How To Make Time for Each Other

In our busy worlds, it can be very hard to actually find time to enjoy each other’s company. If you find you are always passing each other rather than slowing down to speak to one another, it’s time you figured out how to make time for your spouse.

Examine Your Schedule

If you’re constantly on the go, it’s not necessarily healthy for you or your relationship. Relationships need patience and nurturing and many don’t receive the care they need if you never have time to focus on romance. So the first thing in finding time to spend together is to look at what is already on your calendar. Make a daily list of things that you do so that you can see exactly how your life works and what your schedule looks like.

Trim the Fat

Once you’ve got everything on the calendar, start working through your schedule trimming the wasted time and eliminating activities. For example, if you drop your son off at karate, then go pick up your daughter before dropping her off at dance, would you save time by picking up kids up first, dropping them both off, and possibly swinging by to pick up the dry cleaning on the way to or from the activities?

Are you going to the grocery store more than once a week? Would a better list help cut down the trips, or would possibly going to a different store with a bigger selection be better? How many side trips do you make every day and do you really need to stay that late at the office? Can you work through lunch and cut out early a day or two a week, or even run errands during lunch to save time at the end of the day?

Expand Your Network

Once you’ve rearranged your own schedule, reach out to friends and family to see if there is any kind of help out there. Perhaps your daughter’s best friend goes to the same dance class. Could the friend’s mother drop the girls off and you pick them up? Or is your spouse willing to handle one child’s events while you take care of another? You might even be lucky enough to have grandparents nearby who would enjoy picking up the kids and having them over for the evening one day a week.

Schedule a Date

Finally, your new schedule should have some extra time. Immediate fill it up. But this time, you may only schedule two things. The first is time for you – you need time so that you don’t burn out or make yourself sick without adequate rest. The second thing to fill up that time is a date with your spouse. Write him in the calendar in ink. And put his name on your schedule at least once per week. Be sure your spouse has done the same.

Keep the Appointment

The hardest thing about making time for each other is to actually keep the appointment. Spending time together doesn’t have to be a big deal, and you don’t even have to leave the house. Play a board game together or make a special dinner – even if it’s a very late one. Open a bottle of wine and enjoy a romantic movie. Get in a routine of togetherness, and soon you’ll find that you count on that time together for its relaxation and predictability – a bit of calm in an otherwise crazy world.

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How to Tell a Guy You Like Him

Women like to show a guy they care despite the fact that men hear words louder than action. While it can be hard to move away from cooking meals and buying him a new tie to show you care, try to find a way to tell a guy you like him that will actually let him know your feelings in his own language – English.

Say the Words

Saying “I like you” doesn’t have the same power or pressure as the more popular, “I love you.” If you’re not sure it’s love, but you’re pretty sure it’s like, feel free to blurt it out. If you’re too squeamish to say it in the heat of the moment, sneak it in while the two of you are laughing about something else. “Ha, ha – you are so funny! That must be why I like you so much!”

Write the Words

If you find you can’t just say the words, feel free to write them. Bake him a cake the way you secretly want to, but then use a bag of candy or chocolate chips to write it out, “I like you.” Or if that seems to cheesy, write him a little note and slip it in his pocket. Or better yet, text him during the day sometime to keep it light, “You know? I really like you – let’s meet for lunch.” Men like food, and they like to be liked. It’s a win-win all around.

Give the Gift

You’re dying to do it, so go ahead. Show the man you care. But if you’re going to pamper him, do it in a way that the message is clear. Washing his socks is nice, but it doesn’t shout romance. Buy him something totally unexpected such as chocolate dipped peppers or a new plant for his office. Since there couldn’t possibly be any other reason to send a present like that over, your guy should get the message loud and clear.

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How To Meet a Guy Online

Let’s face it!  Today’s dating world is completely different than it was in the old 1960’s drive-in movie with stale popcorn and your dad’s convertible.  Between working longer and longer hours, after work routines, and family activities, it can be hard to find someone who fits the mold you are looking for.  That is where online dating comes into play and meeting a guy online is the newest and best way to do it.

First, let me tell you that it is time to let go of any stigma you might have about dating online. It’s the 21rst century and it’s time for you to climb aboard and enjoy the ride. Plus, meeting someone online can be much safer for you, if done smartly, than traditional dating.

Here is how you can find a guy online and get your first date. It’s fast, it’s easy and you will be surprised  how effective it is. Start by realizing that you have to go to a dating site to fill out some very basic and non intrusive information about yourself. 

After you have established your own profile:

• Check your profile for any errors. It sounds odd, however, there are many men/women alike who say that a poorly spelled or grammatically incorrect profile is definitely a turn off.  90% of online profiles contain errors, make sure yours does not!
• You also need to make sure that you have a great photo posted with those pearly whites showing.  Everybody loves a good smile and profiles that do not have a picture are usually ignored.
• Don’t be shy. The internet is taking away that first awkward introduction.  You can forget about the communication barriers that have held you back before and let people know who you really are.  In other words, BE OPEN and BE HONEST.

After you have your profile:

• Make sure that you have a great attitude towards those who try to meet you, as well as those you try to meet.  You will have more fun and you’ll meet more people by showing the great attitude that you have. Besides, nobody likes a bore.
• You also need to make sure that you are ready for this type of fun.  Meeting someone online is definitely an easy way for you to find someone who shares your same likes/dislikes in many areas. Be prepared and open to meet someone.
• Like they say, "Good things come to those who wait." Don’t expect to find “The one and only” right away.  Get to know people and go on some fun dates. The more experience you have with meeting people online, the more you will understand what works for you.
• Make yourself a goal to date 100 men. With this goal (which is easy to meet in a year) you avoid setting yourself up for failure and increase the chance of meeting Mr. Right and not just a Mr. Right Now.

Make first contact:

• When you go to search for men, keep your initial search to your town only (you can always increase it later) Try and introduce yourself to at least 5-10 new men per week. Once you have exhausted options in your town you can increase the radius of your search.
• After you have found 5-10 men in your area, you can then try to contact them. Send them and e mail, send them an instant message, send them whatever!  The point here, is to make contact.
• Make a personal email template that you send out to the men you chose.  Honestly, it’s not to hard. Just write up a quick intro email, cut and copy it, then save it to your desktop. This email will help you to save a lot of time when introducing yourself to every guy you might be interested in.
• As soon as you get a response, you need to be on the ball and respond back. Men love women who show that they are interested.  Don’t respond within the first five minutes (you are not desperate, and if you are, you don’t want them to know that) but respond back within a day or two. Ensure that your reply is at least three paragraphs long!
• When you do find someone that you share a great interest in, make sure to set up a phone call and then a date. Do not even think about an online relationship until at least three dates.  Plan to set something up and go on that DATE!  Remember to be you and to have fun.

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How To Meet a Girl Online

Let’s face it!  Today’s dating world is completely different than it was in the old 1960’s drive-in movie with stale popcorn and your dad’s convertible.  Between working longer and longer hours, after work routines, and family activities, it can be hard to find someone who fits the mold you are looking for.  That is where online dating comes into play!

First, let me tell you that it is time to let go of any stigma you might have about dating online. It’s the 21rst century and it’s time for you to climb aboard and enjoy the ride. Plus, meeting someone online can be much safer for you, if done smartly, than traditional dating.

Here is how you can find a Girl online and get your first date. It’s fast, it’s easy and you will be surprised  how effective it is. Start by realizing that you have to go to a dating site to fill out some very basic and non intrusive information about yourself. 

After you have established your own profile:

• Check your profile for any errors. It sounds odd, however, there are many men/women alike who say that a poorly spelled or grammatically incorrect profile is definitely a turn off.  90% of online profiles contain errors, make sure yours does not!
• You also need to make sure that you have a great photo posted with those pearly whites showing.  Everybody loves a good smile and profiles that do not have a picture are usually ignored.
• Don’t be shy. The internet is taking away that first awkward introduction.  You can forget about the communication barriers that have held you back before and let people know who you really are.  In other words, BE OPEN and BE HONEST.

After you have your profile:

• Make sure that you have a great attitude towards those who try to meet you, as well as those you try to meet.  You will have more fun and you’ll meet more people by showing the great attitude that you have. Besides, nobody likes a bore.
• You also need to make sure that you are ready for this type of fun.  Meeting someone online is definitely an easy way for you to find someone who shares your same likes/dislikes in many areas. Be prepared and open to meet someone.
• Like they say, “Good things come to those who wait.”  Don’t expect to find “The one and only” right away.  Get to know people and go on some fun dates. The more experience you have with meeting people online, the more you will understand what works for you.
• Make yourself a goal to date 100 men. With this goal (which is easy to meet in a year) you avoid setting yourself up for failure and increase the chance of meeting Mr. Right and not just a Mr. Right Now.

Make first contact:

• When you go to search for men, keep your initial search to your town only (you can always increase it later) Try and introduce yourself to at least 5-10 new men per week. Once you have exhausted options in your town you can increase the radius of your search.
• After you have found 5-10 men in your area, you can then try to contact them. Send them and e mail, send them an instant message, send them whatever!  The point here, is to make contact.
• Make a personal email template that you send out to the men you chose. Honestly, it’s not to hard. Just write up a quick intro email, cut and copy it, then save it to your desktop. This email will help you to save a lot of time when introducing yourself to every Girl you might be interested in.
• As soon as you get a response, you need to be on the ball and respond back. Men love women who show that they are interested.  Don’t respond within the first five minutes (you are not desperate, and if you are, you don’t want them to know that) but respond back within a day or two. Ensure that your reply is at least three paragraphs long!
• When you do find someone that you share a great interest in, make sure to set up a phone call and then a date. Do not even think about an online relationship until at least three dates.  Plan to set something up and go on that DATE!  Remember to be you and to have fun.

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How To Write a Cover Letter

What is a cover letter? Obviously, it is a letter. This letter gives your employer a background of its proceeding documents (resumes, bio data, etc) for possible employment. It gives the reader (in this case, the employer) an introduction on what to expect in the proceeding documents.

Since it is an introduction (that’s why it is called a cover letter) of your job application documents, it must be written as professionally as possible. This is because you want to impress your employer from the start so that you will be his choice for the job you seek. The following are points to ponder in writing a professional cover letter.

General Directives:

A cover letter is written in a one whole page. Thus you may want to include important information about yourself. Avoid irrelevant information, for they will fill valuable space (which is intended for the most important ones) in your one-page cover letter. Be general in your cover letter. Reserve the specifics in the resume.

In writing a professional cover letter, it is obvious to write it with correct spelling and grammar. Come to think of this: do you expect a professional to be wrong, especially in the most basic terms? Consider proper spelling of words, word association (like subject-verb agreement), etc. Also please use simple words that can be easily understood. Don’t use highfaluting words that cause “nosebleeds” to readers. Thus using such terms will bring you to nothing.

Unlike resumes, cover letters are written in a first person perspective. Thus the use of the terms “I”, “my”, and the like are to be maximized. A cover letter is a personal introduction about you. Thus you must personalize its form.

Specific Directives:

Generally, a cover letter is composed of three paragraphs. Each paragraph contains specific information about you.

An introduction of the self must be contained in the first paragraph. It tells about you as yourself. It also tells about your desire to work with the company you are applying to and why the company wants your services. It must be short, but not hurried.

The second paragraph includes your professional career history and educational background. It must be included in this paragraph the skill, experiences, educational background, and job history acquired prior to the job you are applying for.

The third and last paragraph must include the opportunities that the company has in having you. You must also include a sentence which expresses an appointment time with the company.

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How to Sew Curtains

Adding curtains to a window can make a room look much homier and can add a personal and colorful touch to a room. By sewing these curtains yourself, you can customize your curtains to be the material you want, the size you need, and the style that best suits you. While this project may at first seem daunting, don’t let the idea of sewing your own curtains intimidate you.

Measure the Window

The first thing to do is to measure the window. Using a tape measure, carefully determine the height and width of the window. The dimensions of your fabric will not match the dimensions of the window. Double the width of the window to determine the needed width of your curtains. Add eight inches to the height of your window, or if you want longer panels, add additional height. Write down these dimensions.

Prepare the Material

Curtains can be made from almost any kind of material. From polyester-blend bed-sheets to organza, find a material in a style and color that matches the home decorations in your room. Wash and dry the material to prevent shrinking later on, and iron the material if needed. Cut the material to the needed dimensions. To make two panel curtains, you will cut two pieces of identically-sized material, each measuring the whole width of the window and the height plus eight inches or more.

Sew the Curtains

After your material is prepared, you can use a sewing machine loaded with thread that matches the color of your material to hem the edges of your curtains. To do this, fold each side and the bottom over one inch, then again one more inch. Pin the folds in place and sew your hem to prevent fraying.

To present a nice edge to your curtains, iron them. Fold the top the same way, but after the second fold, bring the top down three inches and sew a seam right through the middle. Sew another seam one inch from the top to form the rod pocket. Use any extra material to make tie backs to match your curtains. Use the proper hardware to hang your new curtains in your window, and look back on your project with pride!

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How to Measure for Blinds

If you’re hanging new blinds, before you order, be sure you measure six times. That may seem extreme, but measuring blinds requires three measurements on each window. And you’ll want to measure twice just to be sure you got each one right the first time. Thus, you’ll be doing at least six measurements per window.

Gather Supplies

To measure for blinds, you’ll need a metal measuring tape, a stepladder, a pencil and a pad of paper. Be sure you use a metal measuring tape as a fabric one can stretch and give you a false measurement.

Measure

To measure the window, climb on your stepladder and measure the top of the window first. Then measure the middle, and then the bottom. It’s very common to have different widths at different parts of the window, hence the three measurements. All measurements should be across the window in a straight line to check width. Measure to an eighth of an inch and write down all three. Then measure the length of the window in at least two places. This measurement is not as critical.

Once you have all of the measurements recorded, take the smallest of the three widths and record it as the official width of the window. The blinds will fit most snugly here, and you don’t want them too wide.

Order

When you have all of your measurements ready, order your new blinds rounding your measurements to the nearest eighth or quarter inch – whatever the company uses. Do not account for wiggle room as the company already does this for you. The hardware will cut a quarter-inch off each side of the window, so use your exact measurement (the smallest one.)

When the blinds arrive, you should use the manufacturer’s suggestions for hanging them in your windows.

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How to Make Christmas Table Decorations

The shopping is done, the tree is decorated, the presents are wrapped, but something is still missing. When all your guests gather around the table for the Christmas dinner you have spent hours preparing, what will they see? A bare tabletop? Let’s hope not. With a few simple touches, your dinner table can become a showcase for some beautiful Christmas decorations.

Centerpiece

The centerpiece will be the focal point of your table, at least until Aunt Mary starts telling embarrassing old family stories. While you can purchase a fresh or silk flower arrangement, a sculpture or figurine of some kind, or a potted poinsettia, there are other options that you can assemble yourself on a budget. Try filling a pair of clear glass hurricane lamps with cheap and colorful glass globe Christmas ornaments. You can also use a vase to hold peppermints or small red and green candies. Use the candy to support a classic taper candle or a small group of artificial flowers fitting for the winter season.

Napkin Rings

A great opportunity to add a personal touch to your table is with your napkin rings. Napkin rings can be a pricy investment, or they can be a creative outlet of your holiday spirit. For a basic approach, cut one inch segments from the cardboard tube inside your wrapping paper. You can cover these with the wrapping paper itself, or paint or color the cardboard. Hot glue a small ornament to the top of the napkin ring. Another option is to string festive beads or buttons on a piece of elastic. Whatever you create, your guests will appreciate the time and creativity you invested in this Christmas decoration.

Placecards

For large or small crowds, use placecards to not only help guests find their place at the table, but to showcase your holiday spirit. You can adapt gift tags to be placecards, or glue rectangles of wrapping paper on a stiff backing and write guests’ names on your homemade place card. Another option is to cut a Christmassy shape such as a star or bell out of cardboard and cover it with aluminum foil. A permanent marker will have no problem writing on the surface, making a lovely placecard.

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How To Write An Unsent Letter

The unsent letter is a journalism tool often used when you, the writer, have something you want to say to someone and are unable to tell them directly.  Whether the person is physically absent from your life or there are other extenuating circumstances, an unsent letter can help diffuse the negativity of holding something inside.

What are some of the times you might choose to write an unsent letter?

• When the person you want to write is not able to listen.  (The person is dead or in a coma or otherwise completely beyond your voice’s reach.)
• When the person you want to write is not willing to listen.  (The person no longer wants a relationship with you or you are still in a relationship but know from past experience that there are certain things they will never hear due to their own denial.)
• When what you want to say may be more hurtful than helpful.  (You are so angry or hurt by the other person that you need to get that raw emotion out on paper or you will be eaten up by it.)
• When what you want to say is something you don’t necessarily want the other person to know at this point in time.  (You have a personal confession to make but are not ready to fully disclose yourself to the other person.)

The purpose of the unsent letter is to afford you the opportunity to say it all, everything from pain to rage, without fear of reprisal.  You can tell someone to take a long trip off a short pier or confess that, even though they have moved on with their lives, you are still very much in love with them.  You can tell a parent how much their neglect and abuse damaged you; or tell your rebellious child how painful it is to watch self-destructive patterns repeat themselves from one generation to the next.  You can tell a teacher what you really think of the grade you received or your boss what you really think about your job.  The unsent letter can be as rich or frivolous as you need for it to be.

Before you begin to write your letter, set aside a block of uninterrupted time for the actual writing.  Allow at least thirty minutes but be prepared to spend more time because it is not unusual to find yourself pouring out more than you had initially anticipated writing.  It is also not unusual to find that the emotion with which you started writing changes as you write.  I have begun an unsent letter furious with anger and have the letter shift into a compassionate confession where I try to understand why something happened.  Then again, you may find yourself filling pages with vitriolic accusations and never stray from that fury.  There is no right or wrong when writing an unsent letter and very few rules apply.  In fact, there are only three.

One
When writing the unsent letter the first thing you want to do is to date your letter, just as you would any other journal entry or letter you would write.  You want to date your unsent letter for your own purposes.  A year (or ten) from now, if you should reread your letter, you may be surprised by how much your personal attitude towards the person or situation have changed.  This is to be expected but you won’t be able to fully appreciate how far you have come if you don’t know when you were at this place emotionally speaking and needed to write the letter to begin with.

Two
Write honestly and without hesitation. Do not stop to revise yourself.  Above all else, do not censor yourself.  Nobody is going to read what you write.  You are not going to send this to the person.  You don’t have to worry about anyone judging you for being too angry, too weak, too pathetic.  Let everything pour out onto the page, whether you compose it with pen and paper or on a keyboard.  Give yourself to be as transparent as you can be.

Three
This should be obvious but do not send the letter.  Sometimes it is tempting to do so, especially if the person you are writing is still alive.  The consequences of sending the letter are manifold.  If you go into writing this letter without the intention of sending it, you are likely to say things that the other person is not prepared to hear.  Yes, you may want to tell your former lover how much their absence grieves you but it is unlikely that you will receive any sympathy after your letter is read.  If anything, he or she may think you are trying to be manipulative. 

Writing the unsent letter is not meant to be an opportunity for you to tell anyone else what you need to say; its purpose is to afford you the opportunity to say what you want and need to say in spite of the other person’s willingness or ability to listen.  This journalist exercise is incredibly powerful and, although it seems simplistic and may even appear to be useless, the truth is I know of no better way to express yourself honestly and without concern for repercussions than by writing unsent letter.  If you simply must have someone read it afterwards, you can always share it with a friend or you can post it anonymously on the internet. 

The unsent letter is an opportunity to give yourself closure where none is offered and the benefits may not be fully appreciated when you first undertake writing one but you can and will benefit from it in the long run. 

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How To Write an Essay

The formal essay is a fundamental in education. A formal essay is the best way to share knowledge on a particular topic and is a very popular form of exam. An essay can be personal or research based, but an essay generally follows the same format.

The Outline:

A well written essay can easily be tied back to an outline. It is heavily framed than then fleshed out with details. An outline for a classic five paragraph essay looks like this:

I. Introductory Paragraph

II. Main Idea #1

a. Detail about Main Idea #1

b. Detail about Main Idea #1

c. Detail about Main Idea #1

III. Main Idea #2

a. Detail about Main Idea #2

b. Detail about Main Idea #2

c. Detail about Main Idea #2

IV. Main Idea #3

a. Detail about Main Idea #3

b. Detail about Main Idea #3

c. Detail about Main Idea #3

V. Closing Paragraph and Summary

Introductory Paragraph:

The introduction to your essay should contain your thesis statement. This is the one sentence that summarizes your entire paper. All supporting paragraphs will provide details about this statement, so it must be broad enough to say your complete message, but it also must make a solid point. Generally the thesis statement is the first or last sentient of the introductory paragraph.

Body Paragraphs:

Each of the body paragraphs in an essay makes a point. Each paragraph should follow the same format as shown by the outline above. The first sentience of each is the topic sentence for that paragraph. The topic sentence should contain only one supporting point, such as “The French Revolution was disappointing to many of the French peasants of the time.”

Then, each of the remaining 3-4 sentences should give details and proof as to how and why the peasants were disappointed. Each paragraph should make a different point with at least two supporting statements and details following the topic sentence. You can have as many body paragraphs as you do points to make.

The Closing Paragraph:

After you have introduced your topic and stated your point using your thesis statement, you offer support. Your body paragraphs offer supporting statements and details that show your thesis statement to be correct. Finally, you must wrap up your support and close the paper using a powerful ending.

The closing paragraph restates your thesis and ties in the supporting statements. Ideally you should have a powerful final statement that will linger in the mind of your reader and help cement your point. In some cases, the closing paragraph could be shortened to a single sentence and tacked onto the end of the final body paragraph, but it is cleaner to simply add a final paragraph.

Essay Overview:

From a very high perspective, an essay is clean and tidy. You first introduce your topic and tell the reader what you are about to say. Then, you say it. Finally, you wrap it up and tell the reader what you just said. There is no room for extra items or long drawn out side stories.

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