people. Place email addresses and other contact information in this file so you will be ready to act before you finish your book. These people can give you a peer review or even a testimonial.. They help sell your books. If you make it easy for them to respond, they will be glad to help you.

6. Back Matter: At the end of your book, you may want to include many of these: bibliography, index--need this to sell to libraries, resources/appendix, glossary, author's bio and photo (inside back cover), and an order page for this and other books and services you offer.

7. Permission requests - Get it in writing when you quote others.

8. Marketing plan-launch and lifetime. The plan includes how much money you want to make from your books or services. It lists the high level activities you will practice to get your books out there to your audience. That may include Online or Web marketing as well as talks, radio shows or book signings. Chose 3 best marketing techniques for yourself so you won't feel overwhelmed.

Within this folder, include these if you go the traditional publishing route: query, one-page book proposal, one-page listing of programs, seminars, or talks. If you plan online promotion, keep categorized email database lists to send free articles, reports and ezines to with just one click.

For Online and Web Marketing, include these: Web site plan to sell products before you hire a web master, your ezine, teleclass topics, magazine articles and tips to submit to opt-in ezines and on top Web sites.

9. Promotion Online and Off. Include a press release for offline, how-to articles and ezines to submit Online Promotion means the action steps you take on your marketing plans. What will you do to get people to visit and buy from your Web site? Traditional business cards and flyers always work.

Without organizing your book folders and files, you will waste a lot of time looking for the correct one. You will waste money because unfinished projects that don't get shared, don't make you money.

Judy Cullins ฉ2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at http://www.bookcoaching.com and over 185 free articles.

===============

Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com or Cullinsbks@aol.com
Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743

Before You Write Your Book, Organize Its Parts - Part 2

If you are a serious writer who wants to publish and sell books and informational products, you need to be able to find all of its parts in a minute or less. Filing only the important parts of your book will yield fast-writing your book. With the tips below, you will find any book-related paper within two minutes!

After you decide on your topic, working title, audience, thesis, and "tell and sell" and before you write a single page of a chapter, it's best to organize your book, its chapters, even your promotion how-to's. Part one of this article is available at http://www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-54.shtml.

Other Book Files to Keep

1. Front Matter. Placed at the front of your book, you may use all or only a few of these: acknowledgements, testimonials, forward, copyright page, Introduction, dedication, Library of Congress and ISBN information. If you sell on your own site, you do not need an ISBN number.

2. Book Chapters 1-End. Within each you will put your research, articles, quotes, how-to’s, exercises, tips, partially written chapter using your book chapter format worksheet, and four-fifteen questions you want to answer in each chapter. You can file both in your computer and in your hard files arranged from A-Z.

3. Book Essential "Hot-Selling Points." When you know these before your write your chapters, you will write more compelling, organized, focused chapters, easy to read. They include: your book's preferred audience, its sparkling one-page introduction, its "tell and sell" that includes major benefits, table of contents, back cover sales write up, thesis or theme, and working title.

4. Lists of your book's benefit words and phrases to give to influential people later for testimonials. You will need this list for any promotion or marketing you do too. Transfer them to your Web site sales letter.

5. Contacts Influential - Gather names of authors or other professionals you quote in your book. Think about top people in your field and other business associates who can help you. Make friends with a few media people. Place email addresses and other contact information in this file so you will be ready to act before you finish your book. These people can give you a peer review or even a testimonial.. They help sell your books. If you make it easy for them to respond, they will be glad to help you.

6. Back Matter: At the end of your book, you may want to include many of these: bibliography, index--need this to sell to libraries, resources/appendix, glossary, author's bio and photo (inside back cover), and an order page for this and other books and services you offer.

7. Permission requests - Get it in writing when you quote others.

8. Marketing plan-launch and lifetime. The plan includes how much money you want to make from your books or services. It lists the high level activities you will practice to get your books out there to your audience. That may include Online or Web marketing as well as talks, radio shows or book signings. Chose 3 best marketing techniques for yourself so you won't feel overwhelmed.

Within this folder, include these if you go the traditional publishing route: query, one-page book proposal, one-page listing of programs, seminars, or talks. If you plan online promotion, keep categorized email database lists to send free articles, reports and ezines to with just one click.

For Online and Web Marketing, include these: Web site plan to sell products before you hire a web master, your ezine, teleclass topics, magazine articles and tips to submit to opt-in ezines and on top Web sites.

9. Promotion Online and Off. Include a press release for offline, how-to articles and ezines to submit Online Promotion means the action steps you take on your marketing plans. What will you do to get people to visit and buy from your Web site? Traditional business cards and flyers always work.

Without organizing your book folders and files, you will waste a lot of time looking for the correct one. You will waste money because unfinished projects that don't get shared, don't make you money.

Judy Cullins ฉ2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Judy is author of 10 eBooks including Write your eBook or Other Short Book Fast, Ten Non-Techie Ways to Market Your Book Online, The Fast and Cheap Way to Explode Your Targeted Web Traffic, and Power Writing for Web Sites That Sell. She offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, "The BookCoach Says...," "Business Tip of the Month," blog Q & A at http://www.bookcoaching.com and over 185 free articles.

===============

Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com or Cullinsbks@aol.com
Phone: 619/466-0622 -- Orders: 866/200-9743

3 Dynamic Techniques To Boost Your Executive Leadership!

Here's a really simple way to measure the strength of
your executive leadership skills. Ask your people to name 3
important reasons why they enjoy working with you.

Most leaders find it acceptable to be viewed as a "nice",
"friendly" or "clever" person.

Others prefer to be "hands-off" - you know the type of boss
who lets us do our work the way we choose to do it - the
leader who wants our work done and doesn't care to be
bothered with the hows or whys of our doing it.

Some or all of the above traits may fit into your patterns
of leading but are those leadership attributes and styles
being fair to your people or helping your mission?

The real question is this: How is your leadership adding
value to, improving the quality in and nurturing the growth
of your organization?

Here are 3 potent steps you can take in your leadership
practice to become a value-oriented, quality-focused,
growth-driven leader.

First Action-Step - How Do You Know?

As Professor Thomas Davenport points out, "...if you want
your economy [or organization] to grow, your knowledge
workers had better be doing a good job." If your people are
doing good work, how do you know that they are?

So your first leadership action is one of discovery - you
must explore ways to find out

=> How are your people performing their work

=> What tasks, activities, objectives and priorities are
people working on

=> Why are people doing what they are doing

=> When are people doing their work, and

=> Where your people are focusing their best efforts during
the performance of their duties.

When you take the time ask, challenge or inquire with
questions that demand open-ended answers, you will get a
clearer picture of the value, quality and competence of your
group's actions.

"Approach each new problem not with a view of finding what
you hope will be there, but to get the truth, the realities
that must be grappled with. You may not like what you find.
In that case you are entitled to try to change it. But do
not deceive yourself as to what you do find to be the facts
of the situation."
- Bernard Baruch

Second Action-Step - What Do You Draw When You Picture Your
Mind's Eye?

"Everything you can imagine is real. I paint objects as I
think them, not as I see them." - Pablo Picasso

Executive leadership constantly strives to envision, imagine
and conceive images of what comes next - what many of us
call "tomorrow".

Give yourself permission to ask: "What kinds of future
outcomes do we think will produce the best things for ours,
yours and mine?"

In your visioning pursuits and statements, you may wish to
include any and all of the following items:

=> Ways to inspire your people to seek higher ideals

=> Ways to unite your people in their efforts towards making
the world a better place

=> Ways to encourage, empower or engage your people to
confidently and persistently act with integrity

=> Ways to reap the benefits of working in fellowship,
harmony and peace with others

=> Ways to establish, expand and enhance your "frameworks of
possibilities" [where meanings, visions and environments of
possible outcomes are considered, spoken and practiced -
adapted from "The Art of Possibility" by Rosamund S. and
Benjamin Zander]

Third Action-Step - How Much Did We Create Today?

Innovation, ingenuity, invention are the new currencies in
our highly competitive Knowledge Economy. Being creative for
creativity's sake is not the object of the exercise.

Rather, your creations should translate themselves into
products of greater efficiencies, effectiveness or
resourcefulness.

One company's slogan is: "where do you want to go today?"
Instead of that question, you might ask yourself: "where did
our creativity lead us to today?"

Author Mark Twain [Samuel Clemens] observed: "A person with
a new idea is a crank until the idea succeeds." Without
putting your ideas into practice, your creative efforts will
be in vain.

Follow the lead of another Twainism: "Name the greatest of
all inventors. Accident."

Use your failures, missteps, mistakes and misunderstandings
to innovate, intuit or invent new approaches and more
appropriate solutions.

------------------------------------------------------------

"A truly good book teaches me better than to read it. I must
soon lay it down, and commence living on its hint. What I
began by reading, I must finish by acting."
- Henry David Thoreau

If you take Thoreau's advice to heart, you will find ways to
employ this article's actions and suggestions in your daily
exercise of leadership.

After 35-years worth of grappling with Information
Technology projects and operational challenges, I have
discovered one cardinal rule about leadership: learn how to
do it better or resign yourself to getting lost!

So are you ready to begin your executive leadership
adventure? Will you commit your energies, ideas and heart to
the pursuit of excellence?

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.
You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to
give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll
want something new." - Steve Jobs

Be the leader who pushes the bar higher while making it
worthy of taking a "quantum leap" beyond its limits for good
of all your people.

Copyright ฉ 2005, Mustard Seed Investments Inc.,

All rights reserved.

Bill Thomas energizes, empowers and enhances the leadership
skills of thousands using in-depth, cost-effective, 100%
guaranteed performance improvement workshops, programs,
books, tools and educational services.
Pick-up your free copy of his Leadership Power-Tips, online
e-book and become the best leader you're willing to be.
All-the-Tools-You-Need-to-Lead-&-Succeed!

http://www.leadership-toolkit.com/info.html

3 Reasons to Join a Group

Defining your purpose for joining a group.

When you make the decision to join a group, you should make sure that you have a clear understanding of what you would like to gain from the group. If you are there for business only, then you should make sure that you have as much to give others as you expect to get from the group. Business purposes are genuinely straight forward and nothing else will get in the way. If, on the other hand, you are there to develop your social skills and gain good relationships with the other members then you should make time to get to know the members first before you join. Socializing is not usually a big part of leads groups but you can make it your focus. If you want to have lasting relationships built through such an organizations, then you should endeavor to provide information, insights and leads to others in the group. This is the best way to gain their business.

Another great reason for joining a group could be to hone your leadership skills. You can show others that you know how to work with people and therefore would be a good person to do business with. You have to remember that when you are new to a group, others do not know who you are and you have not proven your skills as a product or service provider. If you choose to be a leader in the group then you should take care to provide excellent service first and then be a part of the leadership team.

So why should you become involved? You should look at the three distinctive areas: business only, socialization, and finally leadership.

Making the decision on which group to join is not the easiest task but it will not be the last decision you make. Each group has a leadership team and committee that require volunteers. The best way to get to know other members is to volunteer to do something for the group. They will certainly have the opportunity to get to know you better.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people’s attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the “Networking Queen”. Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com

1,000,001 Reasons To Connect With Your Audience

Eye contact is mandatory when giving a public presentation.

The goal of public speaking is to connect with your audience. Visit with your audience. Have a conversation. When you are making eye contact with one person, when you are having a conversation with one person in the audience, the entire audience feels as if you speaking directly to them individually.

If you do not make eye contact with anyone, your credibility and trust factor plummets to less than ZERO!

Have you ever had a conversation with a person who wouldn’t look at you? They may have been staring at their shoes or looking over your shoulder. How did you feel? Did you feel uneasy? Did you want to continue having a conversation with that person? Stand up straight and look em’ in the eye.

I know, looking all of those people directly in the eye is intimidating for new speakers. One popular piece of advice that has been offered is to make “eye” contact with a spot on the back of the wall because then you won’t have to actually look at anyone. WRONG! This will only make your audience wonder what is so amazing on that spot on the back of the wall. If you do this you will actually see people begin to look over their shoulder to see what you are looking at.

If making eye contact is intimidating, get over it. if you don’t make contact you will not connect With the people.

Steve Brummet is a communication expert, writer and speaker.

Steve’s company specializes in working with organizations of all types to help their people increase productivity and profit and decrease stress by improving communication skills.

As a writer, Steve has been published in Parenting Success, People of Faith and Family-content.com

Steve says his clients include a Lions Club in Sherman Texas, his mother in law’s ladies group and

SOMETIMES

his wife and four children will listen to him for JUST a little while.

http://www.communicationspeaker.com

steve@stevebrummet.com

214-578-4172

The Choice between Yes and Yes - A Psychological Revelation

Three year old Kara was throwing a tantrum. She didn't want to go to bed, of that she was certain.

"Do you want to brush with the red or blue toothpaste?" her dad asked gently.

"Blue," she says, glad to be given the opportunity to make a decision.

Ten minutes later, Kara was well tucked up, wondering when she'd agreed to go to bed in the first place.

You laugh at the story, don't you?

The method used to get Kara into bed seems a bit like trickery. And who am I to say that it's not? Yet I want you to pay
attention to one thing. Kara was glad to be given a choice between yes and yes.

Your clients are not much different

Clients come to you every single day asking you to give them a choice. A choice between yes and yes. Instead all you're giving them is a choice between yes and no.

Mah friend, your bank account will see far better days if only you'd step back, and use the immense power of the choice between yes and yes.

Of course, you don't have to believe that this choice factor works. You don't have to believe your sales will go up. All you have to see is proof. So in the article below I'll demonstrate the psychological factor of choice.How it can work for you and how it can turn against you and bite you in the you-know-where.

It all started on one stupid loss-making November's day...

We were doing fine with the sales on our website when we made one change. I'm going to demonstrate the change in the article below so it would help for you to have the page open
so you can see what I'm talking about.

If you look at this page at
http://www.psychotactics.com/hiddenlink.php
you'll find that you get the choice to buy two packages. One is the copy of the Brain Audit and the other choice is a copy of the
Brain Audit + the Brain Audit Rip.

Till the middle of November, we had both the offers up. Then one ego-driven morning we decided to pull the plug on one choice.

We gave customers the choice between a yes and um..NO!

Almost within 24 hours, our sales started going south for no reason at all. We ignored this sickening slack for about a week. Then we looked back at what was working. And we put back the choice between yes and yes.

The customer was back in choice-ville and the sales soared.

But here's the curious part

Among the two packages, one has a much higher price. Yet over 97.5% of customers, when given the choice between the two packages, chose the higher priced package.

The customer is no dumbo

No siree. The customer knows exactly what she wants. And when given the choice between yes and yes, she takes a decision to buy that which creates most value for her. Of course, if there's an enticement to buy, as was in this case, then
there's a far greater likelihood of her buying the more expensive product.

The customer is no dumbo...but I sure am

Think about it. If your revenue shot up. If customers were buying higher-priced products what would you logically do? Wouldn't you take the same concept and use it everywhere you could?

You'd think a smart person would do that, wouldn't you? (Which is why I qualified myself at the start of this paragraph). But no! As we speak, the only product that has a choice of YES and YES is the page I've already mentioned above.

Don't stop at one point. Take the concept through it's paces

If you're in consulting, look at the choice between yes and yes. Are you giving the customer a choice between package A and package B. Or do you offer just one package? If you're selling products, the concept of yes and yes choice stays put.

And once you've found that the concept works, puh-lease don't
do the dumbo bit. Audit every possible thing you sell. And put in a yes and yes factor. Not only will this bring you higher quantity of sales, but also an a much better price on every product/consulting assignment you do.

I said yes and yes...NOT yes and yes and yes and yes

You, me, we all crave for choice. But give us too much and we go a little waka-waka in our brains. Because choice is based on rejection. To choose the strawberry flavour ice-cream, you must mentally refuse all the other flavours.

(Read article on: The Curse of Choice)
http://www.psychotactics.com/artchoice.htm

If you give a client too much to choose from, they will end up rolling their eyes, doing a RAM check and shut down their brains before you have time to do anything at all.

Keep your options simple. Keep the choice between yes and yes.

So that even a three-year old has no trouble choosing!

Wouldn't you love to stumble upon a secret library of small business ideas? Find simple, yet electrifying ideas, on copywriting, public speaking, sales conversion, marketing strategy,psychological tactics and branding. Head down to http://www.psychotactics.com today and judge for yourself.

A Mommy Moment

Sara spends much of her summer near the beach. She lives in a
mild climate and is very athletic. She loves to swim, bike and
play games outdoors. Sara knows the dangers of the sun and so she
opts for tanning salons to get her 'golden glow' while being sure
to apply sunscreen every day before heading out.

Joseph lives in a cooler, northern climate. The summers can be
very humid, but most of the year is mild or even below freezing
during the harshest winter months. The beach has never been much
of a draw for him and he spends most of his time doing indoor
activities or at his job. Joseph doesn't worry about sunscreen
and only had one sunburn that he can remember and that was when
he was a child.

--------------------

Which of these examples do you most associate yourself with? Did
you know that Sara and Joseph are both at risk of developing skin
cancer? We have all heard the warnings about the dangers of sun
exposure. We know all about the importance of wearing sunscreen
and hats. But are YOU protected from skin cancer? Consider these
myths and facts:

MYTH ONE: Tanning Beds are Safer than the Sun

20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is roughly equivalent to
four hours in the sun. Although sun beds use UVA rather than UVB
rays, 'The Skin Cancer Answer' states that "UV-A penetrates more
deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may
suppress the immune system."

MYTH TWO: Wearing Sunscreen at the Beach is Protection

85 percent of UV rays can even make it through on cloudy days.
That means you are equally at risk in the car, walking the dog or
letting your children out to play at any time of year - even when
you're not at the beach. Of course, you are usually less attired
at the beach and so covering up is recommended even when wearing
sunscreen. Sunscreen also wears off with sweat and water and
should always be applied every two hours or after getting wet.

MYTH THREE: Taking Care Of Your Skin Now Will Protect You

Sadly, skin cancer can take 20 or more years to develop. The Skin
Cancer Foundation states that most people receive about 80
percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18.
Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double
the risk of melanoma later in life. Taking better care now will
reduce the risk, but not eliminate the damage already done.

MYTH FOUR: Having a Tan Means You're More Protected

Dark skinned individuals are less likely to develop cancer, but
tanned skin is actually damaged skin. Repeated tanning injures
the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.

MYTH FIVE: You Can't get Burned on Overcast Days

Just because the sun is hidden by some cloud does not mean that
you don't need protection from the harmful effects of the suns rays.

So how do you plan to protect your family this year? Some
suggestions are to limit exposure to the sun - especially for
infants. Examine your skin for early signs of damage. Use a
sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and apply it at least 30 minutes
before exposure and every two hours after that. Teach your
children good safety habits and be sure you and they are covered
up when outdoors. Have fun and be safe.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and href="http://www.medical-health-news.com/">Medical Health News
where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on
many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

5 Myths About Protecting Yourself from Skin Cancer

Sara spends much of her summer near the beach. She lives in a
mild climate and is very athletic. She loves to swim, bike and
play games outdoors. Sara knows the dangers of the sun and so she
opts for tanning salons to get her 'golden glow' while being sure
to apply sunscreen every day before heading out.

Joseph lives in a cooler, northern climate. The summers can be
very humid, but most of the year is mild or even below freezing
during the harshest winter months. The beach has never been much
of a draw for him and he spends most of his time doing indoor
activities or at his job. Joseph doesn't worry about sunscreen
and only had one sunburn that he can remember and that was when
he was a child.

--------------------

Which of these examples do you most associate yourself with? Did
you know that Sara and Joseph are both at risk of developing skin
cancer? We have all heard the warnings about the dangers of sun
exposure. We know all about the importance of wearing sunscreen
and hats. But are YOU protected from skin cancer? Consider these
myths and facts:

MYTH ONE: Tanning Beds are Safer than the Sun

20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is roughly equivalent to
four hours in the sun. Although sun beds use UVA rather than UVB
rays, 'The Skin Cancer Answer' states that "UV-A penetrates more
deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may
suppress the immune system."

MYTH TWO: Wearing Sunscreen at the Beach is Protection

85 percent of UV rays can even make it through on cloudy days.
That means you are equally at risk in the car, walking the dog or
letting your children out to play at any time of year - even when
you're not at the beach. Of course, you are usually less attired
at the beach and so covering up is recommended even when wearing
sunscreen. Sunscreen also wears off with sweat and water and
should always be applied every two hours or after getting wet.

MYTH THREE: Taking Care Of Your Skin Now Will Protect You

Sadly, skin cancer can take 20 or more years to develop. The Skin
Cancer Foundation states that most people receive about 80
percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18.
Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double
the risk of melanoma later in life. Taking better care now will
reduce the risk, but not eliminate the damage already done.

MYTH FOUR: Having a Tan Means You're More Protected

Dark skinned individuals are less likely to develop cancer, but
tanned skin is actually damaged skin. Repeated tanning injures
the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.

MYTH FIVE: You Can't get Burned on Overcast Days

Just because the sun is hidden by some cloud does not mean that
you don't need protection from the harmful effects of the suns rays.

So how do you plan to protect your family this year? Some
suggestions are to limit exposure to the sun - especially for
infants. Examine your skin for early signs of damage. Use a
sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and apply it at least 30 minutes
before exposure and every two hours after that. Teach your
children good safety habits and be sure you and they are covered
up when outdoors. Have fun and be safe.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and href="http://www.medical-health-news.com/">Medical Health News
where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on
many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

A French Teacher's Memories - First Day at School

Despite my diplomas that allowed me to teach in state secondary schools, and my requests, I had been appointed to teach to a sixth-grade class. At least, I almost worked in my backyard.
The morning classes went smoothly. I knew that my pupils were experiencing many new situations. In primary school, they were all day long in the same classroom with the same teacher, who knew them by their first name. During their first sixth-grade day, they met a different teacher at each hour, each time in another classroom that was to be found among hundreds. They were mainly concerned by finding and reaching the right room on time. Any of them would have been happy to recognize and to sit beside the girl or the boy they did not want to be seen with last year, when the world was not that large.

The afternoon classes began at two o'clock. (As much as possible, lunch time is scheduled on regular bases for the youngest.) I unlocked the classroom and let the children enter. I counted them as they passed in front of me. One was missing. I checked in the attendance notebook: no pupil was reported absent. I had no idea about what I was supposed to do and began to wonder how to report the fact, when TocTocToc, somebody knocked at the door.

- "Come in!"
A little girl came in.

- "Excuse-me, Madame, I was lost."
Before I could reprimand those who laughed, she began to vomit.
I pointed a girl out: "Go to the infirmary with her."
-"Where is it, Madame?" she asked.

I did not know. I had no time to reflect, the second girl vomited, then a boy, then I could count no longer.

I thought of a food poisoning and sent two pupils who looked in good health to warn the chief supervisor "or any grown up you find". Yes, I was losing my head at full speed!

At last, the cavalry came to the rescue: firemen (in France, they dealt with any emergency issue, not only fire), ambulances, the medical staff and the cleaning team.

As the pupils in the other classrooms were not affected, it could not be because of a food poisoning and No!, I am not noxious! The first girl vomitted because of her fear of being lost, late and alone. The others let themselves be led by her because they felt the same fear of being lost, late and alone.

To yawn is infectious also. I would have prefered she yawned.

Gabrielle Guichard is a French teacher who can be listened to on FrenchPodcasting.com.

A French Teacher's Memories - A Short Nap

On Mondays, my first class was scheduled at 8am. French grammar at 8am... you understand that I was neither fully awaken nor fully happy on Monday mornings. To tell you the truth, I generally stood in front of 36 pupils neither more awaken nor happier than me.

I tried to give them exercises; I tried to correct previous exercises; to ask two or three pupils to give a presentation on such or such topic in order to start a debate, then on a topic they chose; I tried each and every thing. The sole solution would have been to cancel the class (or to prevent the pupils, and myself, from watching the Sunday midnight movie).

Actually, I decided to read aloud. I liked to read; pupils were relieved not to have too much to do (the understatement of the century!) and many of them folded their arms, put their heads on this cushion and finished quietly their night. It was the right time for reading: they were so still that I could have whispered and still be heard; or maybe they wished I would whisper so that they would not have been disturbed during their nap.

One Monday, the bell rang... and I awoke. Before I was known as the teacher who fell asleep in the classroom, I attacked: "I had never met such boring pupils".

Then, I spent the Monday morning classes standing near the first row, hoping that only horses slept standing up.

Gabrielle Guichard is a French teacher who can be listened to on FrenchPodcasting.com.

A Dose of Laughter

I'm not well. Can't you tell?

Kinda low, so,

give me a dose of laughter.

Mirth will heal my every ill

and give me rest from my distress.

Now, give me a dose of laughter.

Glee can revive, keep me alive

and give me chance to happy dance.

So, give me a dose of laughter.

I'd crawl a mile for a smile;

but to get relief from my grief

I need a dose of laughter.

Isn't it plain that I'm in pain?

You can relieve if only you'd please

give me a dose of laughter.

Laughter is pure and can surely cure.

What ails my heart would soon depart

If I had a dose of laughter.

I can't be strong for very long.

I'm sinking fast, unless at last

you give me a dose of laughter.

I don't need a pill for my ill.

I'm just spent in lament

and require a dose of laughter.

I must retain what still remain;

but don't delay, I'm in a bad way.

Bring me a dose of laughter.

Though insecure, I want to endure.

But I'm drifting and need uplifting.

Please, give me a dose of laughter.

Even though, I don't know

what it contains that kills my pain.

Just give me a dose of laughter.

It works somehow, so come on now;

Let go of doubt, I can't do without

My healing dose of laughter.

If you wait around I'll surely be found

lying dead in my bed.

Rush me my dose of laughter.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, is an ordained clergywoman, social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries, http://www.clergyservices4u.org. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow, Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances, Homilies that Teach.

A Dog's Guide To... Getting Your Dog to Stop Barking

I like to bark. I mean, I like to bark A LOT. So, whattya gonna do about it? Well, if you’re Amber and Terry, you’re going to do NOTHING about it. Ain’t nobody going to silence the Rubinman, you know what I’m sayin’? If you’re NOT Amber and Terry, though (i.e. you’re smart) and you want to know how to get your dog to just freakin’ shut up once in a while, here’s what you need to know…

Why is your dog barking?

I’ll be honest here: I bark because I like it. And because it gets me some attention. I’m all about the attention. Now, you coulda probably guessed about the attention thing, but the fact that we actually ENJOY it? Who knew?

It’s true, though. Sometimes I just get a kick out of it. It’s like, I start barking because I’m excited, and then after a while I’m all, “hey! This totally rocks!” So I bark some more. And then some more after that. Then I finish up with a quick round of barking. Sometimes I come back for an encore. The truth is, by this time, like Justin Timberlake, I’m lovin’ it. So, how’re you gonna stop me? (Clue: you’re not. You’ll NEVER stop the Rubinman. But you know what I mean.)

Well, if you want to stop a dog that’s barking just for the hell of it, you’re gonna hafta get clever. Cleverer than Amber and Terry. Whatever you do, DON’T shout at me. You want to know what I think when you shout at me while I’m barking? I think, “Coooool! They’re totally barking with me! This SO rocks!” Ha! Amateurs!

No, what you need to do is, you need to distract me. You could play with me. You could feed me. (Actually, you should totally feed me. That’s the best thing to do. End of article.) But it’s better if you TRAIN me. Uh-huh. TRAIN ME.

Now, I know what y’all are thinking. You’re all, “But the Rubinman is cleverer than me! I’d NEVER train him!” Well, you’re right. You totally wouldn’t. But if you have a NORMAL dog, you can train it. Mebbe.

I am what’s called “clicker trained.” http://www.clickertraining.com/home/get this CLICKY thing and get your dog to believe that if the thing clicks, something good happens. Could be a goodboy. Could be a big cuddle. (Note: the Rubinman is NOT a sissy. But a cuddle can be nice). Could be playing with your toys. Whatever it is, it’s GOOD. The clicker is power, and once ya got power over the dog, you’re the boss of it.* If you’re REALLY clever, you can teach your mutt to bark on command, and then stop barking on command too, using the clicker. That’s probably too advanced for you lot, though, so…

Understand why YOUR dog is barking

So, yeah, now you know why the Rubinman barks. It’s important to know why YOUR dog barks, though. Here are some possible reasons:

ท He is bored.ท He is scared. (I mean, I’m NEVER scared, but then I WAS raised by wolves…)ท He is lonely.ท He has seen the postman. ท Little Timmy is stuck down a well and your dog wants to lead you to that well, rescue little Timmy and get a reward. I’ll tell ya, that happens to me a LOT.

Soooooo many reasons for barking there. First thing you need to do is, you need to find out which reason is the right one. I’ll be honest here: it’s probably the postman.

A word about the postman

Most so-called “exerts” will tell you that your dog barks when he sees the postman because the postman is intruding on your property and the dog can’t tell the difference between “friend” and “foe.” What a lot of crap experts talk, no? If I talked crap like that, man, I’d be ashamed to call myself the Rubinman, I really would.

As any dog will tell you, we bark at the postman because we hate that sucker. In the wild, postmen are our natural enemies. Walking up our driveway day after day. Stuffing things through our door. Ringing the bell. I mean, honestly, do YOU think that’s acceptable behaviour?

Stopping the barking

You ain’t never gonna stop the “me against the postman” mentality. All you can do, really, is bribe your dog to stay quiet. Remember: we have no morals. (I mean, we sniff other dog’s butts IN THE STREET, do we look like we’d turn up our noses at a spot of bribery?) We won’t be offended if you bribe us.

Now, I’m not saying you should always bribe us with chocolate goodboys. (I totally AM saying that, by the way). I’m just saying the best way to get us to behave is to reward us handsomely when we behave ourselves. Goodboys. Cuddles. Rubbing our furry bellies. Do this and we will stop barking. Mebbe.

* Amber and Terry, obviously, are NOT the boss of me, though. No one’s the boss of me.

Rubin is a wolf in Bichon Frise's clothing. Read his blog, the Dog's" Diary

Rubin's owner, Amber, is a freelance writer. Visit Amber's website http://www.hotigloo.co.uk/copywriting.htm

A Different Place....

I wish we had met 20 years ago...
A different place, a different time
when I actually had a chance
for you to be mine...

Although we cannot change
what brought us together today,
I don't know why it is so hard
for me to think about walking away...

From you and from us... despite
the obstacles that stand in the way
of our chance to become something
more than just yesterday -

I believe in love at first site
as silly as it sounds...
I never actually realized that
that until you came around...

With your unmistakable smile,
quick wit and flattery
like the devilish look in your eyes
whenever you see me...

I know it's real and
I know I'm not alone
in feeling so strongly
that you'll never be gone...

Entirely from my life
no matter what it takes
for you and me to be together
I think we'll always make...

Up a reason to see each other,
an excuse to escape to
be together anywhere
any time - we will do

What we feel we need
to be with one another
Regardless of how short
our time is together...

The quality in moments
between you and me
is something most people
only dream they will see...

Once in this lifetime...
No matter how late
when love like ours arrives
It has to be FATE...

I thought I had lived
before I met you
but the truth is
I honestly had no clue...

About what love means
or how it's supposed to be...
I settled for less, for men
who were not good to me.

I thank God for you
even if we have to secretly date
for another 20 years...
I know it will be worth the wait...

Resource Box - ฉ Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine - A free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like - love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp

7 Words Americans Should Stop Using Until Further Investigation

Relationship: Here is a word that is used to qualify, justify and honey coat just about every nefarious, sleazy or reprehensible union between almost anybody and anything. Recently on an edition of the Jerry Springer show a guest was about to be interviewed who was getting it on with a very close relative. Heckles, and murmurs flowed through the crowd from the moment they entered the room and much of the way through the interview. Everything quieted down instantly when Springer asked the question, using in this case the great justifier. He asked how long they had been having this relationship. The audience quieted at first then began to add their opinions and advice as if the word relationship provided all the civility and credence needed to put this obviously perverted affair back into the realm of respectability or at least acceptability. The word is used today to describe everything from marriages to the on-goings between a farmer and his barn animals. This is an overused word that has elevated some of the worst unions in history to a place they hardly deserve.

Love: The word love has but one general definition in the English language but in contrast there are over forty definitions for it in the Greek. Unfortunately definitions for this word are almost always unknown, ignored or drawn from only the basest and lowest of human response. Usually it is defined by physical attraction. If it goes beyond that it wouldn’t be intelligence that got it moved up the ladder but mostly time. That is, the longer a love has existed the less it requires pure physical attraction to exist. The Greeks speak of three distinct types of love, physical, brotherly and Godly. In America we don’t get that fancy. It is a great loss that we do not ponder the glib use of this majestic little word, and the few who do have given it the value that turns our heads, pricks our ears, provokes great writers, enables hero soldiers and motivates the most notable philanthropists of our nation. If it were possible to tie the hands and secure the tongue of any average teenager who claimed to be in love the whole affair would in most cases endure less than twenty four hours. This is not meant to show disdain for youth or young love but only to invoke a search for a more practical definition of love as early in life as possible. A good definition to adopt or at least ponder might be… Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Jesus…John 15:13

Fun: The word fun has become a three letter giant in the American psyche. It would seem that it can cover any kind of bad youthful behavior, adult excess, or fickle feathered phantasm that festers in any fool, foul up or clown on the continent. We seem to think that we have a right, no a mandate to have this poorly defined aspect of American behavior ready to engage us at the freeing of any moment we are not doing the other thing Americans do when not engaged in fun…work. We are constantly reminded that Americans work hard and play hard. This notion is great for selling trucks but leaves a lot to be desired when trying to gather meaning from what is left in between. Fun is just that …fun. It is healthy and provides a natural resource of rejuvenating energy for almost everyone. It is the driven pursuit of fun that causes others around the world to think of Americans as mindless party animals who don’t take life very serious. I don’t like that assessment anymore than anyone else but I can hear a tiny voice over my shoulder saying…if the shoe fits.

Psychiatrist: A newspaper headline over twenty five years ago in a New Orleans newspaper read…Psychiatry Fast Replacing Religion in America. I could never get that headline out of my mind and now twenty five years later I must say it is largely true. The price for this transition from religion to psychiatry has been costly and disheartening at best. In the interim many headlines and reports have told us that psychiatrists have the highest rate of suicides and the lowest success rate for helping their patients than all others in the medical profession. One can almost see a microcosm of the entire profession over the last quarter century by comparing three fairly well known psychiatrists from television. No insult intended to those in the profession. Once again let’s be reminded that perception in America is the better part of reality. First we see Sydney the spry little psychiatrist from the famous MASH series with Alan Alda. He solves almost all shellshock, homesickness and phobias in soldiers with only a few minutes of counseling, hypnosis or shoot from the hip diagnoses that perhaps an eight year old adolescent might have come up with if given a chance. Whether this was possible doesn’t matter. It was the beginning of the takeover of religion and we wanted to believe that it was working. Next came, Bob Newhart, taking a little more time on matters, conducting sessions and follow ups that left us with one thing if nothing else. Newhart assured us that all we needed to do is, get in touch with our feelings. Ah, there’s a good replacement for religion. Enter Frasier, a psychiatrist who bungled his own suicide attempt to go to radio show psychiatry. He provided pop psychiatry for those to busy to make appointments or who wouldn’t take him too seriously anyway. His answers to his callers often being as silly as his show, but after all it was good clean fun, remember that word, but lets close in for the bottom line. Should we trust our very minds to a profession whose history so closely parallels these three TV shrinks? Psychiatrist, is an overused over rated word that will be lowered a few notches in any serious reality check.

Religion: Now we can look at the word used for what was supposed to be replaced by modern psychiatry. Religion if nothing else is an enigma. The word has almost as many definitions as the people you ask to define it. Some people say all religions are like roads that in the end will all lead us to God. This is a lot like saying that if you leave Boston and go due north in time you will come to San Francisco. In case you have a very poor sense of direction, do not take that route because you will never be heard from again. Some say that religion is a word that means different things to different people but in the end they are all praying to or worshipping the same God. Oh really! I am a Christian and I know when I worship God I am not worshipping the God who will give me fifty virgins if I go hurt someone who doesn’t believe like me. In fact that is a God I wouldn’t want to worship. To others the word religion conjures pictures of the austere life with strict rules and long hard lists of dos and don’ts.
The Bible says it isn’t what men do or don’t do, but what Christ has done for them that make things right between God and man. Personally I like having the imaginary scale of good deeds and bad deeds that plagued my conscience removed by the concept of the grace of God. Gods’ ideas are always easier to bear than the ones we devise in the name of religion.
Most people think they could turn to the Bible for many good definitions for religion. You Can’t. The word religion is used only five times in the entirety of scripture and only once is it given a definition. James 1:27 Religion is thought to be anything from the adoration of nature to dancing over a bed of coals. It is an extremely over used word that should not be left to those who often utter the phrase about never discussing either politics or religion. It also should not be left to those who don’t believe in God at all. If I want to learn how to fly I wouldn’t consult the books written by Jacques Cousteau. It has taken on a connotation that is too large for the whole world. I think I’ll stick to the gospel of Christ and the simple definition offered in James 1:27

Romance: If you asked the next ten people what their definition of romance would be you will undoubtedly get ten very different but very personal definitions. It is perhaps one of those words that most people think is only open to a personal definition. If you ask men this question you may get some to answer, some would ignore you and the remainder would freeze up or change the subject at super sonic speed. Women would give you answers that if collaged together would comprise the typical singles add in the women looking for man section of the paper. Long walks on the beach, intimate conversation, humor candle lit dinners and holding hands. Is this romance? Or should I say is this all it is? Maybe the definition of this word should be left in the wide gray area where it is now, an area of wispy feelings, mystery and heart choking moonlight flower strewn landscapes with gentle music in the background. Yeah I like that too but in the end it isn’t what is in the end. Romance can include these scenes but unless our eyes are wide open and our sense of tomorrow is engaged to temper the other five senses romance will go the way of all flesh. Romance then is an embellishment that is used to spice the furtherance of the real stuff…love, remember that word? As far as I know romance has not yet been found to produce world peace or build the world’s tallest skyscraper but it holds its own for what it is supposed to do, with or without a universally clear definition.

Commercials: Here is a word many people love to hate. Television, radio, internet and all other media bombard us with messages, ads and pictures about everything from soap to potatoes. If someone has the particular statistics on just how many commercials we watch in a day or a lifetime I don’t want to know it. I don’t need a statistician to tell me when I’ve had enough to eat. We try to add dignity to them with phrases like, a word from our sponsor, we will return right after these messages, or we’ll be right back after the break. Who will give us a break from the commercials? The commercial busting technology of Tivo started slowly but now DVRs are popping up quickly to fill the gap. These are wonderful electronic devices that enable us to skip through all the commercials and keep watching the programs we started with. At last for some this means the cessation of the bombardment and the end of the constant insult to our intelligence. Internet providers have gone all out to provide us with spam busting technology isn’t it about time someone has finally gotten after the rest of the media. Magazines at least leave us with the option to read or not to read. Billboards and outdoor ads are another matter that won’t be so easily solved. One example of what happens when outdoor advertisements are scaled down could be seen by taking your next vacation in Vermont. Roadside billboards and indiscriminate signs and posts are unlawful there. May seem a bit harsh but hardly anyone who has ever visited Vermont wouldn’t agree that it is one of the most beautiful states in the country. We really haven’t abused the word commercials but with or without a succinct definition we have greatly abused what the word has come to mean, Interruption.

Rev Bresciani is from New Orleans La and the author of…Hook line and Sinker or What Has Your Church Been Teaching You, PublishAmerica 2005 and…An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ, Xulon Press 2005. His website is,
http://americanprophet.org