The Last Laugh: Parental Pranks for April 1
October 31, 2007
The exact origin of April Fool’s Day is uncertain, but popular belief is that it began in France with the adoption of a new calendar. In 1582, the Gregorian calendar (still in use today) replaced the long-standing Julian calendar and New Year’s celebrations were moved from April 1 to January 1.
People who continued to celebrate the new year on April 1 were labeled "fools" and often ridiculed. This harassment evolved over time, and now "All Fool’s Day" is practised in many parts of the world with each country celebrating it in their own special way.
In Scotland, "Taily Day" lasts 48 hours and is devoted to pranks involving the buttocks. The Scots are rumoured to have invented the "Kick Me" sign.
In France, children exclaim "Poisson d’Avril" (April fish) when playing a prank, referring to a young fish which is easily caught.
In Rome, the "Festival of Hilaria" is on March 25 and is also referred to as "Roman Laughing Day".
While children relish tricking us on this special day, why let them have all the fun. Here are some ways for you to trick them:
Fireplace Decorating Tips for Easter: Give Your Rooms Natural Focal Point an Easter Look
October 30, 2007
Sure you decorate your fireplace and mantel for the winter holidays, but don’t forget this important focal point in your room as Spring approaches. Here are some nearly-instant ideas for springtime and Easter fireplace decorating:
Daffodils in crystal or glass vases on each end of your mantel bespeak the coming of Spring. Tie a wired chiffon ribbon in a soft spring hue in a bow around each vase for a nice touch.
March a line of fluffy chicks across your mantel. Five or more chicks, whether stuffed toys, porcelain hens, or craft store chickens, make a cute display.
And speaking of stuffed toys, now is a great time to find those old stuffed bunnies and ducks and turn them into mantel ornaments. Add Easter grass, and scatter decorated eggs along the mantel to keep them company.
Tie wired gingham-checked ribbons into bows, and attach them to the edge of your mantel. Let the ends of each bow hang down various lengths from one to three feet. At the end of each ribbon, open a plastic egg, tape the ribbon’s end inside the egg, and force the egg shut. This creates a set of eggs dangling at different heights.
Whistler, BC: A Great Winter Spot
October 29, 2007
If you’re thinking about planning a great winter vacation, think about taking a trip to the beautiful Whistler ski resort in Whistler, British Columbia. There are plenty of great accommodations around Whistler, and Whistler rentals shouldn’t be hard to find. The difficult thing is to choose your spot from a wide variety of luxurious rentals. When browsing the multiple online listings for Whistler condo rentals and Whistler chalets, consider all of the amenities included in the different chalets, townhouses, and condos available. Some are set in specific locations, for example, the ski in-ski-out condos and chalet rentals that give renters the best possible access to the ski lifts, or lodges or townhouses set close to golf courses.
Another thing to consider is the amenities included in many Whistler rental deals. Those searching the rental listings will see that many of the lodgings include luxuries such as hot tubs or saunas. Also, lodgings come equipped with barbeques and decks for great cook-outs. Then there are the more basic conveniences such as 5 bed, 5 bathroom houses with multiple storage units and freezer/refrigerator space. Some are also equipped for your convenience of communications with high-speed internet and telephone service. For entertainment, some rentals include large-screen television and home stereo sets.
Valentines Day Rapport
October 28, 2007
How to develop and heighten rapport on Valentines Day beyond your wildest dreams!
With Valentines day on the doorstep for another year here is way of enhancing those romantic occasions. In thinking about something pertinent to Valentines, I thought I would write about a topic that fascinates me; developing rapport.
Fundamental techniques in NLP show people how to do physical things like match and mirror body language, which I think is fairly well documented these days. I had a local newspaper advertising salesman come along to my centre recently to talk about advertising and I was amazed at how blatantly and obviously he mirrored every movement I made. It verged on being uncomfortable! If you are going to match and mirror, you can match body language with more subtlety.
You do not have to copy every crossing of the arms with a crossing of the arms yourself. You can intimate a crossing movement with your fingers much more gently. You can also then look at matching the speed and rhythm of speech, match the rate of breathing and general tempo of that person.
Holiday Expectations
October 27, 2007
As the holidays approach, I find myself wondering how I’m going to accomplish all I expect of myself. I expect to have perfect presents under the tree for an astounding number of people who will be visiting from out of town, besides the usual round of gifts for my children, immediate family, close friends and significant others, such as teachers, school staff, hair dressers, manicurist, etc. Added to the gift buying frenzy are countless trips to the grocery and food specialty stores for the feasts I expect to prepare, again for countless people I am expected to entertain during these holidays.
What’s one person to do when it becomes overwhelming and seems there’s never going to be enough time, resources or energy to cope? Well, I’m not sure I have the answer. What I’m longing to do is escape to an undisclosed location (me and Dick Cheney) to save my sanity, health and well-being. Naturally, this isn’t an option ? I hold the holidays too dear and my daughters have come to expect huge fanfare on these special days. I have set up their expectations of me, just as I have set up the expectations of myself that I might not be able to pull off this year due to an unstable health condition and subsequent lack of mobility I’ve taken for granted in years past. Mostly, I just want to be able to get it all done, as I have every other year, which is no longer an option. I am left to ponder my upcoming fate with the dread of not performing or of falling short.
Where to Find Lodging and Accommodation in Whistler, BC
October 27, 2007
Are you thinking about a great place to go for a winter holiday? For avid skiers or anyone looking for a cozy winter getaway, the many chalet and condo rentals around the Whstler Ski Resort in British Columbia can be a great way to relax this winter. The Whistler Ski Resort is located in the province of British Columbia, in a natural mountain environment. Around the resort there are a wealth of luxurious condos, townhouses and chalets available to rent. Many of these can be found online and booked easily.
When you are looking for a rental in Whistler, there are many options at your disposal. You may want to look for lodgings that include the array of amenities available. Some offer relaxing facilities like hot tubs and saunas, or home entertainment rooms with large screen televisions and surround sound speakers. You can choose a Whistler condo rental by size, by the number of renters or by bedrooms, with up to 6 bedroom, 5 bath chalet rentals available. You may also want the detailed facilities such as refrigerator/freezer space, washer/dryer, storage, or decks and barbeques for cooking.
How to Overcome the Overwhelm of the Holiday Season (And Reduce Holiday Stress)
October 26, 2007
The Holiday Season can be a wonderful time of year, filled with lovely decorations, gift exchanges, visits with friends and family and delicious meals. But for many of us, the Holiday Season can also be quite overwhelming with all the added activities such as decorating our homes, selecting, buying, wrapping and exchanging gifts and hosting friends and family while we prepare multi-course elaborate meals! The question is, "What can we do to Overcome Overwhelm during the Holidays?"
1. Simplify Your Life
Holidays that are full of complexity are neither fun nor comfortable. Complexity can easily contribute to feeling overwhelmed. We can be invited to numerous events and want to host others ourselves. These activities can be very wonderful experiences, but there can also be too many to prepare for and attend in a short time. You may also have to consider selecting, wrapping and delivering gifts, decorating the house, and, potentially, traveling to visit friends and family across the country. Keeping the holidays simple with a manageable number of events to attend and/or host, can greatly contribute to Overcoming Overwhelm during the Holidays.
2. Practice Extreme Self-Care
5 Tips to Reduce Holiday Depression
October 25, 2007
While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all over the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news events and the business climate, the more we are depressed. Whatever the reason you feel is the cause of your depression, the following five simple tips guarantee you reduce it significantly.
1. Do not read newspapers.
Newspapers publish negative stories most of the time. Even in peaceful periods, newspapers will find the worst in humanity and place negative stories on display in order to promote sales and subscribers. Stories focused on War, rebellion, death, destruction, doom and despair abound in the newspapers.
Stop reading the newspaper and reduce the negative input to your brain.
2. Turn off your television.
Watching and listening about the horrible economy and the losses associated with War will add to depression. In fact, you guarantee the feeling of helplessness. Helplessness allows depression to nurture. If you really need to watch or listen to these kinds of news stories, promise yourself you will bury yourself in the documentaries that are sure to follow in the next 5 or 10 years. A way you can eliminate most of the negative input to your brain is by setting it aside for a date somewhere in the future. I guarantee in the future, you will not find it very interesting.
Smokey Mountain Cabins - There Is Only One!
October 24, 2007
Did you know there are no Smokey Mountain cabins for vacation rentals inside the Great Smokey Mountains National Park — except one! It’s called Leconte Lodge. Even though the National Park Service’s Leconte Lodge is called a lodge, it also includes rental log cabins. These are the only cabins for vacation rentals inside the national park.
To get there, do you just hop in your car and drive up to the front door? No way! There’s no road to these Smokey Mountain rental cabins. If you want to stay there, the only way in is by hiking! Talk about Smokey Mountain secluded cabins — it’s a hike of over 5 miles if you’re up to it. Lots of folks do just that, as this Smokey Mountain cabins facility fills up fast during the summer. Not only does it fill up fast, you may have to wait months to get a cabin reservation.
Located at more than 6,500 feet elevation, these Smokies rental cabins are very popular. Prepare for a sponge bath. While there is running water for the toilets, there is no electricity. Kerosene lanterns will provide you with light. You won’t be blow-drying your hair or watching reruns while here. It’s life somewhat like it used to be many generations ago.
Holiday Dieting: A Sweet Way To Cheat!
October 23, 2007
If your diet is making you a humbug this season, there’s some good news. Turns out dark chocolate, that decadent confection, may actually be good for you!
Yes, recently conducted studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have shown that a dose of dark chocolate will heed all sorts of healthy results. And with the holidays just around the corner, this news couldn’t have come at a better time.
So just for fun, I thought I’d conduct a mini-research project of my own and get the "skinny" on our friend dark chocolate. Here’s some of the interesting "factoids" I came up with:
