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have you suffered from the what ifs......

Posted by jacqueline cahee casey on October 11, 2008 at 8:10am

have you ever suffered from the ifshow many time have you saidwhat if i had thiswhat if i was therewhat if i was successfulcheck out this article lets make some of the ifs into positive realities u can ......Most of us, if not all of us have at one point or another in our life.Did you know that 51% of new business' started today are home-based business'? But another statistic says that 99% of home based business' fail. I personally think that's sad.I would like to shed some light on one of the reasons why I think so many small business owners fail, and why so many people fail at life in general.Have you ever voiced or thought about any of these?If I had more money...If I had enough pull....If only my boss liked me...If I were younger...If I could only do what I want....If other people didn't have it in for me...if I had the talent that some people have...If I could meet the right people...If I could save some money....If I could just get a break...If luck was not against me...If I didn't have so many worries...If people didn't get on my nerves...If I was smarter...When you say things like this to yourself, or worse use these alibi's with someone else, you are shooting yourself in the foot. These if's can break your spirit, make you lose focus, take away your drive. They can be fatal to your success in life or in business.So the next time one of those If's come to mind, don't say it.. And I ask you to take it one step further. Turn it around in your mind. My boss does like me, Luck is not against me, People don't get on my nerves. Look for a way to make it positive. This may be hard at first, but just stick with it.I can promise you this. If you start turning those if's into positive thoughts and statements, you will be surprised what a difference it can make in every area of your life.And It doesn't matter what your profession is. Whether you work a job, are in network marketing, or in MLM, or are a janitor or a doctor or lawyer. Cut those If's out of your life, and you will start seeing just how great your life can be.And remember:Success requires no apologies, Failure requires no alibis!written by Faye Correll is a professional marketer living outside of Charlotte, NC

; 5 Tips for the Perfect Princess Party Menu By: Annette YenYou're ready... your princess has invited the belles of the ball to the finest Princess Birthday Party of the year. You've purchased decora

Posted by Donna on October 11, 2008 at 2:00am

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5 Tips for the Perfect Princess Party Menu

By: Annette Yen

You're ready... your princess has invited the belles of the ball to the finest Princess Birthday Party of the year. You've purchased decorations, planned a few games and have some lovely take home gifts for your guests. Now it's time to plan the finest menu for your royal princess and her court. Let's make it so fabulous that the girls will remember this day when they're planning their future daughter's parties and one that will make your princess throw her hands around your neck and say, "Oh mom! You're the best ever!"

What follows are 5 tips for you in creating the menu of the decade for your princess birthday party.

Keep it simple. The last thing you need on a busy day is for you to be running around like crazy trying to make cherries flambé or tiramisu with crème fraise. However, with a little creative planning, you can make something spectacular and still be able to take photos of the lovely girls eating your birthday dainties. There are SO many recipes available at your fingertips that are not only delicious but easy to make with items you probably have in the house or can pick up in your local grocery store at minimal cost (another key!). Just punch a name of a recipe into your google search box and hundreds of recipes will pop up. Just keep it simple!
Presentation is everything. Think about it, mom. A peanut butter sandwich is nice, but, make that sandwich and cut it with petite cookie cutters into various princessly shapes and you have something spectacular. Even just cutting the sandwiches with a glass into a circle and then cutting the circles in half would work. Display them nicely on a glass plate with some red grapes or flowers and it's no longer just a boring sandwich but a delicacy that's a delight to look at AND eat.
Throw the "no sugar" rule out the window. Ok, I'll get hate mail for this one but c'mon mom! Your princess only has the bash of the century once a year, so break the rules a little and provide something sweet to eat. Balance it out with a lower sugar drink and other dainties that aren't sugar laden.
Make the drink pink! Pink lemonade, pink Kool-Aid, pink soda... anything pink in a clear plastic cup and you'll be the coolest mom on the block. Float a half of a strawberry in the cup and you may as well get a revolving door to your house. You'll be the hit of the neighborhood!
Work with a timeline and schedule for the day of the party. A checklist of what you'll be serving and when you need to pull it out of the freezer or fridge, what goes where, etc., and how long each thing takes will insure that you won't forget any of the details and insure that you won't go to open the fridge for a late night snack after your princess is in dream land and see the strawberries that you meant to put in the royal goblets!

The perfect, stress free Princess party menu is within reach, Mom. Just keep it simple, fancy, tasty and pink! Write out a checklist and you're all set for the finest party menu for your princess and her royal maidens!

Author Resource -> Are you ready to throw a Perfect Princess Party for your daughter? Annette Yen invites you to her website http://www.PartybyMom.com to find everything you need for the perfect princess party!

Article From FreeAffiliateArticles.com

Cosmetic Trend Show at Nordstroms in Chicago

Posted by Kelly Laws on October 11, 2008 at 12:23am

Hey Everyone,How are you? I hope that all is well. Just wanted to share with you the slideshow of the pictures that I took at the Cosmetic Trend Show in Chicago on Sept. 27. Be blessed as you see the latest styles as well as the new look in cosmetics. Also check out my beauty article about the latest cosmetic colors for this fall as well as what cleanser to use for your skin type. Check these articles as well as many other inspiring articles in Divine Inspirations Magazine. Be blessed as I know you are.www.divineinspirationsmagazine.presspublisher.us

Suit Party in Detroit

Posted by SuitsAbounding.com on October 10, 2008 at 8:27pm

Reminder: View your invitation @ www.suitsabounding.com/images/flyer.pdf

norms randomness

Posted by Dehejia Maat on October 10, 2008 at 6:40pm

that little spacetween my eyebrows crinkledhead cocked to sidedeep breathI have no ideawhat the hell some peopleare talkin aboutat open mic'sworkshop maneditrun it by somebody firstpleasedo us all a favormy ears are mad at methe torturethe audacitythe lengththe arms flying in the airthe screamingyou could have said all of thatin one sentencewho's honing their craftwho's not worried about the performancewho's up late at night writingcause the paper is calling themwho will stopand read somebody else's wordsdig on that shitI smilebut I'm madand I don't think I'll return for a while

10 Blog Traffic Tips

Posted by Barbara Howard on October 10, 2008 at 5:58pm

In every bloggers life comes a special day - the day they first launch a new blog. Now unless you went out and purchased someone else''s blog chances are your blog launched with only one very loyal reader - you. Maybe a few days later you received a few hits when you told your sister, father, girlfriend and best friend about your new blog but that''s about as far you went when it comes to finding readers.

Here are the top 10 techniques new bloggers can use to find readers. These are tips specifically for new bloggers, those people who have next-to-no audience at the moment and want to get the ball rolling.

It helps if you work on this list from top to bottom as each technique builds on the previous step to help you create momentum. Eventually once you establish enough momentum you gain what is called "traction", which is a large enough audience base (about 500 readers a day is good) that you no longer have to work too hard on finding new readers. Instead your current loyal readers do the work for you through word of mouth.

Top 10 Tips

10. Write at least five major "pillar" articles. A pillar article is a tutorial style article aimed to teach your audience something. Generally they are longer than 500 words and have lots of very practical tips or advice. This article you are currently reading could be considered a pillar article since it is very practical and a good "how-to" lesson. This style of article has long term appeal, stays current (it isn’t news or time dependent) and offers real value and insight. The more pillars you have on your blog the better.

9. Write one new blog post per day minimum. Not every post has to be a pillar, but you should work on getting those five pillars done at the same time as you keep your blog fresh with a daily news or short article style post. The important thing here is to demonstrate to first time visitors that your blog is updated all the time so they feel that if they come back tomorrow they will likely find something new. This causes them to bookmark your site or subscribe to your blog feed.

You don''t have to produce one post per day all the time but it is important you do when your blog is brand new. Once you get traction you still need to keep the fresh content coming but your loyal audience will be more forgiving if you slow down to a few per week instead. The first few months are critical so the more content you can produce at this time the better.

8. Use a proper domain name. If you are serious about blogging be serious about what you call your blog. In order for people to easily spread the word about your blog you need a easily rememberable domain name. People often talk about blogs they like when they are speaking to friends in the real world (that''s the offline world, you remember that place right?) so you need to make it easy for them to spread the word and pass on your URL. Try and get a .com if you can and focus on small easy to remember domains rather than worry about having the correct keywords (of course if you can get great keywords and easy to remember then you’ve done a good job!).

7. Start commenting on other blogs. Once you have your pillar articles and your daily fresh smaller articles your blog is ready to be exposed to the world. One of the best ways to find the right type of reader for your blog is to comment on other people’s blogs. You should aim to comment on blogs focused on a similar niche topic to yours since the readers there will be more likely to be interested in your blog.

Most blog commenting systems allow you to have your name/title linked to your blog when you leave a comment. This is how people find your blog. If you are a prolific commentor and always have something valuable to say then people will be interested to read more of your work and hence click through to visit your blog.

6. Trackback and link to other blogs in your blog posts. A trackback is sort of like a blog conversation. When you write a new article to your blog and it links or references another blogger''s article you can do a trackback to their entry. What this does is leave a truncated summary of your blog post on their blog entry - it''s sort of like your blog telling someone else’s blog that you wrote an article mentioning them. Trackbacks often appear like comments.

This is a good technique because like leaving comments a trackback leaves a link from another blog back to yours for readers to follow, but it also does something very important - it gets the attention of another blogger. The other blogger will likely come and read your post eager to see what you wrote about them. They may then become a loyal reader of yours or at least monitor you and if you are lucky some time down the road they may do a post linking to your blog bringing in more new readers.

5. Encourage comments on your own blog. One of the most powerful ways to convince someone to become a loyal reader is to show there are other loyal readers already following your work. If they see people commenting on your blog then they infer that your content must be good since you have readers so they should stick around and see what all the fuss is about. To encourage comments you can simply pose a question in a blog post. Be sure to always respond to comments as well so you can keep the conversation going.

4. Submit your latest pillar article to a blog carnival. A blog carnival is a post in a blog that summarizes a collection of articles from many different blogs on a specific topic. The idea is to collect some of the best content on a topic in a given week. Often many other blogs link back to a carnival host and as such the people that have articles featured in the carnival often enjoy a spike in new readers.

To find the right blog carnival for your blog, do a search at blogcarnival.com.

3. Submit your blog to blogtopsites.com. To be honest this tip is not going to bring in a flood of new readers but it''s so easy to do and only takes five minutes so it''s worth the effort. Go to Blog Top Sites, find the appropriate category for your blog and submit it. You have to copy and paste a couple of lines of code on to your blog so you can rank and then sit back and watch the traffic come in. You will probably only get 1-10 incoming readers per day with this technique but over time it can build up as you climb the rankings. It all helps!

2. Submit your articles to EzineArticles.com. This is another tip that doesn’t bring in hundreds of new visitors immediately (although it can if you keep doing it) but it''s worthwhile because you simply leverage what you already have - your pillar articles. Once a week or so take one of your pillar articles and submit it to Ezine Articles. Your article then becomes available to other people who can republish your article on their website or in their newsletter.

How you benefit is through what is called your "Resource Box". You create your own resource box which is like a signature file where you include one to two sentences and link back to your website (or blog in this case). Anyone who publishes your article has to include your resource box so you get incoming links. If someone with a large newsletter publishes your article you can get a lot of new readers at once.

1. Write more pillar articles. Everything you do above will help you to find blog readers however all of the techniques I’ve listed only work when you have strong pillars in place. Without them if you do everything above you may bring in readers but they won’t stay or bother to come back. Aim for one solid pillar article per week and by the end of the year you will have a database of over 50 fantastic feature articles that will work hard for you to bring in more and more readers.

I hope you enjoyed my list of traffic tips. Everything listed above are techniques I’ve put into place myself for my blogs and have worked for me, however it''s certainly not a comprehensive list. There are many more things you can do. Finding readers is all about testing to see what works best for you and your audience and I have no doubt if you put your mind to it you will find a balance that works for you.

This article was by Yaro Starak, a professional blogger and my blog mentor. He is the leader of the Blog Mastermind mentoring program designed to teach bloggers how to earn a full time income blogging part time.

To get more information about Blog Mastermind click this link:

www.BlogMastermind.com

Learn how I pay my rent with Google Adsense so you can too...

Posted by LaShanda Henry on October 10, 2008 at 4:27pm

The first official PodClass in the Work and Web Women series is ‘How I Pay My Rent Using Google Adsense’. In this edition of the Work and Web Women Series (www.workandwebwomen.com) I am sharing my Adsense Secrets with you. This site is for both men and women entrepreneurs wanting to learn how to better work the web. Like many web entrepreneurs, I’ve used Adsense for several years, but for a long time I wasn’t seeing much of a return. After making less than $20 in about 2 years, I decided to get serious about the program so that I could make sense of what Google Adsense is all about. And not, after doing the research and putting plans into practice I make $20 on Adsense in a matter of hours. If you think about it, if you make $30 on google adsense every day for a month, you can generate an extra $900 a month just from hosting free ads on your site! It’s a great thought, which has not turned into my reality. I pay my rent with my Google Adense account, and so can you. Listen to this PodClass today, so that you can learn how to better work the web tomorrow! Click here to listen or visit workandwebwomen.com. New PodClasses Include: Simple SEO | Blogging Tips | Startup Tips from a Work at Home Mom Work and Web Women Created to help you learn how to better work the web www.workandwebwomen.com

Black Women Often Miss Out On Mammogram Results

Posted by Black doctor. org on October 10, 2008 at 4:15pm

(BlackDoctor.org) -- Mammography can detect breast cancer in its early, most treatable stages, but black American women may not be reaping the full benefit of this screening test.The reason, according to a new study: Too many black women aren't understanding, or even receiving, the results of their mammograms."Communication of the results seems to break down more for black women than for white women," said lead researcher Beth A. Jones, an associate professor of epidemiology and public health at the Yale University School of Medicine."Black women were about twice as likely to get inadequate communication [on their mammogram results]," Jones said. Inadequate communication was defined as women reporting that they didn't hear back on their results, or that they did not fully understand them.The study is expected to be published in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health.Read the full article at: www.blackdoctor.org.Check out other articles about Breast Cancer

Survival of the Fittest

Posted by Donna Maria Coles Johnson on October 10, 2008 at 4:00pm

Darwin Was Right, In Nature and in Business

In his book, The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, Charles Darwin penned these words.

[A]s more individuals are produced than can possibly survive, there must in every case be a struggle for existence, either one individual with another of the same species, or with the individuals of distinct species, or with the physical conditions of life. ... Although some species may be now increasing, more or less rapidly, in numbers, all cannot do so, for the world would not hold them.

These words sum up brilliantly the constant interaction between and among businesses in a rapidly evolving global economy. And Indie Business owner Christopher Hazlett's current situation perfectly illustrates the importance of being adaptable in a changing market environment.

Hazlet founded Integrate Consulting in 2006, and by the end of 2007, it was generating income in the low six figures. But in January of this year, income plummeted to next to nothing. When you read Hazlett's story in Wednesday's New York Times, you'll see a perfect illustration of what Darwin wrote about. When Integrate Consulting's clients terminated their contracts, rather than fretting or selling his services at fire sale prices, Hazlett simply changed direction. He launched Event Clipboard, an event planning company, using the same skills and talents that made Integrate Consulting successful. Hazlett is excited about the positive feedback he's receiving from his first 50 beta testers.

Adapt, or Else ...

Darwin's conclusions could have easily referred to business owners like Hazlett. And like you. And like me. Don't sit around whining and complaining about your hard luck or the downturn in the world economy. Do what Hazlett is doing. Focus on your own economy. Tap into your talents, gifts and work history to adapt to the world as it changes.

Once you find your place, you have to always be ready to change it in order to adapt it to circumstances over which you have no control. Seize your own place. Wrestle it to the ground. As Darwin wrote, the world will not hold you if you don't.

What do you think?

Are you inspired by Hazlett's story? By how he refused to let the grass grow under his feet and instead, took the bulls by the horns and made something happen? How are you holding your place in this rapidly changing economic environment? Inspire us with some of your story! I know it will encourage a lot of other Indies today.

For more success tips, subscribe to Indie Business Blog today.

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Friday, 10/10 Daily Devotional

Posted by Corinne's Fashion World on October 10, 2008 at 12:51pm

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you … Then you will be successful in everything you do" (Joshua 1:7, NLT).Want to know the secret to godly success? It’s strength, courage, and obedience. These attributes are the gateway to prosperity and victory!Have a bless weekend!Corinne

GOD LOVE IS IN CHARGE

Posted by Evangelist Francello McCoy on October 9, 2008 at 7:41pm

If the Lord delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand. Psalm 37: 23-24I am thankful that even when I don't understand the Lord or his ways(just like I don't understand the Internet), I can still depend on him by faith. When computers calendars, and clocks seem to get the best of me and my time, I rely on the One who never changes. I figure God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things (right now I'm so far behind, I'll never die), but God is my hiding place from tyranny of the urgent. Because of his grace, I can luxuriate in the knowledge that all is well-even when the bits and bytes of my life like scrambled gobbled gook. Like the Internet superhighway, we have access to grace at any time of day or night. This grace connects us with God himself and with people worldwide who have signed on to follow him. By faith we hyperlink to the wisdom follow him. By faith we hyperlink to the wisdom we need to love by his kingdom principles. What is it you need today? Remember that you have immediate access to God's Riches At Christ's Expense(GRACE). It's all right there, waiting for you to dial in. Jesus said, "God's kingdom is within you." Click on that! In Jesus name, Amen.

HEARING MY CRY

Posted by Clevette Harris on October 9, 2008 at 7:13pm

"NEWS YOU CAN USE"SOUL FOODJesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."Mark 5:19All believers, come here and listen, let me tell you what God did for me. I called out to him with my mouth, my tongue shaped the sounds of music. If I had been cozy with evil, the Lord would never have listened. But he most surely did listen, he came on the double when he heard my prayer. Blessed be God: he didn't turn a deaf ear, he stayed with me, loyal in his love.Psalm 66:16-20 (The Message)HEARING MY CRYOn a day to day I read Psalm 55, while lingering over verses 16-17, "But I call to God, and the Lord saves me. Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice." This keeps me in peace. Given all the situations that I've been in, I count on the Lord to deliver me and certain that HE'll be there for me right on time. The bad weather that I've encountered with my many "storms" HE has always seen me through. Just as I tell many because my storm has been seizures it doesn't imply that you don't have a "STORM" in your life. As your "storm" can be children, relationships, financial, employment or another health issue.I realize that more than ever as I've been thanking the Lord throughout the night for keeping HIS hands upon me. I know that HE heard my call. HE has me feeling so special right now, as I stated in "After The Storm" I will walk streets of pure gold. In my mind it is more than true right now. I fell down some steps on yesterday. Screaming out in distress and in immediate need of assistance, you'll never believe what happened to me. ??? My gold ring caught a hold of the door henge plate. It jerked my arm and finger something terrible but it could've been a lot worse. Then everyone came to my rescue. The physicians said no broken bones, just that I would be really sore and tender for a while. Therefore you haven't gotten rid of me yet.Much Love, Grace, & MercyClevetteCOUNT YOUR STORM AS A BLESSINGYOU WOULDN'T KNOW THE UP'SIF YOU HADN'T BEEN DOWN.....AMENI'm too BLESSED to be STRESSED.It is my desire to give comfort, peace, and joy while riding "Through The Storm".www.QCleSurvivesTheStorm.com

HEALTH BENEFITS OF LOSING WEIGHT

Posted by Healthy and Fit 4 Life on October 9, 2008 at 5:14pm

by Kimberly Dawn WellsMost people would agree that maintaining a healthy weight is beneficial to their health, but would you guess that just losing 5-10 pounds could cut your risk of many diseases by 25%, 35%, or even 50% or more? Extra body fat affects your body chemistry, posture, and even how other organs communicate with each other. The following conditions can be improved or even reversed through healthy weight loss.Heart diseaseA multitude of related illnesses are commonly seen in overweight individuals. Poor diet leads to high cholesterol levels, which leads to arteriosclerosis, which leads to high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. All five diseases can be greatly improved with just a 10-15 percent weight loss.Sleep apneaA disturbance caused by an upper airway blockage, sleep apnea is common in overweight individuals due to enlarged airway anatomy that can become closed during sleep. Losing weight can result in more restful sleep and more stable oxygen levels.DiabetesOverweight individuals are twice as likely to develop type 1 or 2 diabetes than people who maintain a healthy weight. Diabetes itself, besides being a bother to your diet and lifestyle, comes with many of its own serious health consequences that at their worst include blindness and loss of extremities due to amputation.Arthritis and goutA heavier frame means more weight to carry around, which can be a strain for aging muscles and joints. Weight loss that allows you to be more mobile can result in better blood flow, better flexibility, and a higher level of physical independence as you age.CancersWhile many cancers are not directly linked to being overweight, the chances of being diagnosed with cancer are higher for overweight individuals. This is due to both the extra weight and the lack of nutrients that may accompany a poor diet.Emotional benefitsWhen you look good, you feel good. Losing weight can be a powerful tool in restoring the self esteem that many people lose when they begin to gain weight. Besides feeling better about how you look, losing weight through exercise releases feel-good hormones into your blood stream, which further boosts your mood and confidence.Increased energyThe less weight you have to drag around, the more energy you will have. Just getting started with an exercise routine is often enough to kick-start your energy into an upward spiral of exercise, more energy, more exercise, further weight loss, more energy, etc.Weight loss in overweight individuals translates to a lot more than just a decrease in high blood pressure and risk of disease. Losing just a few extra pounds can create total-body benefits that are seen both immediately and in the future. If you are overweight and considering your need to lose weight, this list of moderate to serious health problems gives you several good reasons to take action and start making changes today.If you are ready to start living a healthier lifestyle, visit my page and send me a message or comment.

OBESITY

Posted by Healthy and Fit 4 Life on October 9, 2008 at 5:13pm

ObesityWhat is obesity?Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger. Having too much body fat can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke.Because of these risks, it is important to lose weight even if you do not feel bad now. It is hard to change eating habits and exercise habits. But you can do it if you make a plan.How do you know if you are obese?You can use a measurement called a body mass index, or BMI, to decide whether your weight is dangerous to your health. The BMI is a combination of your height and weight. If you have a BMI of 30 or higher, your extra weight is putting your health in danger. If you are Asian, your health may be at risk with a BMI of 27.5 or higher.1Use the Interactive Tool: Weight and Health Risks to check your body mass index.Where you carry your body fat may be as important as how many extra pounds you have. People who carry too much fat around the middle, rather than around the hips, are more likely to have health problems. In women, a waist size of 35 in. or more raises the chance for disease. In men, a waist size of 40 in. or more raises the chance for disease.2 In Asian people, health problems are seen with a smaller waist size. In Asian women, a waist size of 32 in. or more raises the chance for disease. In Asian men, a waist size of 36 in. or more raises the chance for disease.1What causes obesity?When you take in more calories than you burn off, you gain weight. How you eat, how active you are, and other things affect how your body uses calories and whether you gain weight.If your family members are obese, you may have inherited a tendency to gain weight. And your family also helps form your eating and lifestyle habits, which can lead to obesity.Also, our busy lives make it harder to plan and cook healthy meals. For many of us, it's easier to reach for prepared foods, go out to eat, or go to the drive-through. But these foods are often high in fat and calories. Portions are often too large. Work schedules, long commutes, and other commitments also cut into the time we have for physical activity.If you are ready to take action and change your lifestyle to a more healthier one with all natural products, visit my profile and leave a comment or send me a message.

Inspiration For Your Soul - What "NO" Really Means

Posted by Victoryia D on October 9, 2008 at 2:30pm

When you want something in life and everything youtried failed, or someone tells you "no you can't do it".Tell yourself "NO" means "NOT OVER".Its not over because you see what you want in yourmind. Therefore, it already exist because you see it.Hold on to your visions and tell yourself, "No meansNot Over", then try a different approach.Its not over until God say its over.To read more blog posts like thisvisit http://mmlcommunity.memyselfandlife.com/profiles/blog/listVictoria DFounder of Me Myself and Lifewww.memyselfandlife.com

MY BOOK! 3 ENTRYS , PLEEEEASE READ!

Posted by yve hand on October 9, 2008 at 2:00pm

Hey everyone, I've posted 3 entrys from my book . Please check it out and give me your thoughts. I'm excited about my book finally coming together and I'm doubly excited about touring to get the book out there. I really, really, want to thank all of you for your continued support and to let you all know how greatly appreciative I am. You all have been incredible. I'm so glad some of us still know that it really does take a village, no matter what tribe you are from. Go to the blogs on my page and read the chapters I've submitted. Writing started out as a form of therapy for me and has turned into something wonderful. It is an honor to share it with you.I LIVE SO I CAN LAUGHWhat the hell is that poking me? I thought it was a stick, I really did. "A", whats that? I ask.. "nuttin". I continue watching tv. "Move back on the bed" "why"? I ask... Just move the fuck back! He yelled. Now my heart starts to pound! Did he just curse at me? I start to turn around and my hair is pulled .What the...Before I know it I'm flipped on my back and my cousin is on top of me spreading my legs. OH>>>>MY>>>GOD! I mustered up enough strength to damn near kick his ass off of me! I almost made it off the bed but he grabbed me again by my hair, this time tighter. That shit hurt, my hair was nappy as hell back then and hardly combed. I've never in my life actually heard my heart beat thru my chest until then. I actually heard my heart, not felt it , heard it. Adrenalin must have been surging like a mutha f'ker. All the while I kept wondering to myself what in the hell his black ass was tryin to do. I knew nothing about sex but I knew a naked person meant something bad. He grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back, I thought my arm would come out of its socket. Now I was pinned, all I could do is say stop and what are you doing? He kept insisting that I knew what was going on. But I didn't. I felt him pulling off my underwear and I rememberd being embarrassed beyond belief. The fear was there but I was soooo embarrassed. He got on top of me and started to try to insert himself. I couldn't breathe, I just couldn't breathe. The stabbing pain was unbearable,I cried and cried and begged for him to stop but he wouldn't. It seemed as though all my strength was seeping out of my body and things began to go in slow motion. Finally just when I thought it was over he flipped me over and entered from behind. THAT pain cannot be measured by anything made by human hands. Am I going to die? Yes I am....God make it quick, I wanna go to heaven. Stop! Stop! He gets up, leaves the room and I hear water running. I try to move but can't. My right foot feels funny, my stomach, backand head hurt like hell. Did he leave? I don't hear anything. I can't breathe thru my nose, it's all stuffed up. Somebody help me, where's my sister? Oh she's at Grandma's house. Is someone there? OH no it's him again. "Get up and use the bathroom"! "I can't". Just leave me alone.....please. "Get up and go to the bathroom"! I'm crying and crying. A slap hard on my face....he's squeezing my face trying to put himself in my mouth. I clench my teeth real hard, he squeezes harder and I feel a POP! Throbbing pain now racks my jaw...it's dislocated. I don't know that yet but thats what happened. After all that don't you know that bastard still put himself in my mouth? Yes that f'ker did. I threw up until there was nothin else to throw up but stomach acid. My throat was raw. With a couple of threats and warnings he was out the door. I layed there for hours I believe. I peed on myself and the burning sensation from the urine damn near made me hit the ceiling. When is my Mother coming back? Do I hear singing? Maybe the angels are coming to get me. I wonder what they look like. I'm naked I need to cover myself before they get here. My Mother is going to be real mad because I'm in her room in her bed. Maybe I should try to get to my room. Ow! I can't move. Whats wrong with my foot, or is it my toe? Why is my ear ringing? I hear someone, OH God its him again! Yvonne! Yvonne! Why are all the lights off? I hear my mother asking someone. She enters her room and turn on the lights. They hurt my eyes. How long had I been laying there? "What ...the....fuck"! She rushes over to the bed, looks at me in disbelief.....covers me. I hear someone else in the hallway, I began to cry. My mother does love me, she's going to kill that black bastard (he looks worse than flavor flav) ! She goes into my room and gets some clothes. She comes back with a friend of hers. Her friend starts to cry and scream "who did that to her"? "who did that to her"?! I try to talk but my fucking face is killing me. My mother asked me if "A" did this to me and I shake my head yes. She tells me that we gotta go get my lil sister. What? I know she's about to call the ambulance and the cops. She leaves the room and returns with a towel and some washcloths. The washcloths are wet, she begans wiping me from head to toe. I am in so much pain. Theres dried blood everywhere. Whats that smell? She asks me if I shitted on myself, I say no, she says yes you did with a look of disgust on her face. She sits me up while I 'm screaming in pain. Shut the f up! Let's go and you better not tell Ma (my Grandmother) that "A" babysat you. Huh? How come she doesn't want anyone to know what the f'ker did? We're headed for the door, I can barely walk. Her friend is helping me, I think her name is Joyce. She looks at me with sad eyes. I think she wants to help me but she's afraid of my Mother. I'll tell my Grandmother when we get to her house, she'll help me. I know she will.next chapterOk, I don't know how I made it downstairs to the car but I did. I was in sooo much fucking pain! My Mothers friend Joyce helped me to the car. She would glance at me with this sad look on her face but was always cautious of my Mother catching her. We were going to my Grandmothers house to pick up my lil sister. I knew that the first chance I got I was going to tell EVERYTHING! My Mother warned me several times in the car not to tell anyone that my cousin "A" babysat me. She just didn't want to get her ass whipped by my Grandmother thats all. Damn my face was hurting like hell. I tried to move my jaw to say something but that shit huuuuurt! It was only one side but it hurt. I felt my stomach begin to turn when thinking about what my cousin did to me. I couldn't believe him. What had I done wrong? How did things go so damn wrong? Why the hell wasn't my Mother looking for that black ugly bastard? She was always fighting other mother f'kers for no reason, here's a big enough reason, start kicking some ass! We drove down Broadway and passed my Grandmothers building. Uh, where the hell are we going? I thought to myself. We pulled up in front of a building on the other side of Broadway and my Mothers friend got out. She snuck and kissed me on the forhead before she got out of the car. Why couldn't she have been my Mother? She spoke to my Mother before walking away and I overheard her telling my Mother that she "wasn't going to say anything to anyone about what she saw tonite". UH, uh, uh. She got some f'king nerve. Always trying to cover her ass! We pulled away from the curb, damn I wish I had enough strength to jump out of that car and roll like a hollywood stunt woman! We pulled up in the back of my Grandmothers building and she (grandma)came downstairs with my lil sister. She looked mad. I shifted myself in the backseat so I could see her and she could see me. And see me she did. When she went to open the back door to put my sister in , she froze. "What the hell is wrong with that gal"? "Nuttin Ma, she's sleepy", says my mother. "Whats wrong with her face"? asked my Grandmother. I immediately spoke up and said "A " did it"! I began crying again, real hard. ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE! My Grandmother looked at my Mother in total shock and said "I just know you didin't let that bastard baby sit this chile"! "What in the hell is wrong with you"? and then she leeped on my mother and started tearing her ass up! I was both happy and sad at the same time. Then I got scared. What if my Grandmother doesn't take me and leaves me with my Mother? Oh shit. But that didn't happen. She took me upstairs and checked me down there. Embarrassment again. Now my Grandmother is looking at my twat. You know what ? At this point I don't even care. My Grandmother called some of my Aunts up and they all agreed that I was to be taken to the hospital. Ya think? We get to the hospital and my other aunt is waiting for us. She's a nurse there. I'm taken to a room, put on a bed and a Doctor enters the room. I closed my eyes while he talked to my grandmother and my Aunt. My Aunt looks mad as hell. She' s just shaking her head back and forth. She brings me a tablet and pen and ask me to write down what happened. I start to write and I'm stuck on the word trying. For some reason I can't remember how to spell that word and I'm getting so frustrated about it that I begin to cry. My Aunt thinks I'm crying because of what happened. I probably was crying because of it but spelling that word set it off. I guess because things were already messed up so something as simple as trying to spell a word I knew seemed so easy but wasn't. yall understand what I mean? Anyway, that doctor examined me and again I had someone looking at my twat! I heard the word stitches and could have diiiied! First he popped my jaw back in place using his thumbs . That was painful. He so-called numbed my jaw, but it wasn't enough. Seeing that needle coming towards my face made me wanna get up and do an arabian outta that room! I wonder if pedophiles think about the destruction they leave behind when they do that f'ed up shit to kids. I'm sure they don't. Along with a dislocated jaw, I had a broke tailbone and jammed toe. Thats why my foot was feeling so funny. I probably jammed it while trying to kick that burnt rib (cousin "A") the f'k off of me. The Doctor snapped my toe back into place after tricking the shit outta me and telling me to look at something on a wall and then when my head was turned his sneaky ass literally snapped my shit back into place. OOOh I felt like kicking the shit outta him but I was thankful after the pain subsided. I was mad at him all over again when he had to numb my tootoo and sew me up. I'm not going to even discuss what he did to check and see if my tailbone was broken. Man my cousin really f'ed me up. He really did. How can a person do that knowing that they're causing so much pain? He didn't even care. What's worse though is that my Mother seemed as though she cared more about protecting herself than protecting me. I will never be able to get over that part of it. Also, hang on to your seats.....When my Mother showed up at the hospital, acting like she cared, she waited til she was alone with me to smack me in the face. She knew my jaw was dislocated and still smacked me. Yes she did. She was mad that I told on her ass. Every chance she got she looked at me with one of those Charles Manson murder 1 looks. My Father showed up at the hospital with the biggest serving of butter pecan ice cream. Oh are yall wonering why he had ice cream? Well apparently he was told that I had tonsilitis. Mmm, hmm. The lies continue. Oh and I also simultaneously had appendicitis as well. That was just in case my Father asked why I couldn't walk. Ain't that some shit? He would have killed my Mother had he found out the truth. I stayed in that hospital for 2 long ass weeks. When I left I was kinda sad. There were babies in that ward that had been born addicted to drugs and when I was able to walk around I sorta became their Mother. I watched over them because I was the oldest child in there. When ever I heard them cry at night I'd get up and check on them. Especially a baby named "KING". He was a lil baby boy about 8 mos old that layed in a crib next to my bed. He was so f'ing cute. I wanted to have a lil black baby boy just like him when I got older. The Doctor said that I'd never be able to have children, so I felt that I would be a Mother to everyone elses children. I made a promise to myself that I would protect any and all children no matter what. After 4 miscarriages I did have my 3 babies. 2 boys and 1 girl. All the pregnancies were high risk but they all made it here safely. My kids are my angels and blessings. Ask anyone that knows me, I got a "S" on my chest. Thats right. I am the BOMB when it comes to my kids. "F" that. My kids will never ever feel 1% of what I felt as a child at the hands of my own other. There is no mutha f'king way. Anyway, I'm about to go eat some butter pecan ice cream. Thanks Daddy. R.I.Pto be continued..........Another chapter- (keep in mind I wasn't supposed to be able to have kids).This one is about the birth of my 1st born. I'll never ever forget this day, even if I'm hit with alzheimers. Every last one of my children are miracles! I've been so blessed to have been chosen to be their Mommy!July 5th 1987. It was hot and sticky and I was sooo restless it was crazy. My swollen belly seemed as if it was ready to pop. Anything that touched my stomach hurt like hell. I got up early and began cleaning everything in site. My Grandmother came into my room and told me "you're just about ready to have that baby". I asked her how she knew and she said "because you're cleaning everything". There's something maternal in every mom-to-be that causes them to clean their surroundings in preparation for birth. Animals also start cleaning their nests and dens preparing for the birth of their offspring. When I thought about it, it did make sense. Although everything around me was clean , I was still trying to make sure my baby came home to nothing but cleanliness. I would have blown away a dust bunny with a shotgun if I saw one under his crib. Everything in my room was sacred to me. I often had friends who would visit and immediately pick up his litttle teddy bears and other baby things. If they knew the rage I felt when they did that they would have dropped everything and ran the hell out of my room. I was always thoughtful of other people's belongings and made sure I didn't invade their space. I was never one to overstay my welcome either. Howcome they couldn't do the same? As the evening arrived, I noticed that I started having contractions. I didn't think much of them because I had started actually feeling them in my 6th month. They were false contractions. I guess my body was practicing for the real thing. I was early as well. I had at least an entire month more to go. Late that night I tossed and turned. I talked to my son. I sang the ABC's, sang the 123's and other nursery rhymes. I talked to my baby boy and told him that we were going to be ok. I promised him that I wouldn't allow anyone to hurt him. If I could have rolled out an ancient scroll and signed it with my blood I would have done so. I knew I was going to give birth to someone that would change the world. Society was already against my baby. He had 3 strikes already before he was even born. He was male, he was black and he was going to be smart as hell if I had anything to do with it. I knew how I would raise him and I knew all the values I would instill in him. I would teach him about the world and all the bullshitters in it and despite what society would say about him , I was going to make sure he wouldn't end up a statistic. The Heavens began to move. It was time. I got up early in the morning, around 5am. My contractions were coming harder and faster. My back was killing me. I had already heard about all the horrors of childbirth so I was trying to prepare myself. I took a cab by myself to the Hospital, they checked me and saw that I was in active labor. I was afraid because I thought it was too early. Please God protect my little man. My cousin showed up. I was glad because I didn't want to go through childbirth alone. I think that is the saddest thing for a mother-to-be to go thru. Giving birth with no one there to help you. I had labor pains in my back. That is the worst kind of labor pain you can have. It felt like someone stuck a knife in my lower back on the left side and continuosly twisted it. That's the only way I could decribe it. I went through 12 hours of labor and decided near the end to get an epidural. When the anesthesiologist showed up with that big ass needle I immediately changed my mind. That needle looked like something out of a horror movie. There was no way I was going to be stuck with that shit. I just started breathing and trying to get through the labor. My Doctor came back in and after a quick exam, said I was 10 cm's. I was happy as hell. Then I was scared shitless. Wait a minute, I gotta push a baby out! Holy shit! I gotta push a baby out! Why hadn't I thought about how he was going to get out? Oh no! I don't think I could do this! It was time to push. How do I push? Push what? After a quick how-to session, I began to push. My heart felt as if it was going to burst out of my chest! I pushed and pushed and pushed and pushed! Finally his head began to crown! That's what the Doctor was saying. My cousin was saying that she could see his hair. I didn't give a shit at that moment, I wanted him out of me! I pushed real hard again and he was half way out. OH MY GOD! Is that MY son? My eyes began to well up with tears. I couldn't believe it! I started crying as the rest of him was birthed. He was so red, like an indian. He had a head full of hair and had my juicy lips. My heart swelled with an unbelieveable amount of love that couldn't be measured in a billion years. Amazingly, there was a knot in his umbilical cord. He was bouncing around in there like crazy. I watched the nurses and Doctors like a hawk. They weighed and measured him and cleaned him up. The nurse asked me if I wanted "rooming in" or if I wanted him to stay in the nursery. I looked at her like she was crazy as hell and answered "rooming in". There was no way I was letting him out of my sight! As I was cleaned up and prepared to go to my designated room the Nurses told me that they were going to take him to the nursery to put him under a light and to perform all the necessary tests for a newborn. I think they saw the look on my face so they elaborated a lil bit more on what they were actually going to do to him. They had to reassure the hell out of me because I wasn't having no bullshit. What surprised me was how protective I had already become. It was scary. I was thinking all kinds of crazy thoughts. I thought about someone trying to kidnap him, I thought about some Nurse playing herself and trying to sell him on the black market and thought of some woman who's child wasn't that cute trying to switch my baby with hers. What ever negativity there could be, I thought of it. As soon as the Nurse brought him back I checked every inch of his tiny body. I looked for his birthmark as well as memorized every hair on his head. I couldn't sleep at all because I was up watching and waiting for someone to come in my room and try something stupid. I was so tired but my fear wouldn't allow me to sleep. I was like a zombie in that bed. I was ready for anything. I kept my eyes on him all night long. I kept kissing the hell out of his face and lips and arms and legs and smelling his breath and hair and just kept checking his fingers and toes and knees and ankles. I couldn't believe he was mine. When I thought of how his fucking Father wanted me to abort him, my rage grew to an all new dangerous level. From that moment on I knew without a doubt that I would kill the first person who tried to hurt my lil man. That fear scared the hell out of me. All of a sudden I started to think about all the craziness in the world and really started to worry. For one brief millisecond I wondered why I even brought him into such a crazy fucked up world. I thought about my past and what had happened to me and was so scared for my baby boy. I knew I had to literally become a superhero of a Mom in order to protect him. I begged God to protect him . I begged like nobody's business. Lord please don't let anyone try and hurt him, I really don't feel like spending the rest of my life in jail. I also knew I had to curb my own temper so I could remain in my lil man's life. Where could I run to If I had to kill someone. I thought of the world and where we could be safe. I was thinking of the future and what it would bring. We were going to travel and go places. I wanted to make sure he never ended up starving or hurt. I already knew what that felt like. I knew I wouldn't allow him around certain family members, so that part was taken care of. I was a Mother bear on the highest alert ever. I was on defcon 4. Red alert. I would have brought down the heavens if something came our way. There would have been a new chapter to the Bible. I left the Hospital with my precious cargo. It seemed as though it was the hottest day of the year. I flagged down a cab and looked at the cab driver with the meanest look on my face letting him know not to try NO SHIT! Most of the cab drivers in NYC were foreign. I had heard about people and kids being kidnapped and taken overseas where their organs were harvested to the highest bidder. We made it home safely and I retreated to my room where I stayed there staring at my lil man. I don't think I slept for a month. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him. How could something so precious turn a person into a stark raving paranoid loving lunatic? That was what I had become. Why hadn't my own Mother felt that way about me? What was wrong with some Mothers? I'll never understand that crazy bullshit. The love I felt for my son was u n b e l i e v a b l e. It grew by the second. I couldn't wait for him to understand what love actually was. God I love my lil man. Fuck his Father.

6 Benefits of Teleseminars and Webinars

Posted by Christine on October 9, 2008 at 1:34pm

If you’re on Twitter or any other social media site for any length of time, you’ll certainly run upon advertisements for teleseminars and webinars on many different topics. Ever wonder why many business owners and entrepreneurs work as speakers for these outlets? Well, it’s because they know that these methods can be used to advance their business in more ways than one. As a business owner or entrepreneur, you should truly consider using teleseminars and webinars to your advantage.1. Present your business, product or brandOne obvious benefit of participating as a speaker in teleseminars and webinars is that these outlets can be used to introduce a previously unknown company, product or brand. New business owners, especially online business owners may find it difficult to introduce themselves to their target audience because of their lack of history or background in their field.Teleseminars and webinars allow the new business owner to represent his or her business and give it a personality. As many business owners understand, customers are buying your product or service because they trust you. By participating in teleseminars/webinars you can give your business the personal boost it needs to reach your target market2. Brand yourself as an expert in your fieldAs a featured speaker on a teleseminar or webinar, you are building your reputation as an authority in your field. This is important for new business owners who are new to their industry and are attempting to create a buzz about themselves or their product.A successful teleseminar/webinar will assist you in building a solid following in your target market. In addition, further successes will help you to expand and reach a wider segment of potential clients and customers.3. Promote products and/ or servicesThese seminars may also be used a vehicle to promote a product or service. While not as “pushy” as an infomercial, they can serve the same purpose, as many speakers will have books, e-books, podcasts, videos and other products that they market to their target market via these outlets.The key is to reference the product in the discussion with the audience. The audience is then motivated to purchase the product to be used as a guide or instructional material to achieve the end results.4. Increase salesA well-delivered teleseminar or webinar can assist in encouraging sales of the product or services. Because you are working with potential customers in real time, it increases their knowledge of the product or services and thus may be more motivated to purchase.5. Allows you to personally communicate with clientsBecause you are selling yourself as a person as well as your product or service a good teleseminar or webinar is a way to communicate with your potential clients on a more personal level. They can hear your voice, get a sense of your personality and by doing so decide whether they like you or admire you enough to purchase your product or service. If there is an open discussion period included in the teleseminar, then customers are able to get their questions answered on the spot, without waiting for a phone call or email.6. Low overheadIn order to truly succeed in business, money has to be spent. For many business owners, however, money is tight and often sunk back into the business for necessary expenses. A teleseminar or webinar can be a low cost way to provide a lecture over the phone or via the Internet. Furthermore, if done well, they do help to raise a customer’s awareness of you, your brand and your products or services.

A Powerful Testimonial

Posted by SONYA on October 9, 2008 at 1:16pm

Hi Everyone,We wanted to share with all of you a powerful personal testimonial!June 11, 2008 was the day that my wife Sharon Clarke had to undergo emergency surgery at Southwest Medical Center Hospital in Vancouver, Washington.Sharon was very ill due to massive infection in her left leg. Her Doctor advised her to come to the hospital immediately where she had to have her left leg removed below her knee to literally save life.Sharon is not only my wife of 40 years but my all-time HERO!She is up and walking on her new leg and continues to keep a very positive attitude each and every day.Sharon and I are grateful to AmeriPlan and the AmeriPlan Total Health Plus program we sign up for the day it was available in Washington State.Our total bill was over $35 thousand dollars. But thanks to AmeriPlan and the Karis Group our total bill ended up being zero! Hard to believe, not really, AmeriPlan works and it works for all of us who take the time to sign up as AmeriPlan Medical Members.We also save several hundred dollars on our prescription drugs each and every month.Please feel free to share our story with your new or current Members or Business Partners(IBO's).Knowing our story about AmeriPlan, "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."Blessings to Each and Everyone,-Sharon and Joe ClarkeNational Sales DirectorsVancouver, WAIf you know of people that do not have any medical benefits (of if you don't have any medical benefits), please make sure that you understand this awesome program.The hospital advocacy program is awesome!!!Hospital Advocacy TrainingPlease listen to the pre-recorded training that was done on September 19!Click here to listen to the training now!Also, for more information, please take a look at the training PowerPoint!Click here to view to the training PowerPoint now!System RequirementsPC-based attendeesRequired: Windows® 2000, XP Home, XP Pro, 2003 Server, VistaMacintosh®-based attendees Required: Mac OS® X 10.3.9 (Panther®) or newerIf your without this amazing health plan,visit www.EveryoneBenefits.com/40585101

Thursday, 10/9 Daily Devotional

Posted by Corinne's Fashion World on October 9, 2008 at 12:58pm

"Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people" (Ephesians 6:7, NLT).No matter where you work, God is the boss! Work eagerly, efficiently, enthusiastically at all times!

MONEY WILL NOT FALL FROM THE HEAVENS!

Posted by Nadira Haniff on October 9, 2008 at 12:00am

My friends. Today is an incredible day. A day filled with hope and promises of great things to come. You have a feeling deep inside that you are a winner, you have what it takes to win in business - but there is this nagging feeling of how, how do I do it? You feel somewhat handicapped, somewhat unsure of your direction...The binary jungle of the internet is swarming with lures and traps - waiting for the unsuspecting. With 1.6 billion people traversing the internet and many are marketers, mlm networkers, business people of all sorts looking to increase their profits - the lures and traps are guaranteed to work. The promise of fast cash falling from heaven, like this

is emotional electricity - and will have you reaching in your already emptied pockets! So many gurus have worked their magic yet the numbers remain staggeringly high of those who fail in our industry - a whopping 95% or more!What's wrong with our people? Are they dull, lazy, just don't care for their families? What's wrong here? It is the tough question that you are going to be hard pressed to find a truthful answer...What I can tell you is:(1) You are a champion. You have the capability to do incredible things in life and win for you and your family(2) Choose a solid, stable company with great things to come in the next 5 years - ride the wave(3) Establish an identity for yourself. In the world of business, nothing is totally guaranteed. Be ready!(4) Winning in business, is not difficult - but it is very elusive - because the truth about winning in business is clouded & guarded. But remove that cloud and the real core of winning in business comes down to mind set & skill set. But it is a skillful blend in the world's best kept secret recipe! And in our very confusing world, most miss the right mix of those 2 ingredientsShout if you need help! Only then can you be heard:)I believe our world's greatest asset is our people. I respect those who move with a sense of urgency and are not paralyzed by the uncertainty of tomorrow...Together We Are UNSTOPPABLE...Nadirawww.thecalltogreatness.com www.180daystogreatness.comFollow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/nadirahaniffEmail: coach@nadirahaniff.com

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5 Tips for the Perfect Princess Party Menu

Top 10 Tips

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