"There's no place like home!" We all know this phrase. And it's really true, because only at home we feel safe, comfortable, relaxed. No matter how much time we spend working or walking, we always come back to our "nest". So, why don't we try a little bit and make it more comfortable.
But, how do we do it? It's not necessary to make a home repair. Simple things and ideas can change a lot.
So, let's see...
Scent
The easiest way to make the house more comfortable - to fill it with a pleasant scent. I'm not talking about air fresheners, but about simple and natural flavors.
For example, very effective is the smell of fresh brewed coffee. Besides, essential oils can help you! It is important to choose the right essential oil to cause the appropriate effect. Cinnamon, vanilla, citrus, cedar and lavender are usually the best.
Warm colors
Warm colors in the room make it more comfortable. Beige and green colors soothe, red, yellow and orange - warm. Use fabrics and accessories of the appropriate colors. It can be curtains, carpets, paintings, beautiful pillows, candles etc.
Add some nature to your interior
Natural things can easily create a comfort at home. This may be natural wood furniture, or accessories made of natural stones, or aquarium, or green plants (read more about home plants).
Fire can also bring a special charm to your home, whether it is a fireplace, or just candles.
Fresh air
Fresh air at home can be very healthy and can also make your room more comfortable.
Warm accessories
Add some warm accessories, especially in winter. It may be soft toys, a warm blanket, little pillows etc.
Use this advice, and you will really enjoy your home. It can even help you to become more productive.
And what are your methods of making home more comfortable? Feel free to share it in your comments!
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Live comfortably!
Hints for Effective Toasting
Want to train your speech? Try to make a good toast when having dinner.
Use the following hints to do it more effectively.
1. Do it in a way that is most comfortable to you. You may remain seated.
Legend has it that became acceptable to toast without standing in Britain during the reign of Charles II. The king allowed that this would be acceptable after he had risen in response to a toast in his honor while aboard the ship Royal Charles and bashed his head into a beam. A similar bashing to King William IV, when he was heir to the throne and toasted George IV while aboard a man-of-war, forever ended the custom of standing toasts in the Royal Navy.
2. Don't mix toasts with other messages.
During World War II at a banquet given by Marshal Joseph Stalin at the Russian embassy in Teheran, Stalin rose to his feet after Churchill, Roosevelt, and other leaders had been toasted. He grinned and made a quick, impromptu remark in Russian. Judging from the smiles of the Russians present, it could only be concluded the he had come up with a witty and appropriate toast. As the Americans and British grabbed their glasses, the interpreter rose to say, "Marshal Stalin says the men's room is on the right."
3. If you are in some position where you are likely to be called on, it is a good idea to have a few short toasts memorized.
A groom at his own wedding was asked to propose a toast to the bride. Unprepared, he got to his feet, put his hand on the bride's shoulder and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I... I don't know what to say. This thing was forced upon me."
4. Check the context of your toast if it is quoted from a known poem or prose work.
Prince Philip of Great Britain was told the story of the man who toasted him at a banquet with two lines from John Dryden:
A man so various he seemed to be
Not one but all mankind's epitome
Philip liked the lines and later looked up the remaining lines of the poem:Stiff in opinions, always in the wrong
Was everything but starts and nothing long;
But in the course of revolving moon
Was chemist, fiddler, statesman and buffoon.
5.Don't get ahead of yourself.
When Queen Louise of Prussia met the conquering Napoleon she drank to him:
"To the health and kindness of Napoleon the Great. He has taken our states, and soon will return them to us."
Napoleon bowed and replied, "Do not drink it all, Madame."
6. Make sure that the toast you are delivering is appropriate to the group at hand.
"Bottoms up" would be inappropriate at the beginning of a boat race.
7. Don't push somebody who is not so inclined to propose a toast. The result may not be the one desired.
There are many examples but a perfect case in point involved Winston Churchill in the 1920s after he had served as First Lord of the Admiralty. At a dinner party, someone pestered him for a toast to the traditions of the Royal Navy. "The traditions of the Royal Navy?" was his final response, "I'll give you the traditions of the Royal Navy. Rum, buggery and the lash."
8. When proposing a toast, make sure you know what you are drinking.
Basic advice, but listen to the story about an American military man toasting his Japanese hosts at a Washington dinner party. Mistaking a finger bowl for a goblet, he finished his remarks and drank deeply from the bowl. Not wishing to offend, fellow guests reached for their own finger bowls and followed suit.
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Vancouver 2010 - will it bring some peace?
On February 12 we will see the 21st Winter Olympics, which will take place in Vancouver, Canada. It will be the third Olympic Games in this country.
The main reason I'm writing about this event, is that it's not only sport, it's a kind of the reunion of nations for a short period of time. More than 80 countries and over 5500 athletes participating in this event.
Once a four-year period people should forget about aggression, about wars, about politics and should think only about a competition. The Olympics should bring peace to our life, at least for this short period of time.
But, unfortunately modern Olympics leave much to be desired - drugs, plenty of politics and aggression.
Hope it will change in future, but now let's wish luck to all countries! And see what will happen this year...
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Interview with a reader
Dear Readers,
Today I start a series of posts that will include interviews with our readers.
If you would like to pass an interview, if you have something to say about your life, your experience, your thoughts on a particular topic, please, contact me.
I will publish interview with a famous people either, but I want YOU to speak now.
Don't be shy, express your thoughts to everyone!
Lovely little kitten (Photo)
How lovely this creature is! So little and so cute! I do not like old cats, but I LOVE kittens! :)
See also a similar picture.
What would you like to see here?
Today, I would like to ask you a question... What would you like to see here?
What articles/posts would you like to read here? What will be useful to you? Perhaps, there are no categories, you would like to read?
Feel free to write it in your comments below.
I appreciate your help!!!
P.S. Top five commentators of this blog will be seen in the sidebar with a link to their website.
Haiti earthquake: Thousands - dead, millions injured.
We all know about the terrible things that happened on Haiti a few days ago. Thousands of people are dead, millions - injured.
This people need all of you know. PLEASE, help them if you can. Donate at:
Red Cross or AmeriCares
Remember, they all need your help!
The Secret Movie
A year ago I watched a movie, called The Secret and it changed my life...
This film reveals the most powerful law in the universe, the law of attraction. It means that if you think of bad things, you will attract them, and your life won't be happy; and vice versa.
The beginning of 2008 - it was a difficult time for me, I had serious problems with my health, the relationships with my beloved weren't so good either. Everything was terrible! I decided to change my life, but I didn't have any motivation. And after watching this movie, in summer 2008, I've got my inspiration. It really helped me.
The film says that only you build your own life, not anyone else. Everything depends only on you. And you are not worse than other people, who are very rich, who have a happy marriage, who are healthy etc.
This is the secret to prosperity, health, relationships and happiness. This is the secret to life.
And, besides, The Secret doesn't contradict any religion! The scientists accentuate it in the movie.
I highly recommend you to watch it! Besides, you can buy the book here.
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Home Plants - our useful roommates
Do you feel uncomfortable in a stifling room with a TV or a computer? Think of some home plants. They can be really useful.
For example:
You can make a fresh air in your room with the help of cypress, thuja, cryptomeria. Usually these trees grow outside the apartment, but they can be also grown at home.
If there's a dry air in your room, you can change it with the help of cyperus.
Monstera helps to concentrate if you are working at the computer, because its energy fluctuations are able to concentrate our thoughts.
Chlorophytum is the best for air cleaning and it's better than any similar technical device.
Cactus helps to neutralize the radiation effect on our body.
Geranium tends to soak up damp and fumes, clean and freshen the room.
The smell of peppermint soothes our nervous system, relieves irritation, fatigue, aggressiveness. Besides, it helps to concentrate.
But, there are no perfect things in the world. Some plants can have an unhealthy effect.
Violets growing on your window, is a good proof of that. During the day, they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, but at night everything happens vice versa. Therefore it is recommended not to put flowers in a bedroom, especially in a child's bedroom.
The same is with such flowers as roses, lilies, lilac, magnolia, which have very heavy and rich flavor, that's why it isn't desirable to grow these flowers in your bedroom.
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How to speak to your boss?
Good resume and your appearance will help you a lot to pass a job interview. But experts say that the main factor in choosing a candidate is his speech.
It is important not only to make a first impression on your future boss, but also to gain success with your clever speech. Psychologists say that everything depends on the first 30 seconds. Therefore, before entering the office of the person who will conduct an interview, turn on all your charm.
When stretching out your hand for a handshake, you should remember that it mustn't be too hot and humid or too cold. First of all it will show the employer that you are very worried. That's why, before starting the interview you should concentrate and relax.
Be friendly and smile. However, smiling constantly and talking in a playful and ironic tone would be wrong. This would demonstrate your frivolous attitude. You must train everything before the interview: your smile, eyes, gestures and even voice. The way you pronounce words, build sentences will have a huge affect. You must prepare to the dialogue in advance. First of all, forget about your everyday speech.
Western experts compare a job candidate with a book. Very important is its appearance, then the contents of the book, and at last a positive feedback which remains in a reader's mind.
Remember, everything depends on you: “In oneself lies the whole world and if you know how to look and learn, the door is there and the key is in your hand. Nobody on earth can give you either the key or the door to open, except yourself.”
~Jiddu Krishnamurti
Quotation taken from Soul Meets World.
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Dreaming of summer (Photo)
Holidays are over, and a cold winter will stay with us for a few months. But don't fall into despair. Just take a look at this photo... and after dreaming for a few moments about summer, you'll feel it on your skin!
Freelance - the best way to realize yourself?
You decided to be a freelancer? Are you sure?
Freelance is the best job if you don't want to have a boss, to work for others, but... you must remember the golden rule - today you decided to have a rest, tomorrow you have nothing to eat! The results may differ from those you've imagined: debts, psychological problems, giggling behind your back, lack of understanding etc.
To understand whether freelance is good or bad, lets see its pros and cons.
Cons
1. Irregular work schedule (sometimes even 16-18 hours a day).
2. A waste of time for non-specialist activities.
3. The risk of non-receipt of funds for a performed work.
4. Legalization of your incomes.
5. Intense competition.
Pros
1. Ability to manage your time.
2. Profit (freelancers earn 20-30% more than office workers).
3. You are the boss (you make a decision by yourself).
After looking through these arguments, I think the best way is to combine freelance and an office job. And later if you enlarge your income, you can become a full time freelancer.
Certainly, we should take risks to achieve anything, but we must do it wisely!
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Some facts about Sun
We all know that metabolism isn't possible without sun beams. And on the contrary - sun causes very serious diseases. So, who is this star for us: friend or foe?
To understand this, lets see the arguments:
Danger
1. Excessive enthusiasm while sunbathing leads to the destruction of collagen and elastin in cells of our body and to premature aging of the skin, not to mention such serious skin diseases as melanoma and carcinoma.
2. Because of the sun we can suffer hormonal disbalance. Besides, the slightest infection can lead to serious illness.
3. Cataracts, corneal and retinal burns, conjunctival tumors and other eyes problems can be avoided by choosing the high-quality sunglasses.
Benefits
1. Ultraviolet increases our resistance to flu and cold, helps in treatment of psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis.
2. Sunbathing strengthens our nervous system, stimulates the metabolic processes in our body.
3. The lack of ultraviolet can cause the development of schizophrenia, diabetes, cancer etc.
4. Vitamin D, produced under the sun beams, prevents the development of rickets (the bone problem that affects children). Besides, we need this vitamin and calcium to strengthen our bones and teeth.
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