The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Swissie)

It is plan that the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is the largest of the descendants of the dogs which were brought to the Swiss Alps by the Legions of Caesar on his march straight through Europe. The "Swissie" is similar to the Bernese Mountain dog in many respects, especially in the markings of a black base coat with white and tan markings. The Bernese Mountain dog any way has longer coat and a different working attitude than the Greater Swiss Mountain dog. The "Swissie's" coat is a deep lustrous black and the tan markings are deep rich red, it is certainly a stunning finding dog. The Berner is a somewhat protective guarding dog while the Swissie is more open to the advent of strangers and ordinarily a amiable and outgoing dog.

The Greater Swiss Mountain dog is a large breed, often reaching 27 inches at the shoulder. The dog has a immense appearance with good "substance" and bone. This is a breed with relatively few health issues, except for checking for hip and elbow dysplasia which of policy is often a question with large breeds. There is also a tendency towards eye problems.

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The dog had always been a dog much in use in the country of Switzerland but was never selectively bred until the early 1900s. When it was recognized that there were few good specimens left and the breed's uses were moderately going away (the dogs were used for pulling butcher carts) two men , Dr. Albert Heim and Franz Scertenleib took on the job of encouraging a renewed interest in the breed among the Swiss fanciers. moderately the dogs became more familiar within the European breeding society and by the 1930s pedigrees were researched and good "true to type" dogs were being systematically produced. By 1985 the dog had become well known and was admitted into the American Kennel Club, joining the working group ten years later.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has now become a familiar sight in the American Kennel club conformation show ring and is also seen more often at weight pulling contests and the like. This is a breed which has become popular with obedience enthusiasts. Owners of Swissies can even use this large and happy dog to pull their own kids or the neighbor's kids in a cart and the dog is a popular therapy dog also. His short coat also makes him an "easy keeper" as far as coat care, (as opposed to some of the other breeds who pull carts but have many more grooming issues than the Swissie.) It possesses an even temper and a love for children, family and all other people. It is a amiable and affectionate dog with a garage temperament and a desire to please people, altogether it is a dog that is a quick trainee with an eager attitude and yet a placid and calm manner. This is a breed that has become a popular for those families who have had the pleasure of owning one.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Swissie)

Language And Literacy-Building Activities For Babies

It's never too early to start reading to your baby. Select some of these fun games and giggles-and-grins activities to make books -- and your baby's world -- come alive:

• Create voices for the story characters, such as a low, "growly" voice for a wolf; a high-pitched voice for a fairy; a squeaky voice for a mouse.
• Pretend to pick a beloved food from a photograph of a picnic or morning meal table. Name the food and pretend to eat it with gusto: "Yum! I love red strawberries!" Ask your baby what food she wants. She may exertion the word or naturally point. Write back with a short, simple sentence that includes the word: "Here is your glass of milk. Drink it up!"
• Imitate animal actions. Make a tiny inchworm with your finger. Make him crawl to your baby, up her leg, and to her neck or belly with a tickle. Flap your arms for a bird. Pant for a dog. Jump for a bunny.
• Get into the characters. For a giant, stomp your feet. For a chick or bird, clap your pointer finger and thumb together to imitate a beak. Hop for a frog.
• Imitate machines: "toot-toot" for a train, "buzz" for an airplane, a grumble for building vehicle engines.
• Vary your pitch to signal opposites: high, low. Up, down. Off, on. In, out.
• Allow your baby to turn pages or even hold the book. She may not let you stop reading a page, but that's okay. Just tell the story that you remember, or make up a new story.
• Make the story come alive. When reading activity words, get into the show! Jump, clap, bite (pretending), stomp, and kick your legs out. Stick your thumb in a pretend pie and pull it out dramatically. Tip your hat or brush your hair.
• While reading whole books, show the numbers with your fingers. Try to manipulate your baby's fingers to show the numbers, too.
• Some books have puppets or bath mitts to go along with the story. These are a amazing speculation that you and your baby will use for years.
• Explore poetry. The rhyme, cadence, and sing-song tone are involving for your baby to listen to.
• Don't forget tickle time. Laughter is the first step in developing a sense of humor. Watch for silly stories or pictures, and add a tickle for emphasis.
• Weave books into your daily activities. Pack some books in the diaper bag to have on errands. Read a book about doctors before an appointment. Tie a cloth book onto the grocery cart. There are even waterproof books for the pool, beach, or tub.
• Learn some sign language for common pictures and actions. Consistently demonstrate while reading. Soon your baby will begin to imitate you, ultimately development the sign even before you do.
• Exaggerate. Elongate and dramatize recurring phrases like "hippity-hop" or "round and round." Cover your mouth with your hand when the character does something naughty. Cheer when someone wins a race.
• Read things in your baby's environment, such as traffic signs, food labels, and menu items. Let your child see that the world is made up of words!

Adapted from Boosting Your Baby's Brain Power, by Holly Engel-Smothers and Susan M. Heim, ©2008.

Carts For Dogs To Pull

Language And Literacy-Building Activities For Babies

Vietnam and Cambodia - Land of the Dragon

"I can't say what made me fall in love with Vietnam... (and Cambodia)... That all things is so intense... The colours, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the...rain in London. They say whatever you're finding for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that's the first thing that hits you, promising all things in replacement for your soul. And the heat....You could be forgiven for mental there was no war." These were the words of Thomas Fowler from the film, "The Quiet American," which so accurately sums up Vietnam. It is a land that captures the very essence of your soul and takes you on an unforgettable journey straight through the land of the dragon.

Ancient mythology tells us that the habitancy of Vietnam are descendants of the Dragon Lord Lạc Long Qun and the Immortal Fairy u Cơ. They produced 100 children, 50 of whom lived with their mom in the mountains and the other 50, with their father in the sea. So steeped in mythology is the land of Vietnam that each area is shrouded in some story of mythological formation.

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Landing in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam and home to about 3.7 million habitancy and 1.2 million motor bikes, is like landing in the heart of a giant mosquito that never sleeps. Endless streams of bikes pass you by each day, with many families of 4 heading off on their daily chores. Farmers from surrounding areas meet at the "morning store at 03h00 and by 07h00 have cleared up and gone. At night, entire streets are transformed into night markets which trade until late in the evening. Unlike its sister city, Saigon, Hanoi has narrow streets and still retains some of its old city charm. The old quarter, often known as the "36 streets," dates back over 2000 years. The area was once home to numerous craft guilds which created work areas. When the streets were eventually named, each road was named after the craft sold along that road and so today, if you need shoes, you head for Hang Guay, and for jewellery, Hang Bac.

Leaving the bustle of the city behind and traveling northwards towards the sea, highway 5 takes you to a world patrimony site, and the tail of the "descending dragon." Halong Bay is an endless canvas of 1969 limestone islands, 989 of which have been named. Many of these islands are home to numerous caves, some of which can be visited on foot and others in the pleasant tranquility of a kayak.

According to local legend, Halong Bay was created by a house of dragons, sent by the gods to help protect the Vietnamese from Chinese invaders. The dragons spat out pears and jade stones which soon turned to a myriad of islands protecting the habitancy from the invaders. Today, these very same islands contribute a safe home to many small floating villages, the inhabitants of whom survive off the 200 species of fish and 450 dissimilar species of mollusks that the waters provide.

Far south of Halong Bay is the picturesque small historical town of Hoi An, where the "The Quiet American," was partially filmed. In the middle of the 15th to 19th centuries the town served as one of South-East Asia's most important trading ports for spices and silk and today is still a traders paradise. Cars are banned and the narrow cobbled streets are lined with old buildings, temples, pagoda's and endless shops selling hand made trousers for , evening dresses for and three-piece suits for . In the heart of the town is the Ving Hung Hotel, which served as the dressing room for Michael Caine while filming. Today, tourists jostle to book into the same room which overlooks the narrow bustling lamp lit streets below, which come alive while the festival of the full moon.

From the quiet tranquility of Hoi An, a short flight takes you in the belly of the dragon, Saigon or the modern day, H" Ch Minh City. Inhabited by 8 million habitancy and 4 million motor bikes it pulsates 24 hours a day. Traveling straight through the vast tarred streets with towering modern hotels and malls, it is hard to believe that the city started out as a small fishing village in an area that was originally swampland, but when heading out into the neighbouring areas the tranquility of forgotten days soon prevails. Endless rice paddies line the myriad of roads that spread out from the city. Framers work the land,

harvesting rice in the blazing heat. Old carts are pulled by weary horses. Rubber trees are methodically planted in rows, their sticky sap gradually seeping into wooden bowls for collection.

Driving back in time, one arrives at the area of Cu Chi, whose 121km hand-dug incommunicable tunnels became paramount as a battleground of the Vietnam War. The forested area is littered with B52 bomb craters and the endless spattering of gun fire can be heard from the firing range. Some of the tunnels are open to tourists to sense for a brief period, what life in the tunnels must have been like. In the blistering heat of the day, 7 of us descended into the dark abyss below us. The tunnels are narrow, dark, airless and in places slope down and narrow so one has to belly crawl. 40m was all it took for me to perceive that as a non-sufferer of claustrophobia, another 20m would literally have converted me. Lack of air. Stifling heat. For the Viet Cong, life in the tunnels was difficult. Sometimes, while periods of heavy bombing from American troops, the Viet Cong would be forced to remain incommunicable for many days at a time. Malaria and sickness were rampant and accounted for the second largest cause of death after battle wounds.

As horrific as life in the tunnels must have been, it is the images of the war weapons and traps set by the Viet Cong for the Americans that will remain in my memory for a life time, but as one local guide said, when your way of life is under attack, you will do all in your power to protect it.

South of Saigon lies the feet and arms of the dragon, whose claws spread out to form the massive expanse of the Mekong Delta. The area, also known as Nine River Dragon Delta, drains an area of over 790 000 km2. The Mekong is the 12th-longest river in the world, and runs all the way from the Tibetan Plateau straight through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, into Vietnam and finally into the south china sea.

With such an expanse of water it is not surprising to find that the residents of the Mekong area are river people. Where Hanoi's streets come alive with early morning markets, the tributaries of the Mekong erupt into a chattering wash tub as hundreds of boats navigate the narrow channels laden with hands of bananas, grapefruit, jackfruit, spinach, fish and every kind of vegetable imaginable. Trade takes place under the shade of Vietnamese hats while hotel and bistro owners on the shore line yell instructions across the water of their daily needs. About 20 minutes up the Mekong we headed along a narrow tributary to encounter life up river. Locals wade about in the waters catching fish. Children cycle and play along narrow sidewalks dodging chickens and dogs. Mothers sit at the waters edge washing clothes while the men potter about fixing their boats. Farmers live on mixture fish and rice farms, generating an average of a month, while small house businesses survive making rice cakes, rice paper and potent rice wine.

Leaving the peace and tranquility of the Mekong, our next stop was neighbouring Cambodia, lying at the back of the dragon. Like Vietnam, the history of Cambodia is marred with foreign invasions, international political intervention and internal conflicts. The pinnacle of Cambodia's history arose while the rulership of the Khymer Kings In the middle of about 800 - 1400Ad. It was while this duration that Khmer kings built the most allinclusive attention of religious temples in the world - the Angkor temple complex - and hundreds of surrounding temples.

Then in 1431 the Thais plundered the area and the complex of Angkor was abandoned. For almost 200 years the military of nature invaded the temples. Fig trees took up house on temple walls and gradually engulfed the buildings. Moss adorned the intricate carvings and aerial roots flowed to the floor.

Today, the complex of temples is a World patrimony site. Many of the Hindu statues have been removed and replaced with sculptures of Buddha and numerous renovations are underway. Time seems to have stood leaving an imprint of mystique. I lost my heart to the temples of Cambodia.

I cannot say what made me fall in love with Vietnam and Cambodia. Possibly it was the ever smiling faces of the people, the sheer simplicity of life or the vast green rice fields; the smell of the rain or the sounds of children splashing about kicking a home crafted soccer ball. Possibly it was the excitement with which vendors haggle over prices or the intense respect shown by children to their elders. whatever the reason, they left an indelible imprint on my heart and a yearning to return, in my soul.

Vietnam and Cambodia - Land of the Dragon

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arrival Soon - Seattle road Food Revolution

For those of you who have visited Portland recently, you probably have noticed that Portland has a vibrant and prosperous road food scene. It's hard to miss since over 580 food carts have popped up in empty lots throughout the city. When Abbie and I visited Portland last week, we were immediately impressed with the diversity of foods being served. All things from Thai, to Vietnamese, to mini donuts, hot dogs, tacos, pulled pork, roast beef, and much more are offered within a 2 block area in uptown Portland. We made one circle to inspect the offerings, and after a quick second walk around the block, I couldn't wait to unwrap my findings. My duck confit baguette from Addy's Sandwich Bar melted in my mouth with duck fat flavor while my poached chicken with rice was so good it warped me back to the streets of Bangkok.

As a Seattle resident, I can only look at Portland's road food scene with envy, and I stare at vacant lots, sidewalks, and curbsides here in Seattle with nothing but wishful thinking. But our wishes might soon come true. Seattle is currently considering proposals to pilot a road food scene right here in Seattle, along with here on Capitol Hill as soon as spring or summer!

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Current law limits Seattle road vendors to sell only hotdogs, espresso, popcorn, and flowers and are not allowed to setup within 200 feet of any parks. Mobile food trucks like Marination are currently only allowed to sell at building sites or on incommunicable property. They aren't able to park on the road or group sidewalk to sell food. These restrictions are why Seattle's road food scene is in it's current state.

The city of Seattle has examined Portland's road food scene and has found that it brings many benefits to the community.

• Food vendors attract foot traffic to market districts, which means increased sales and a more vibrant retail firm overall.
• Food vendors bring determined operation to the road and add a festive, people-oriented feel that improves group safety. Food vendors furnish a window into many diverse cultures, introducing habitancy to new foods and to the pleasures of spending time in the group space of the city.
• Food vending can be an ideal first business. For many immigrant and refugee communities, food vending offers a point of entry to the economy and a way to learn the food aid industry.

There are some concerns, however, about what the road food movement may bring. Local restaurants feel threatened that food carts and trucks might cut into their own profits. Questions of how to limit litter, garbage and over crowded sidewalks are also a concern. And of course, enforcement of hygiene and food security is paramount.

Looking ahead to the future, here are some key components to what the city has in mind in its proposals to turn law concerning road food.

• Diversify types of food that can be sold from food carts - This would allow road food vendors to serve more than just hot dogs, espresso, popcorn, and flowers. The condition branch is considering expanding this list to allow assembly of pre-cooked ingredients and other foods on a case-by-case basis.

• generate a road Use Permit for Mobile trucks. This would allow the Seattle branch of communication to issue road use permits so Mobile trucks could control in designated spaces.

• generate setbacks from restaurants and eliminate required 200' park setback. Since road vendors have been shown to enhance park safety, the 200' park setback would be eliminated. Also, vendors would have to setup a minimum of 50' away from brick and mortar restaurants in order to safe their businesses.

These proposals are to be piloted in Seattle's central neighborhoods, along with on Broadway in Capitol Hill to help fill the void of Light Rail construction.

Gary Johnson, The branch of Planning and development coordinator that is foremost this project, believes that the above proposals will be submitted to the City Council within a integrate weeks. The council will likely take a integrate of months to reconsider it and Johnson hopes that the new regulations will be in place by late spring/early summer.

So whether you're going out for a quick lunch break or looking for grub between bar stops on a Saturday night, we may soon have a lot more to select from than just cream cheese or no cream cheese on our hotdog.

Late spring/early summer can't come soon enough.

arrival Soon - Seattle road Food Revolution

The Role of Horses in Human History

Worldwide horses had played very prominent role in human history and its culture. They have been used for distinct purposes, for free time activities, sports and working purposes. If you literally want to be prosperous in completing these activities it's very prominent to have a proper communication with your horse. The communication in the middle of human and horse is famed in any equestrian activity, in order to facilitate this process horses are normally ridden with a saddle on their backs to assist the rider with balance and positioning, and a ride or connected headgear to assist the rider in maintaining control. Sometimes they are ridden without a saddle and occasionally, horses are trained to accomplish without a ride or other headgear. Many horses are also driven which requires a harness, ride and some type of vehicle. Finding back in the history we can see that they have been the most prominent transport means and they also represented a helpful agriculture aid, so its not a surprisingly fact that horses were tamed so long ago. Scientists of this area have found evidence suggesting that the animals were used by a culture in northern Kazakhstan 5 500 years ago.

Horses played a vital role in the success in most of the world's progressive civilizations before the automobile and the airplane. Pre - historic habitancy at first used horses as a wild source of food and they were ultimately domesticated colse to 3000 B.C. In Central Asia., 9000 years after dogs, 5000 years after sheep, cattle and goats. Domesticated, non - livestock horse were at first not ridden, but only pulled things. So the cart was before the horse. Later on horses were also used during the many wars but which attributes made war from horseback so desirable? Of policy their agility, speed, power, range, height...but they were also some problems connected with taking them to war like: horses were not literally used as work animals until after the fall of the Roman Empire, until that time horses were to small and light to do pulling work. Biger horses and use of Chinese invention called "horsecollar" allowed habitancy to take advantage of the horses speed and strength. It is very bright fact that some areas didn't have native horses and like that were: Sub - Saharan Africa, Pre - Colonization Americas and Australia.

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Today horses are more used for free time activities and sports, but we all know that they are very costly and not everyone can afford having one. So if you literally like horses and u cant afford them than at least you can try our on - line games and for a occasion feel the satisfaction of riding and playing with them.

The Role of Horses in Human History

3 sufficient Sled Dog Training Tips

Sled dog training sessions can be improved supplementary by organizing your training sessions to best suit your dog. While this type of training can start while your dog is still a puppy, you still need to keep in mind that there are some factors to reconsider before you start to train your dog for carting or sledding.

1) Your dog needs to be in great physical condition. He should be able to pull sizable weight via a cart or a sled. If your dog is in poor physical condition, you might end up injuring him.

Carts For Dogs To Pull

2) prepare all the stuff you need to use for your sled dog training sessions. A harness is needed to attach the sled to your dog.

Make sure you buy a harness that's a exquisite fit for your dog. If your dog is still a puppy, an adjustable harness which can fit dogs fluctuating from puppies to fully grown dogs will be great, especially if it's designed for the breed of your dog.

A little slip collar is needed. You should also find good training collars which won't choke your dog.

Belly bands, duplicate ended training leashes, leather gloves and running shoes as well as the sled or cart are requisite for sled dog training sessions. You must have all of these materials before starting with your first training session.

3) prepare a first aid kit as well as lots of water. Your dog needs to be properly hydrated before starting the training session.

You can do this by going to a cool shaded area where you can hydrate your dog first. Then, attach the harness, belly bands and training collar to your dog. Do this carefully.

The first aid kit should have all the requisite items you and your dog need in case of accidents. Consult your veterinarian so you know which items to include in the kit.

The 3 tips above will be great for your sled dog training sessions. Just make sure you don't overtrain your dog as this can have negative effects to the obedience, behavior and studying time of your dog. All the time keep in mind that a dog is best given treats after a good deed.

3 sufficient Sled Dog Training Tips

What is the Meanest Dog Breed? A Must Read

Pit bulls, Rottweilers and German Shepherds can randomly come off of roughly anyone's head. Their bad reputation and accounts of population who have had bad experiences with them seem to be sufficient to judge the aforementioned breeds. However, the American Kennel Club maintains that there is no such thing as a mean dog. They normally become mean when their owners abuse them or train them for fighting. Somehow, you can look at it in a "Nature vs. Nurture" point of view.

To interpret further, Rottweilers and American Pitbulls are generally classified as working dogs. They were tasked to hunt and pull carts for their owners. They were and are still kept as house pets because they are generally good natured and loyal to their families. Their loud barks and strong jaws can also keep an intruder or a petty thief away. Then again, if they are such good dogs, one would have to ask why they were made to experience a horrible reputation.

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American Pit Bulls and Rottweiler are quite famed in the dog fighting scene. The same power and normal musculature that they use to help population has caught the attentiveness of dog fighting enthusiasts. When trained properly their big bites can be potentially lethal. Yes, dog fighting is still illegal in most countries but sadly there are still a lot of population who gets complex with this secret spectator sport.

What normally happens is that when population breed them for this purpose, they normally train them to be overly aggressive. They are taught to charge any dog with the purpose of maiming them in a "battle". After a rigid and often violent training, they more often lose their possible trait of loyalty and gentleness. What the breeder will then have is an charge dog that purely acts on their "animal instincts". To make things worse, their bad "dog - fighting" and "spike - wearing" image can beyond doubt get stuck to roughly anyone's mind.

The same scenario can be applied when a dog is abused. generally a very outpatient dog will tolerate as much abuse as it can take. But when a dog is shown inhumanity all his life, he is bound to give in at one point or another and act agreeing to his instinct to safe himself. If biting and fighting can make him keep his life, then that is what he will do.

What does this all mean?

That means that dogs are only as good as how you train them to be. Their genes and possible traits can be beyond doubt changed based on their environment. In fact, whatever can turn the warmest and most affectionate Labrador Retriever to a monster if they want to.

So, the answer to the ask posted above is none. No one has the quality to particular out the "meanest breed" technically because every breed can be mean. The part here is that if you do not want a mean dog, then do not raise them to be that way. Treat them the way you would treat your own family. You would even be surprised to know that if given sufficient love, they can be the most loyal and loving companion one could ever get.

What is the Meanest Dog Breed? A Must Read

Self improvement - What Maximus Taught Me About Living

It all began in the middle of September of 2004 when this four-legged critter came into my life and forever changed it. From the moment I seen him I knew there was something special about to take place. Slight did I know this 4 month old puppy was going to show me things in life I could have never seen before.

Now photograph this......

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Waiting at the La airport to pick up a new dobby puppy that was shipped from Penn. I was so excited to see him. It seemed like it took forever, when the elevator doors open and out comes an airport employee pushing a flat bed cart with a huge dog kennel on top of it. I remember finding into the kennel to find a scared Slight puppy. Now keep in mind, this is a dobby and he has his ears taped up, production it looked like he had two antennas on top of his head. He was sitting down with his front legs spread out, basically telling me "If you want me, you are going to have to come in here and get me." And the moment I pulled him out of that kennel, he took over.

What in the world were we going to name this puppy?

I wanted a name that represented power, integrity, character and a name that was not only unique, but meant something. It was finally decided he would be called Maximus, after the movie Gladiator. Slight did I know, he was going to show me a thing or two about how he saw things.....

You have heard the saying a million times......

You know, the one that says never judge a book by its cover. If there was ever a dog to be intimidated by it was Maximus. I mean, he was a 115lbs Doberman Pincher. But once he let you know who he was, he had you hook line and sinker. The thing he taught me was how citizen deny themselves some of the most thinkable, experiences in life because of their perception and what they fear.

Have you ever ran the other direction because of fear?.....

I remember walking him down the road and having a woman put her boyfriend between her and Maximus because she was terrified of him. Maximus turned and looked at me as if to say, "why are they afraid of me? I just want to love them." It broke my heart, because I knew Maximus and how much he loved to love and the citizen who were afraid of him, denied themselves of an thinkable, experience. But we all do it in different ways.

Have you ever loved with out reservation?....

I have not always been the person I strive to be today. In fact, I was unblemished opposite. I was terrified of love, because I was afraid of rejection. And I am grateful that today I cherish most people. I would like to say all, but that is not entirely true. I don't cherish citizen who select to blame others for their pain. There are a few other things I could mention, but you get the point.

Let's get back to the rejection issue....

You see Maximus was always curious, so he was always walking up to people. He didn't fear rejection because all he wanted to do was love people. He wanted to play with you and slap you in the face with his 80 grit sand paper tongue. See he taught me is when I am afraid of rejection, I am only reasoning of myself and not what I can do for the other person.

And probably the most important thing Maximus taught me......

The quality of our lives is genuinely all about how we see things. Let me give a snap shot of how Maximus viewed what most would think disgusting. Almost, like clock work, he would go out in the back yard and leave us a treasure and then come bolting into the house to do his three or four victory laps colse to the town of our living room letting us know he left us a treasure. There is a great chapter in all we do, we just have to get ready ourselves to see it

You see, the fact is.....

Maximus and my grand mum had the same philosophy: To sing like no one is listening, to dance like no one is watching and love like you have never been hurt. Because the last thing Maximus taught me each and every day of his life, was to live and not dwell on yesterday or worry about tomorrow. Because when I had to make the decision to put him to sleep the only idea I had at that moment was I hope he knew, every moment of his life, how much I appreciated him and how blessed I felt to be the one that Maximus wanted to share his life with.

If Maximus would have been able to talk....

Which I would do for him quit often, I know he would have never complained about anything. The only thing he cared about was showing you know how much he enjoyed being with you. I remember the last run we had together, he held his head high, tongue flapping out the side and ran like a champion, just because that is what he did. He enjoyed all in life, except being home alone.

If you ever have the chance or wondering...

What it would be like to have a Dobby as a pet, don't think twice. They are the most dogs on earth. And maybe you will palpate the things Maximus spent his life showing me. As I unblemished this, I miss him big time and all I can think of is I hope he knows what he taught me and how much I loved him.

I could write a book, and maybe I will, about my life with Maximus. Everybody who met Maximus fell in love with him. Even though he wanted Everybody to know he owned the block, by barking at whatever that moved, he loved more then I ever idea was possible. Because of how much of a lose he was to me, it has only taken me over three weeks to be able to write this.

Be sure to look for up and coming posts of our new puppy we will be getting in a couple of months.
If you are a pet lover or just want to leave a comment, please feel free to do so. I would love to see your thoughts

Best wishes,
Jeff Faldalen

Ps Having Maximus in my life taught me "To live like my life depends on it" because life is to short to worry about whatever one else thinks

Self improvement - What Maximus Taught Me About Living

Belgian Malinois

Description: The Belgian Malinois dog breed is between 22 to 26 inches depending on the sex of the dog, and their weight is 55 to 65 pounds. To look at, this dog is descried as square in shape, which is in reference to the whole body. They have a deep chest and good straight top line. The skull is wide as it is long. The muzzle has a pointed look. And is equal to the top of the scull, it has a black nose. This breed has tight tips and the teeth meet in a level or scissor bite. The eyes are brown and evenly spaced. This breed has erect ears that are triangular to look at. The tail is strong and reaches to the hock. Their legs are straight and their feet are cat like. This breed has a duplicate coat that is short and smooth, with no curling or waves. Colouring is rich and can be mahogany to black, fawn to red, with black tips. Their tail, under body and back end are fawn. The ears and their mask are black. Hair around the neck looks like a collar and is slightly longer than the rest of the body.

History: This breed has got its name from the city of Malinois in the country of Belgium. There it is a beloved dog. It is one of four varieties and there is hot moot as to which to recognise by the clubs and standards. Some clubs, like the Akc since 1959, recognise three of the breeds. The Ukc registry does accept all four as varieties of one breed, these are Belgian Tervuren, Belgian Groenendael, Belgian Laekenois and of procedure the Belgian Malinois. This dog is a working dog, and has a history of being a sheepdog, but they are now used for narcotics and police work, bomb detection, hunt and recovery and protection. They can even sled and cart pull.

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Temperament: This dog is intelligent, obedient with a strong protective and territorial nature. The need to socialize this breed is good practice. You will need to be firm with consistent rules and natural leadership qualities, to gain the best from this breed. They need training, daily practice and companionship; they need to be part of the house not just a guard dog locked in a shop or garden. If socialized with children, they are fine with them. They need to work and can get bored if left with nothing to do. Care must be taken when introducing this breed to non canine pets. They can be dominant towards other dogs so some care has to be taken. If they do not get their thinking and corporal needs met they can be very destructive. This is not a first time owner's dog as you will need fullness of taste to deal correctly with this breed. This dog can revert to instincts and start to herd population nipping at their ankles; this has to be discouraged at all times. Spend time talking to other owners and breeders before you as a matter of fact consider this breed as it cannot be stressed enough that only taste owners should have this dog.

Health issues: This breed is fairly clean, of the things that can blight other breeds, but they can suffer from aggressiveness or greatest shyness and skin allergies have been reported.

Grooming: This breed needs only to be brushed, with a bristle brush,a few times a week. Bathing is not a good idea, but they can be bathed if as a matter of fact necessary.

Living conditions: This dog will be fine in an apartment but only if given the right whole of exercise. It will like a good garden. In cool climates it can live outdoors but would rather be with its human pack.

Belgian Malinois

Rottweiler Origin or Rottweiler History - Let Us settle Together

When I was considering which breed of dog and the characteristics for the dog I was planning to own I was intrigued by the Rottweiler origin and its majestic attributes, its history and public background.

According to beloved confidence the Rottweiler originated in Germany in a Town called Rottweil and there were known as German Rottweiler Melzgerhund or Rottweiler butcher dogs. There are so named because they would be harness to a cart to pull the butcher,s meat to market.

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The butchers also used to tie their money nearby their Rottweiler,s neck, in order to preclude themselves from being robbed. Rottweilers was also used to herding, some recommend that there were also used for hunting, but today is Rottweiler does not exhibit that tendency.

After the mid-19th century the Rottweiler role changed due to their spellbinding nature. There were use for such things as hunt and rescue, police dogs, arm soldiery dogs, guide dogs, not to mention their most attribute which is as guard dogs.

The Rottweiler origin one can say started sometime in the Roman empire, when the Roman legions used to trip with live meat for the troops, and they use these dogs to herd the live meat and also safe the animals from other wild animals.

These dogs were known as droving dogs, and these are the ones that are determined to be the ancestors the contemporary day Rottweiler and they came from the town of Rottweil. The region of Rottweil soon became an prominent cattle area and these dogs were use as the mainstay of the cattle owners in the herding and safety of their cattle.

Not only did they herd the cattle successfully there were also use successfully to safe them when spellbinding from place to place. While the first and second world war, because of the exceptional Rottweiler history their talents were reassessed, so to speak, and they were drafted into the armed soldiery so to speak.

They had various roles While wartime, there were used as messengers, they were used in the private services and they were also used in combat situations, which suited the rottweiler origin.

In 1914 January 13, as a tribute to their magnificent work the first Rottweiler club was founded, shortly after the first club a amount of other clubs began to spring up with numbers reaching 500 to 3000 Rottweilers. It was While this time the decision was made and there was an amalgamation to form one dominate club.

This club known as the Adrk Gen. German Rottweiler club formed in 1921 and officially documented on January 27th 1924, and in so doing sealed the Rottweiler history. In the registry of clubs and connection in the District Court of stuttgart, which has given the club world wide recognition as the home club of Rottweilers.

Rottweiler Origin or Rottweiler History - Let Us settle Together

The 5 Types of Schnauzers

Schnauzers are a beloved breed of dog that have been nearby for hundreds of years, dating back to the 15th century in Germany. The name schnauzer might seem odd for English speaking people, any way the word "schnauze" is the German word for snout, so it makes exquisite sense as the schnauzer has a very clear snout with long hair.

Originally, Schnauzers were bread to catch rats and to act as guard dogs for property. Now hundreds of years after their introduction, there are now 5 different sizes of schnauzers that have been bread with other types of dogs to originate another unique breed.

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The first of the 5 different types of Schnauzers is the standard schnauzer. The acceptable schnauzer is medium sized dog, standing about 1.5 feet tall and weighing practically 25 - 35 pounds. Throughout history, acceptable Schnauzers have played an integral role in the times of war, acting as messenger dogs, or as guard dogs to important population or property.

Miniature schnauzers are another type of schnauzer which are smaller than the acceptable schnauzer, standing practically 12 inches and weighing in at 13-15 pounds. A tiny schnauzer is known for being active and full of energy, but yet are very smart. The are great with children and make a good family dog as they are rarely aggressive. These dogs were a compound of a acceptable schnauzer bred with a Poodle to make it smaller in size. The tiny schnauzer is absolutely part of the terrier group of dogs and out of all types of schnauzers, it is the most beloved by far as they adapt very well to both rural and urban lifestyles. For those seeing for a dog that is well grand to the house, a schnauzer is very beloved because they shed very tiny and do not carry odors as much as other dogs.

Giant schnauzers are just as the name would suggest; Very large versions of schnauzers. They have been bred by Great Danes or Bouviers and can weigh between 65 and 80 pounds. They too have been used as guard dogs and also by farmers to herd cattle. In some cases, they were even used to pull carts of goods, similar to a horse. They may be black and white in color or could also be solid black.

The last two Schnauzer types are toy schnauzers and teacup schnauzers. They are basically the same, but differ slightly in size and this is how they are distinguished. A toy schnauzer ranges in size from 7.5 to 10 pounds, while the teacup schnauzer is any full grown schnauzer that us under 7 pounds. For the smaller sizes that are carefully teacup schnauzers, they tend to cost more money than the others as they are more rare.

Whether you're seeing for a great family dog for your home in the city, or a dog that will be an sufficient guard dog for your rural property, Schnauzers are flexible and prepared for whether task.

The 5 Types of Schnauzers

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Belize Cayes - A World Away From Reality

As the machine roar melted to a kitten purr and our boat nuzzled up to the Caye Caulker pier, we did a quick catalogue check. Dancing palms, tick. Sun bleached beach, tick. Island motto, "Go Slow", painted lazily on a signpost stuck in the sand, tick. I gave my partner in crime a inexpressive smile. This was the place. We'd escaped...for now.

Bobbing up and down against a tiny Belizean island on the Caribbean Sea wasn't in the primary script. The plan had been to fly into Belize for a quick taste of eco-adventure before slipping over the Guatemalan border. But we'd got greedy, and four days later, we were still there with our hands caught in the performance jar. Jungle hikes, eco-tours, Jaguar spotting, cave tubing, Mayan ruins and mountain bike treks. Where would it end? The equatorial heat was on. We'd needed a place to lay low for a join of days. Somewhere a man could find a secluded beach and lie back and think of England, or everywhere else he'd rather not be. After production a few discreet inquiries we knew there was only one place to hide, and only one man powerful adequate to help us get there. The man known only as, "The maritime concluding mark booth guy".

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So we paid for our boat passes in small, unmarked bills, jumped aboard the first vessel bound for the islands, and left the spoils of mainland adventure in our wake. Not that the warm blue coastal waters were fooling us. Home to more than one hundred and seventy islands, or cayes, and the world's second largest barrier reef, it wouldn't be easy to keep our hands off a bounty of aquatic fun that has tempted travellers since Blackbeard and his Buccaneer posse cruised these waters back in the 1600's. Yet, as we stood on this unassuming wharf and watched our getaway vessel pull out of dock, the captain turned to us with some re-assuring words of advice, "Relax mon. You're on Caye Caulker time now".

If Gilligan had ever taken up real estate development, Caye Caulker town would have been his Big Apple. Dozing peacefully on this slip of an island, the knot of brightly painted ramshackle beach hideaways, deserted beach lots, scattered fishing boats, palm trees, sand floor restaurants, dive huts, and salty old sailors propping up bars at 11am in the morning, makes for the excellent getaway haven.

The jewels in Caye Caulker's crown are it minimalist pleasures. No international resorts, flashy nightclubs, or peak hour traffic. Remember the motto? Go slow. Our mission, and yes we did pick to accept it, was to find a bungalow for as exiguous as forty dollars per night on a quiet stretch of squeaky white sand, treat our palates to an array of seafood delights, and then debrief over a drink at a beach bar watching the sun slip beneath a sheet of Caribbean blue sea. This message will self-indulge in five seconds.

Before long, we'd slipped into the "no shoes, no shirt, no problem" and "sarong, swimsuit, smile" dress code, and immersed ourselves amongst the welcoming band of eclectic castaways. It soon became clear that the local brew of Creoles, Central Americans, and Europeans posed exiguous threat to our free time plans. However, we'd have to keep tabs on the North American retirees swerving along the streets in rickety old golf carts, sending dogs, children and loitering tourists running for cover.

For three excellent days we hid behind sunglasses, cocktail umbrellas and lobster menus, wondering if maybe, just maybe, there would be no more calls to action, and life legitimately was a beach after all. Then one night, whilst minding our own firm over a join of tall Panty Rippers at Popeye's Bar and Restaurant, the bartender told us a man had been in request questions. "Did he know anyone who might like to inspect the reef?" "Had he seen any tourists dance so badly to the reggae band they couldn't possibly show their faces around the island?" The next morning, we went to see a man about a snorkelling tour.

Whilst experienced divers prefer the more thoughprovoking sites in the waters off Caye Ambergris, the gorgeous calm reefs of Caye Caulker offered the ideal setting for first timer submariners like my nervous companion, a Canadian mountain girl, much more at ease in a set of ski's than a pair of flippers.

After the preliminary frustration of studying that this wasn't my opportunity to wear a tight rubber body suit in public, the reef snorkelling trip turned out to be a marvelous experience. We goggled and gawked at the marvelous array of fish, eels, and spectacular coral formations. The highlight of the three-hour tour was Shark Ray Alley, where Nurse sharks circled our wary group from a distance before weaving in for a closer look, and the Southern Ray stingrays slid their titanic wings over our bodies. Both proved to be fairly harmless, if possibly a exiguous fresh for a first date.

For the rest of the day hardly a word was spoken. Mountain girl and I adjourned to our secluded patch of waterfront paradise, soaked up the afternoon sun, and flipped through back issues of Mexican celebrity gossip magazines found discarded in our room - anyone to keep our minds off the fact that our days of sloth were numbered. Back at the bungalow we hatched our plan. We were not giving up our life of free time that easily. We would go down partying. Caye Ambergris awaited and I had a birthday to celebrate.

As the largest, most developed, and most high-priced of the Belizean islands, Caye Ambergris caters well for the first class holiday seeker, with a range of villas, luxury home stays and resorts to pick from. To get ready for our last stand, we checked into the mysteriously named Sun breeze Beach Hotel, close to the main town of San Pedro, for some pampering and beast comforts. The spacious rooms, resort style swimming pool, Jacuzzi, massage studio, swanky outdoor bar, and international flavoured bistro were a world away from the Gilliganism's of Caye Caulker, but at only Usd125 a night, my inner Thurston Howell the third was calling.

Pandered, pleasured, and fed in ways that only money can buy, we climbed to the lookout over the hotel bar. Slipping in the hammock, we witnessed one of the most gorgeous sunsets the Caribbean has to offer. Swinging back and forth with a birthday cocktail in hand, I could truly appreciate how delightfully far we were from anyone resembling an office cubicle. Contemplation over, I made my final charge into the night. Crazy Canucks Bar, crazy Canadian in tow, we drank, laughed and danced embarrassingly to reggae music until sunrise.

The following days we gorged on water sports as fast as Caye Ambergris could dish them up. There was diving amongst some of the world's most gorgeous coral reefs, navigation tours around the island, deep-sea fishing for sailfish and barracuda, jet skiing and paragliding off the sun-tickled beaches. Oh how we feasted!

Our hunger for aqua adventure finally satiated, we wandered into town, plonked our behinds on the nearest bikes for rent, and peddled to the far reaches of the island. Crossing a small river by man-pulling-rope-very-hard-powered ferry to the less populated north island, we cycled along remote dirt tracks lined with sweeping palm trees. Emerging from the bush onto the beach at the edge of the lapping blue Caribbean, it was a unhurried ride along long stretches of white squeaky sand to the "money" end of town.

The north beach plays host to luxurious resort bungalows and inexpressive beach villas. I pondered ambitiously over the For Sale sign standing outside one particularly hedonistic abode. Apparently, the old owner wasn't happy about motoring his 80ft cruiser around all that coral nonsense to moor outside his beach palace. Being the entrepreneurial type, he'd used a few sticks of dynamite to blast a neat exiguous driveway straight through the reef. Unfortunately, the government didn't see it that way and sent him a fine big adequate to clear the Belize national debt. He was last seen paddling a canoe in the direction of Cuba.

A exiguous added along we stumbled across Captain Morgan's Retreat, setting of the primary Temptation Island show. As we stood outside the Mecca of televised drama, so many touching memories came flooding back. Amber and Troy whispering under a palm tree, probably discussing the effects of global warming. Shawana ditching Gary and confessing to Chad 'you had me at "are those things real?"' At that moment, I couldn't help but appreciate the truly foremost things in life. I turned to the ski bunny and told her she had a smile so gorgeous it could approximately pass as cosmetically enhanced.

Peddling across the beach towards town for the last time before heading back to the mainland, we waved goodbye to all the things we loved about the cayes. The lazy palm trees, the ivory white sands, the aqua blue waters, the hammocks swinging in the breeze, the kindly faces, the plastic whale and dolphin fountain splashing water over Jesus outside the pink Jehovah's inspect mansion...the what? Anyway, for a join of repeat adventure trip offenders, it sure made a nice place for a day pass or two.

Some have said I spend too much time living in a fantasy world, that I need to get a grip on reality. Sometimes I think they're right. But then again, they've probably never been to the Belizean cayes.

Belize Cayes - A World Away From Reality

A Most Pimped Cruise! - How I Learned to Love Long Lines, Open My Wallet & Get With the program

The Setup - Although veterans of many cruises, we had never had the "Drive Port" experience. Just throwing all but the dog into the Suv - bypassing the hassle and inconvenience of airports, airlines and transfers - seemed like a good idea. From Memphis the logical choice was Carnival's Triumph pilotage to the Eastern Caribbean out of New Orleans. (7 days-July 24 to 31)

Embarkation - Docs we printed out online indicated boarding was from 12:30p to 2:30p with ship pilotage at 4:00pm. So, we got in line for pier-side unloading and parking at 12:20p. Once parked and out of the Suv we stood in line for about 45 minutes - outdoors - in 95 degree mid-summer New Orleans heat and humidity. (What logistical genius arranged for that little bit of torture?) From parking to boarding the ship took a total of 80 minutes - while which long lines with many switch backs were the norm.

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We were told at the parking/unloading point that, yes, we could schlep our own bags aboard if so inclined. But, just before entering the blessedly air conditioned terminal building, we were singled out from the herd by Colonel Klink and told that three of our bags were oversized and must be checked. He pointed to a little airline type "carry-on-bags-must-fit-in-here-or-we-stab-your-mother" warning sign with size testing receptacle, the volume of which was just big enough to hold a medium sized lunch box. I'm thinking, "they have overhead bins on cruise ships now? So why wasn't that sign positioned back at the unloading point?"

Accommodations - Once on board we were directed to our ocean view cabins on Deck One. The cabins were very spacious and quite comfortable - larger than on most ships - something for which Carnival is noted. Our decision not to splurge on balcony cabins was justified. Total ambiance of the ship seemed spacious.

Our room steward was Jorge from Peru - a very gracious man who seemed eager to please - as did most of the staff.

Waiting in our cabins were bon travel gifts from the Hotel owner and our local company amelioration Manager, fruit baskets, wine, etc. They were greatly appreciated and fast consumed.

Departure - Noticing at 5pm that the gangway had been retracted but we had not yet sailed, an declaration by the captain explained that due to weather - tropical depression Bonnie - and heavy traffic at the river's mouth, pilotage would be delayed until 3am Sunday morning. But, we were reassured that the ship would still reach ports on time. And it did.

Dining - Even though we had officially requested a large table for eight or more, we were seated in a booth for four. The booth was comfortable and cozy, but this was still a frustration for us - we cruise to meet people. The maitre 'd was apologetic and said he'd try to remedy the situation, but did not. Understandably, most citizen want tables reserved for just their group of house and friends, especially while the summer months when traveling with kids. My theory? They probably originally had us booked for a large table...then they saw me tripping and stumbling my way up the gangway sporting a lime green Vampires Suck!  tank top with "Bite Me" tattooed over my jugular. I'm sure they decided then and there that it was best to detach us from the other diners.

The food ranged from midpoint to very, very good. The biggest revising to Carnival's food service is in the presentation. Main dining room offerings were popular ,favorite and gourmand in appearance. However, in actual taste most dishes were about a half star short of deserving of that sobriquet. Some exceptions: the Chilled Avocado Soup, Mongolian Steak Salad, New Zealand Lamb Chops and the Chocolate Souffle were to die for.

Fish dishes, while well spiced and elegantly presented, were consistently served dry and overcooked. Reasoning that it might be due to only icy supplies being ready rather than fresh, I embarked on a test. When the protection guard at the Atlantis Aquarium was looking the other way I scooped up a rare Triggerfish...smuggled it back in my camera case...gave it to ship's chef fifteen minutes before dinner. Yep, served dry and overcooked.

Just when I was about to give up on the Over-Cooked Fish issue, a ray of hope appeared. There on deck five...just around the projection from the casino...the Sushi Cart! But even here the delicacies are tweaked for southern tastes. The Chicken Fried Tuna'Cado Rolls were fabulous!

Entertainment - We took in most of the shows and most were quite good, especially the big production shows. Carnival is one of the few remaining cruise lines to still apply full live orchestras rather than recorded tracks for these complex shows. Sound ability in all venues was excellent. Stage effects and mechanics, such as hydraulically manipulated stage sections and (nearly invisible) cable lifts enabling performers to "fly" were productive and not overly exploited. Site lines in all venues were good. Smoke machines, flash pots and laser strobes were used sparingly and not overdone. Well, maybe the smoke machine didn't add much to bingo...the caller was new and couldn't find the off button.

The Big Easy Show was one of the best production shows I've seen on a cruise ship...and this arrival from someone who worked ships as an entertainer for 12 years. Clearly crafted for a predominantly New Orleans centric audience, my first understanding was "this is a cheap shot - like playing the Star Spangled Banner at a Vfw meeting - a guaranteed standing ovation." But as the show unfolded the choice of music, the performances, costuming and extra effects were outstanding. A very enjoyable experience.

Comedian - Todd Justice started out strong but began to lose us half way thru the show. Todd kept looking at his watch - a surefire momentum killer. Not a good idea unless it is part of the act. It was not.

Magic - A big production/illusion type magic show in the main showroom was a bit repetitive and just ok. A close-up magic show was scheduled for the Venezia Lounge. Although we arrived 20 minutes early there was not an empty seat to be found. It was already standing room only and many were sitting on the floor. This show needs to be in a larger venue. We did not stay.

Specialty Act - Funniest show of the week was Asad, the stage hypnotist. To audience volunteers who were deep under, he gave many of the old tried and true but still funny suggestions with a few novel twists such as..."you desperately want to kiss the someone next to you but they have horribly bad breath".

Asad had a very original closing. Just before dismissing the volunteers he gave them one final suggestion..."you will not remember whatever you have done on stage tonight...until the next time you look in a mirror. Then you will suddenly remember all in vivid detail." Of course immediately following the show sadistic friends and house steered unsuspecting volunteers into the restrooms to "powder their noses". Screams could be heard three decks away.

On-Board Ambiance - With beautiful ships, good food and staff eager to please, Carnival is still all about relentless on-board merchandising and sales promotion - as are all cruise lines in the mass store category. The trade-off is lower fares.

But Carnival can be a bit crass about it sometimes. You don't have to be a cruise snob to feel a bit put out when, for the umpteenth time, you have to walk the length of the ship to find an unblocked stairway or un-mobbed elevator to get from one deck to someone else due to photographers having set up someone else half dozen Photo Op stations.

These all the time seemed to be positioned in the middle of a major staircase or thoroughfare while peak stroll-about-the-ship hours. One night about twelve such setups were in evidence, all at choke points with correspondingly backed up crowds spilling over into on-board shops...where silver tongued sales citizen lay in wait!

(Biz Op - someone could make a fortune selling Photographer Repellant. It could be spray-on...colorless and odorless but making the wearer appear permanently out of focus.)

Also consider that for the two hours prior to departing from Key West, passengers had to stand in line for an midpoint of 30 minutes to get back aboard the ship...and you begin to get my point.

Why can't Ccl take a cue from the good citizen at Disney? Disney has mastered both in-your-face merchandising and crowd control. Carnival execs, are you listening? Can you say Fastpass?

Ports & Shore Excursions - there were three stops on this itinerary.

Freeport - There is a infer why it is called "Freeport". It is totally free of whatever to do. Beaches and shopping are a long cab ride from the ship and nothing to write home about once you get there. We stayed on the ship.

Nassau - One mistake that we can only blame on our own procrastination - not buying tickets in improve to the Atlantis Aquarium & Water Park on Nassau's Paradise Island. Unfortunately, we waited until the day of arrival and in any place we went, the Shore Excursion Desk, the Atlantis hotel itself, other around Paradise Island hotels - the story was the same - sold out, sold out, sold out.

But our carefully girls weren't taking no for acknowledge and gave the go-ahead to our cab driver to do whatever it took to find us Water Park passes.

Tito was the man...a fast talking and (apparently) linked guy. With a grin a mile wide, a mouth full of gold teeth and a cranked up boom box with sub-woofer in the back of his Toyota mini-van, he was an instant hit with our 18-year olds. Meanwhile, I'm testing the van doors to make sure they can be locked and unlocked from the inside.

To add to my nervousness, while careening thru the backstreets of Nassau in Oddjob's sub-woofed ride, my wife is flashing around hundreds of dollars in cash - slowly counting it all out - right there in the open for all to see - making sure we had enough to pay for these bootleg water park passes he is about to score for us. (Tito made it clear he didn't take plastic.)

Meanwhile, I'm about to panic Reasoning "My God, he's going to pull into a back alley where we'll be stripped naked and robbed of everything...at gun point...and left stranded." (Robbery would be survivable...but I wasn't sufficiently medicated for walking back through the Straw Market...naked.)

After numerous furtive phone calls and a back alley rendezvous with local hidden operatives, we had the passes...and Tito had our cash. Miraculously, we did not set off any fraud alarms at the entry to the Aquarium / Water Park.

Key West - arrival here meant more shopping, as well as cheap or free Internet and cell phone connectivity. You can associate via the ship's system but it is a precious way to feed your Facebook habit.

We booked the parasailing excursion, which was a hoot. The departure point is just a short walk across the pier from the ship.

Sea Days - We enjoyed our time on deck, the pools, water slide and the JumboTron (giant outdoor video screen). Yes, Agnes, yours truly got in line with the kids and went down the giant water slide. It was a thrill. Especially the sudden stop in the water trough at the bottom. I was regular for three days afterward.

Question - Who gets to determine what is shown on the ship's huge JumboTron? Sometimes it featured commercials for Carnival or playbacks of highbrow fare such as the Hairy Chest Contest - sometimes a movie or concert video - but each and every morning it was tuned to a local Tv station out of Denver. (Denver?) I kept looking around for a giant remote control.

The Spa - On the last day of the cruise my wife booked me for the ultimate makeover - a hydrating facial with full body massage. Admittedly, it did make me look a good six to eight weeks younger for a few hours. But, like the poor victims of the hypnotist, when I looked in the mirror the next morning...there staring back at me was that well-known 63-year old catcher's mitt with ears. I screamed too.

Conclusion - All in all it was a good cruise and a welcome turn of pace. Would I cruise on Carnival again? Yes, definitely. Would I do whatever differently next time? Yes, a join of things. First, I'd insist on getting that large table for eight or more in the dining room - we just have too much fun swapping lies with new citizen we will never see again. Secondly, I'd make sure to book the two or three most desired shore excursions in advance. And lastly, we need to rein in our on-board profligacy a bit. Oh, I'd also bring along a case of that Photographer Repellant. - Lec

A Most Pimped Cruise! - How I Learned to Love Long Lines, Open My Wallet & Get With the program

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Leaping Into Solo business With Elance As My Net

Some years ago, one month after interesting to a new city for the job, I got laid off. Cost-saving strategies at the Fortune 500 firm I worked for had taken hold that pretty much axed any kind of marketing function in my business unit. So there I was, new to town and with no network. The idea of going out on my own didn't seem workable, so I sent out resumes and started interviewing.

It took me nearly nine months to find a new job in a small software firm and one more year after that to comprehend once and for all that this wasn't the road for me anymore. Far from the autonomous life that I had had in the large corporation, I felt suffocated by the constraints located upon me by my boss. I had tried to make it work but had gotten more and more out of synch with myself. I no longer wanted person else to control my destiny. I wanted to continue in my field, but I wanted to make my own rules.

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The resistance to starting my own business faded in the light of what felt like indentured servitude. I needed to take the reins and steer my own business, even if I ended up development less money initially. Failure would be my failure, success would be my success. Whether way I was willing to be accountable. I was considered to succeed.

I knew that my skills and attitude would spark business. I have talents that small and medium businesses need for prosperous marketing. The interrogate was how I could structure a marketing consulting business that allowed me flexibility, mobility, and time for the rest of life while at the same time pulling in a 6-figure income?

I very deliberately concept straight through what to do to make my foresight a reality. Financially speaking, I had an absolute minimum that must be made every month; I owned a new house, and the linked expenses created a monthly nut that had to be met. Further, my nontraditional marriage required a high degree of mobility. My retired husband lives aboard our boat, and I needed to have both the time and the money to travel back and forth between house and boat. I also needed work that didn't need a lot of client interaction, so that I could absolutely work on the road-have WiFi, will travel, in other words.

I pondered the issue for any days. Then I had a forehead smacking moment. While my unemployed days after the corporate layoff, I started a web site centering on my sailing knowledge as a way to stay productive. I intended to create wage from it, so I studied up on how habitancy were development money from the internet. A coach I signed on with recommend getting help straight through a site called Elance to buy the copy writing so necessary to an online business. I hadn't absolutely listened to that part of the advice; I am a writer, so I could do all that myself. Now, though, as I wrestled with the interrogate of how to launch a business, I remembered Elance, and it hit me. Why not try selling my writing services there?

I checked out the site and found that writing wasn't the only service area that I could try. There was also a sales and marketing area that fit the type of marketing I do. I read straight through the details about how to set up as a service provider. I knew from my first business that there would be stiff competition, with quite a few "bottom feeders" offering services as ridiculously low prices; I also knew that this trend would be even stronger on Elance, because it is a global web site attracting service providers from countries like India where hourly rates are far lower than mine. Finally, there was a good opening that the kind of clients I wanted-owners and Ceos of small and medium businesses-might not be comfortable with buying services sight unseen off a web site, so Elance might not be a vehicle to my target market.

With a high probability that Elance would only be comprised of providers charging far less than I for projects that didn't hit my target market, I wasn't expecting a lot. Still, I thought, it's worth a try. I could swing a six-month subscription for both the writing and marketing service areas, so I decided to make the speculation and reevaluate at the end of the period to see if I wanted to continue. At the very least, I figured, Elance would allow me to bridge between soul-sucking job and prosperous marketing consultancy, and that was great. In I went, then, and started posting bids for projects that seemed approved for me.

The results blew me away.

By the end of my first two months as an Elance provider, I had booked ,000 in projects. And before I hit the six-month mark I was among the top five revenue-producing providers in the writing area-the other four being providers who had been around Elance far longer than I. I found out very quickly that my target market has in fact discovered Elance, and those business owners and Ceos are very willing to buy services sight unseen when the deal works for them. And they are "value buyers" rather than "price buyers," so I had no qoute competitive successfully against the "I will work for nearly nothing" bottom feeders.

I quit my day job a month after I started bidding on Elance, and haven't looked back. The work I have been awarded there, along with referrals I've received from my Elance clients, has built 4-R Marketing into a 6-figure business. All projects are conducted via internet and telephone. With my business whole on my cell phone and my Wi-Fi enabled laptop, I can work in any place that I can get a signal. I have worked at the marina where boat and husband live, in Rv parks when we've gone van camping, and in Starbucks stores in London. I work on my patio, at a local restaurant, and even spent St. Patrick's Day at a "free WiFi" Irish pub, working on projects while listening to live Irish music.

And remember the 60-40 split in my first business? In 4-R, the split is more like 80-20-eighty percent billable time and twenty percent business management! The internet has spawned so many tools and options for business owners to cut down on overhead tasks that I can stay on top of finances, marketing, and selling in a fraction of the time that it once took. I get paid fast, straight through Elance or my own online shopping cart, and I don't miss the days of waiting for the check to arrive in the mail.

Oh, and my work day now averages eight hours, rather than the 12+ of my former business.

None of my clients are in my own city, so I have no need to drive the highways to meetings or networking events. In fact, my car stays in the garage most of the time. My work clothes are shorts in the warm season and sweatpants when it's cold. It's been so long since I took whatever to the dry cleaners I can't remember where they are located. I have time to visit with friends, travel to the boat, take my dogs for long walks, read books, and do crossword puzzles.

What a deal!

Leaping Into Solo business With Elance As My Net

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