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Consider Adopting an Older Dog

Puppies are cute and everyone loves a puppy. You will get a lot of love and liveliness from a puppy. Puppies are young and will live a long time. But have you ever considered adopting an older dog?

There are plenty of old dogs in our animal shelters these days. These old dogs have been left behind for various reasons. Their people may have died or had to move and couldn’t take them with them so they end up in a shelter. These old dogs need to find homes with people to call their own. Old dogs need people who will love them and take good care of them in their old age.

Adopting an old dog can be great. Old dogs usually have some training or are completely trained. Old dogs are calm and not as wild as a young pup is so they don’t require as much attention as a puppy does. If you adopt a old dog you will get an animal with some experience under its belt. .Old dogs can teach you some new tricks. Sure old dogs have some quirks but with love and patience you can help an old dog feel and act better. You can help an old dog become a important part of your family.

When you adopt an older dog you are giving that dog a new opportunity to life. The dog is getting a new home and you are getting a real treasure. Old dogs can be patient and understanding of a humans mistakes. If you are a first time dog owner an old dog can help you get used to the dogs ways.

Old dogs can also teach young dogs. As a rule dogs do not like to be alone so if you have two dogs they can keep each other company. If you have a puppy that is having a hard time being trained you may want to consider adopting an older dog. An older dog can actually teach the puppy proper manners and it can make puppy training easier for you. Puppies look up to older dogs and watch them closely. Then the puppy mimics what the older dog does so without knowing it the older dog actually teaches the puppy proper manners.

Older dogs have sewn their wild oats so they are more of a companion. They want to please you and they will spend a lot of time trying to be with you. Dogs love to be with people. Children and dogs go will with each other since they like to play and cuddle. If your child is begging for a puppy maybe an older dog might be a better first dog for a child. That way the dog is already trained and the dog can train the child to know what it is like to have a dog.

Any pet is a big responsibility so before you adopt a new pet make sure you are ready for it. This is why it is advisable to educate yourself first before making any decision. This will help you learn the things so you can be a responsible pet owner. To help you out, you can find more info here.

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

When Your Dog Has Separation Anxiety

Just like humans, dogs and other animals can be afflicted with psychological problems. The primary one is separation anxiety, which has many causes, and can manifest itself into undesirable behavior. Many owners cannot properly cope with this issue, as their dog will become uncontrollable due to this health condition. While it is normal to have a decent human canine bond, some dogs are “too clingy,” and sometimes need the professional help of a trained veterinarian.

For most cases, separation anxiety can be handled by the owner. Most of this starts with the early months of owning a puppy. While it is hard to do, you must wean your new dog from being around you at every single moment. After a week of puppy ownership, where you have established the beginning of a solid relationship, start to take short trips out of the house. Make sure they do not extend over half and hour at the beginning, as it is important to build up your levels of separation at a gradual basis. Add a half hour of time every week, and your dog should be adjusted to the fact that you always return after leaving.

If you have an older dog that has separation anxiety, try playing classical music when out of the house. This sometimes soothes the dog, and some people have had luck with talk shows as well. Another excellent idea is to leave a blanket with your scent near the dog bed. This will help your dog understand that you are always close to him, and will offer an additional layer of comfort. Do check on your dog as often as your schedule permits, and always reassure him that you’ll be back soon. If you are going to be out for an extended period of time, consider hiring a dog walker to take him out for a stroll, or have a reputable neighbor check in on him.

For most dogs, these techniques will be enough. However, there are extreme cases,where separation anxiety can cause serious behavioral problems. There have been instances where owners have come back to a house that has been destroyed by the dog, or where this condition can lead to additional health problems. This is where it is crucial to get medical treatment for your dog, and a well trained veterinarian should be able to find the proper prescription. Dogs can handle some therapeutic drugs that were originally designed for humans, and these can be a big help in alleviating some of the pain caused by separation anxiety. There are also canine psychologists, who might be able to assist you with behavior modification. To help you more, you can check some reviews, tips and articles that talk about the separation anxiety of dogs. Blog posts and some tutorials will help you to know the right and proper techniques to deal with your anxious dog.

Thankfully, most dogs do not suffer from this medical condition, and the ones that do are usually mild cases. A lot of these problems can be reduced or eliminated by early training, and showing your four legged friend love and understanding. Spending time with them, and making sure that they have proper exercise, has been scientifically proven to help with this health issue. Since dogs experience similar emotions that humans do, the best thing you can do for them is to watch out for this condition, and get treatment for it if necessary.

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

3 Important Dog Training Tips

I was very excited when I first brought my beautiful puppy home. She was the sweetest thing and had the most beautiful eyes. I did not realize how much work it would truly take to turn her into the obedient dog that she is now. If you have a puppy and do not have time to train him/her it would be best to give your dog to someone who has time for them because dogs deserve to be loved. Many people become frustrated because a dog is very much like a child in the sense that it does not understand right from wrong until it is instilled in them. I am going to provide a few basic tips that have definitely helped me train my dog. My house is no longer a mess and things are no longer being chewed up!

Tip #1-

Always keep your puppy in a cage until they stop chewing on things. Many people believe that it is cruel to put your puppy in a cage. What is much more cruel that putting a puppy in a cage is punishing your dog for doing things after they have done them. If you come home to your shoes being chewed up and spread all over the floor it is not your dogs fault. A dog does not realize what he/she did wrong after 30 seconds. That means that you must discipline your dog during the terrible act. Keep you dog in a cage until you have properly trained him/her to not chew things up. Puppies are very similar to babies when it comes down to teeth. When a puppy has baby teeth coming in it can be very painful and chewing on things relieves the pain. Be a good owner and purchase several chew toys for your dog. Once the chew toys are completely torn up purchase more toys for your dog. If you can not afford to purchase toys for your dog on a regular basis then you should not own a dog. For the training of the puppies, the selection of the imp source should be done through the person. The purchasing of the food items will be made from the official websites that delivers effective results. Different toys for the pets can be purchased from the site at cheap rates according to the budget prepared. 

Tip #2-

Spend quality time with your dog. If you are coming home to your home a wreck and your things being chewed up then you may not be spending enough time with your dog. A dog will develop anxiety if they do not get the attention that they deserve. Always take your dog for a walk on a regular basis. If you puppy is cooped up inside the house all of the time they are going to cause you unnecessary stress because they need to be outside. A dog is meant to be outside. You dog deserves to play in the yard and enjoy the nice weather. If you happen to have a dog and you do not have a yard then make it a special effort to take your dog on a daily walk each and every day. This could be a great time to spend quality time with your family as well. Take your family and your dog to the park and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Tip #3-

Do not hit your dog! If you hit your dog then you are definitely setting yourself up for failure with training your dog. I am pretty sure that you do not enjoy getting hit and your dog does not enjoy getting hit either. The best way to discipline your dog is with a spray bottle. Simply fill up a clean spray bottle with water and every time you catch your dog in the middle of doing something wrong spray him/her with the bottle and tell them no. This is a very popular way to discipline a dog if they are doing wrong. If you make this a habit you will eventually have a very obedient dog.

 

Training a puppy is never easy. I hope that these tips will help you out and help you enjoy having your puppy. Good luck to you!

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

Building a Simple, Affordable Skylight Cover

Living in the state of Washington, I love having a skylight in my kitchen for ten months out of the year. But in the summer months, the skylight turns my kitchen into an oven. I needed to come up with a simple, affordable skylight cover that I could put up easily in summer and remove again in winter. Here’s what I came up with.

My idea

I decided to hang a blanket over the window. I planned to leave permanent hooks in the wall around my skylight. I also planned to attach clip-on rings to a blanket and leave them permanently. Then I could hang the curtain when I needed to cover the skylight, or remove it when I wanted to expose the window. Here’s how I put together my simple, affordable skylight cover.

Finding a blanket

I measured the width and length of the window. Next, I looked for a blanket that will be ten inches larger than both measurements. I also wanted a blanket that will be heavy-weight, so it could filter some of the light away. Finally, I needed a blanket in a bland color that will not fade in the sun, as well as a color that will look good against the ceiling of my kitchen. Knowing exactly what I wanted, I went to a home store and found a cheap blanket at once.

The blanket wasn’t as bland in color as I wanted it to be but still it was better than the other samples in the store and this is something that every home builder in PA would want.

What I used

I found small hook screws at a home improvement store. I chose gold ones as they would look nice against my skylight. Next, I found curtain clip-on rings at a craft store. Again, I chose gold finish for the rings. All I needed now was a tall ladder so I could reach my skylight.

Inserting the screw hooks

Using a measuring tape, I drove each screw hook by hand about ten inches into the frame of my skylight. To decide on the best spacing between the screw hooks, I divided the length and width measurements. I saw I could fit 6 screw hooks 11 inches apart.

Matching the clip-on rings to the hooks

I now spread the blanket on the floor. I then used a piece of string to mark where the frame of the window would fit on the blanket (about ten inches inwardly). Next, I measured 11 inches distances and attached the clip-on rings.

Hanging my skylight cover

Hanging the skylight was easy. I started in the corner. If a clip-on ring proved to be a little off, I simply moved it a few inches to the left or right, as needed.

In all, it took ten minutes to make my skylight cover and to hang it. When I take it down in winter, I store the blanket with the clip-on rings on it. Then in summer I bring it out and hang it on the screw hooks, which remain in place year-round.

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

The Quickest Weight Loss, Healthy, Looking Great Plan in History

To lose weight, be healthy, and look great, follow this:

Throw out or eat up all of the fattening foods that you have in the house. Never buy these again unless….you are having an uncontrollable craving that you have to satisfy. I’ll cover this in more detail later.

After you have taken care of that, you’ll be ready to move on.

On this plan, you will have a limitless amount of food choices to choose from every day! However, to keep a healthy balance, I have come up with what I call a “rotation plan”. Eat a fruit, vegetable, carbohydrate, and a fat with every meal. I have outlined the amount below. However, with carbohydrates and fats, this will require more focus. With this plan, a food that has over 7 grams of fat per serving will count as a fat. If not, it will count as a carbohydrate, even if it is relatively low in the amount. If your food does not have a label, do a little research and find out what the ingredients are.

  • Fruits (moderate amount)
  • Vegetables (no limit)
  • Carbohydrates (minimal amount)
  • Fat (minimal amount)
  • Juice made from a juicer (moderate amount)
  • Water (no limit)

If you’re still hungry after eating your meal, repeat with another fruit, then a vegetable, carbohydrate, and fat, until full. Follow the guide above- fruits (moderate amount), vegetables (no limit) and so forth. Of course, no 3 servings of pasta with five pieces of bread as your carbohydrate serving! Read the label and eat the serving amount only! This includes all beverages as well other than water.

  • Helpful hint: “Healthy” fats are avocados, nuts, seeds, and organic peanut butter. Not candy bars!
  • Exercise (aerobic) at least 20 minutes every day! Suggestions: Riding a bike, walking, etc.
  • Exercise some more (crunches) at least 5 minutes every other day (not counting resting in between)
  • Eat three meals a day! (No combining all three at once if you skip breakfast and lunch )
  • Eat your biggest meal at lunchtime. Then, begin to eat lighter and lighter as the day progresses.

When you feel a satisfied full, not a stuffed full, that’s means stop eating! Wait about twenty minutes after you finish eating before deciding that you are not satisfied and continue to rotate. Only one serving of each per rotation. Keep rotating until full.

You can combine: If your sandwich has vegetables along with your fat and carb (the bread) then you have rotated everything successfully (except the fruit, which would be next).

Do not drink while eating!

Drink water all day every day.

Buy a juicer and juice three times a week. (The combination of six medium -sized carrots, one apple, one fourth of a medium-sized beet, and a handful of kale is best.) Juicing counts as one of your meals. (I suggest doing this for breakfast.)

If you like to snack, do it. Just remember to keep an eye on the serving size, then rotate. (For example, if you eat a serving of potato chips, and you want more, it will then be time to snack on carrots. )

Don’t forget to follow the guide above for exercise!

Absolutely no food or drinks (except water) after 8 p.m.

Also, it is important to do a juice fast once a week. (See the juice recipe above.) This is the natural way of cleaning out your colon. Have as much juice as you like on your fasting day.

If you have a craving that you cannot control, and it’s about to drive you crazy, satisfy it. Eat as much of “that fattening food” as you want , but only do this once a week! This also applies if after 8 p.m., you drink anything other than water. This is your one “get out of jail free” card for the week.

In closing: If you skip any part of this plan, the whole thing is no good! Therefore, the plan itself did not fail, it was not properly followed! Also, you must be totally disgusted at yourself being overweight, and totally disgusted at other overweight people as well. This is the mindset of thin people. For example, if someone magically added 100 pounds to me, I would be so upset that I would fast until the weight was gone. This is the mindset that you need to have for sustained weight loss. Also, if you give in to the food, end the plan, and gain all your weight back, don’t give up. You just aren’t committed enough at this point in your life. But don’t get frustrated. This diet plan will always be here for you when you’re ready to really do it!

Have fun!

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

The Independent Moviemaker – Understanding Genre: the Western

Genre is one of the most misunderstood concepts in filmmaking. Many consider genre a limitation, but it’s not – it’s a liberation. Genre is an invaluable tool to use when crafting your film because it helps quantify your story. It places a set of expectations that can be used in any way you see fit, from subversion to fulfillment. Even if you don’t want to write a film that fits a particular genre, you must understand the rules of genre before you can break them.

One thoroughly American genre is the Western. Every culture has its mythological age. In England, it’s the Arthurian legend. In Japan, the samurai era. The Western represents America’s mythological age. Its trappings are as familiar as an old pair of shoes, yet familiarity doesn’t necessarily mean understanding.

Motifs of The Western

  1. The hero is skilled with guns and horses.
  2. The hero is untamed, moral and decent. He is typically a loner who is not quite at home in civilized company. The hero is a character that can move between worlds – town (representing civilization) and the vast wilderness (representing untamed nature).
  3. The land can be considered a character in the Western. It is both pastoral and untamed – almost sacred.
  4. The antagonist wants to accumulate wealth and power by any means possible. Typical antagonists are members of the merchant class who are too greedy for their own good.
  5. Conflict for the hero in the Western comes in the form of untamed nature versus civilization. Although the hero’s heart lies with the primal forces of the natural world, his head lies with civilization. This battle between the two drives the hero’s internal conflict.
  6. The story contains many ritualized elements including gunfights, showdowns, cattle drives, saloons, etc…. These serve as focal points in the drama to unfold.

Although the Western has changed over the years, these elements represent the classic form of Western that provided the basis for countless movies up until the 1960s. After that, the form began to be subverted to maintain interest in the genre.

While many filmmakers may feel this genre has been done to death (and they are essentially correct), this form is eminently adaptable to many different settings. Star Wars is essentially a western set in space. The cantina sequence represents the saloon. Replace guns and horses with blasters and spaceships, and you’ll find Han Solo fitting into the hero mold. Lucas’ technique was to split the classic western hero into several constituent parts. If you look at Luke as the little boy in the classic western, Shane, you see several similarities between the two farm boys. The antagonist, Darth Vader, wants to accumulate power by any means possible. The showdown, rather than using six guns, features light sabers. Even the desert locale of Tatooine, is reminiscent of the sandy plains of the Old West. The classic Western struggle between nature and civilization is hammered home in Star Wars. Think about Vader’s speech in the Death Star – “Don’t be too proud of this technological terror….” The conflict in Star Wars is technology (civilization) versus the forces of nature (the Force.) The hero role switches to Luke at the end of the film, and he has the internal struggle of going with technology or nature.

Classics of the Western Genre

Several films stand out as fully realized versions of The Western genre. In no particular order they are:

  • The Searchers – (1956) Directed by: John Ford
  • Stagecoach – (1939) Directed by: John Ford
  • Dances with Wolves – (1990) Directed by: Kevin Costner
  • Shane – (1953) Directed by: George Stevens
  • High Noon – (1952) Directed by: Fred Zinnemann
  • Subversions of the Western Genre

As the Western rolled on into the 1950s and ’60s, filmmakers began experimenting with audience expectations and the classic conventions of the genre. The following films are good examples of how to use genre to subvert audience expectations and remake this genre in a different mold.

  • The Wild Bunch – (1969) Directed by: Sam Peckinpah
  • Winchester ’73 – (1950) Directed by: Anthony Mann
  • Unforgiven – (1992) Directed by: Clint Eastwood
  • The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) Directed by: Clint Eastwood

For these films to work, the audience and the filmmaker have to understand the conventions of the genre. This is the power of genre. You can use built-in expectations as devices to propel your stories, and you don’t have to devote screen time to them – they already come within the audience.

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

The Bachelor: the Bachelor Final Four Contestants – Secrets and Plastic Surgery

We all know “The Bachelor” final contestants have little secrets, some history, and suspected plastic surgery. Even though we’re aware of these facts, we like to learn more about it. According to US magazine, two of the final Bachelor contestants have had breast implants, one hated the results, and another has an ex-husband who speaks out. What are the final four contestants of “The Bachelor” really like?

The Bachelor Final Four Contestants: Nerdy Past

You’d think a stint on “The Bachelor” would improve the confidence level of swimsuit model, Gia. The model from Queens, NYC never had a boyfriend in high school, according to a childhood pal. However, another source claimed Gia was so popular, she hooked up with everyone in spite of coming off innocent. From what we’ve seen on “The Bachelor,” Gia bonded with Jake over their high school pasts of being nerds and ugly ducklings. What time can do for people. If you learn anything from this fact, never underestimate the nerdy types in your school!

The Bachelor Final Four Contestants: Boob Jobs

When it comes to plastic surgery, US magazine reports Vienna had a boob job done by taking $5,000 out of her ex-husband’s account. Her ex, Josh Riley, reported, “She told me her dad paid for them!” The truth? It was one of the few things daddy didn’t buy Vienna. She siphoned it out of Josh’s account when he was a Marine deployed in Iraq.

Gia had the same procedure, but wasn’t happy, according to her friend, Amanda Olson. “She was so unhappy with the first surgery, she had to get them redone,” Olson says. Breast implants wasn’t the only work Gia had done. Olson claims she had her nose reshaped as well, but her lips are natural.

The Bachelor Final Four Contestants: Vienna’s Ex Speaks Out

Vienna has had a lot of luck on “The Bachelor” as one of the narrowing contestants, but she’s not viewed in a very flattering light. Her ex-husband, Josh told US, “I’m 99% sure she cheated on me. My friends would see her with other guys partying.” How on earth can Jake still keep her around with the blatant contempt her fellow contestants have for her? He can never say he wasn’t warned!

The Bachelor Final Four Contestants: Ali Likes Older Men

What about Bachelor contestant, Ali? She has no dirty secrets as far as US could report. The contestant for Jake on “The Bachelor” is known as the fun-loving girl next door, except for her vendetta with Vienna. Her type is older guys and “has had several serious relationships,” a pal tells US. Her pal adds, “but Ali needs to be open instead of talking behind someone’s back.”

The Bachelor Final Four Contestants: Tenley the Cleanest

As for sweet Tenley, a source close to her tells US she posted Bible verses on Facebook to cope with her husband’s infidelity. Apparently her ex-husband is engaged to the fellow cop he cheated with. The good news is her ex’s family wishes her well.

Source: US Magazine

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

The American College Dream and Why It’s Flushing Down Uncle Sam’s Toilet

It’s the norm for high school graduates to attend college immediately after they graduate high school. It’s ridiculous. These young adults should be supported by their parents to go pursue their dreams whether they have to go to school for it or not. I can name a good amount of of successful individuals that never completed a college degree: John D. Rockefeller, Walt Disney, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, and Steven Spielberg. All of these men decided what they wanted to do in life and quickly attacked their targets like some wild lions that were starving for a couple days. Aggressiveness should be used in certain situations but not frequently. You don’t want people thinking you’re an addict or just someone who requires deep assistance in anger management.

As an out-of-state student, I am already in debt for nearly my whole life. Of course, I’m not alone in this. Many students reading this article are probably at the same point in life as me. In an ideal world, students should attend university strictly to gain knowledge. But yet, I find a lack of motivation to be overpowering my will to do well in my classes. That’s why ADHD medicine such as Ritalin and Adderall are pretty much going around like currency on most campuses.

Technology has shown to be a growing issue as one of the leading causes of short attention spans in the upcoming wave of Twitter Babies. Believe it or not, television, the internet, and other machines are gradually rewiring our brains. We are getting used to having multiple things occurring at the same time. For example, I usually find myself listening to music, watching television, and completing an essay that’s due within a couple hours all at the same time.

Many college professors try to stick to the same tired teaching method of mostly oral and written notes on the blackboard. Some people just forget what year it is. I understand that technology is advancing too quick to be keeping track of it, but we have to know how people’s brains are working now compared to 30 or 40 years ago. The only way you direct someone’s attention toward yourself and hold onto it is if you present mostly visual content such as images, videos, and creatively designed power points. It’s sad but so true in the many students that I’ve been observing.

Even if teaching methods of professors were changed throughout the country, is it really worth it to spend around $100,000 to go to school for a few years? Isn’t the goal to be making money after you get your degree? Then how come you find yourself in a huge debt afterward? There is someone I know named John. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in the West Coast at a well-known university. Now he’s back in New Jersey at home. No idea what to do but constantly thinking everyday. He regrets that he went with a science major and decided that it’s ridiculous. He knows he won’t be happy in that career field. He is now in so much debt, but the awesome thing is that he is looking of ways to make money without the help of his degree. John knows all he needs is creativity and hard work to take the next step into adulthood now.

Unfortunately, the prices that have to be paid for classes at a university are constantly skyrocketing. It’s a flat-out joke in my opinion. Why pay money to work at the pace of different professors that have different teaching methods and sometimes, even worse, terrible accents that are nearly impossible to understand. Everyone learns at a different speed. Some students like to obtain information nice and slow while others like to speed through assignments without even trying to grasp the concepts from their class.

Before you or your children decide to attend college, make sure they’re making the right choice and pursuing whatever career they love most. The goal here should be to make everything as stress-free and convenient as possible. I almost get tears in my eyes watching these students choose a major because of the money they should make in their first that they just want to go with for the money. Money has no importance when you are unhappy with your daily life. Maybe one day the toilet will stop flushing and the College Dream will jump out and show it’s transformed. Changes are needed with the education system and they are needed now. Do your part and contact your governors and the president about raising tuition. Create some petitions. Go outside and protest. The point is to stop sitting there and do something. Try to make some positive changes in other people’s lives instead of being an observer behind the screen. Please, get up and make a difference in this country!

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

The Adoption Option – a Lot Less Intimidating and Expensive Than Assumed

As my friends and I hover around our 40th birthdays, I hear a variety of reflections on starting a family — from those who did so years ago, from those who never intend to, and most poignantly from those who felt the opportunity had passed them by. For far too long, I assumed having a family was not in the cards. Perhaps growing up gay in a less-enlightened time helped install that assumption in me. But after more than a dozen years in a committed relationship, and a sea change in public perceptions and state laws, I realized such assumptions and limitations were of my own doing.

The second assumption, and one far more universal, took longer to dismiss. While it is true that private adoptions through reputable domestic and international agencies can easily run up to $50,000 per child, we completed our family for free. Those working in social service agencies are among the most caring and committed individuals I have ever had the pleasure to meet, but I have also found that they are not the most effective marketers at getting this message out to stable, caring individuals and couples considering the adoption option.

Rather than adopting a child from a foreign country, we felt there were plenty of wonderful children in our own backyard in need of a loving family. After taking an 8 week course (a couple hours each week) on the process, and going through a thorough background check and family history review, the matching process began. During this process, you have the opportunity to consider the attributes of the child you will adopt ‘” including gender, race, age, legal status, and health concerns you feel you can assume. About 9 months after our first inquiry, a beautiful, healthy, legally-free 3 year old boy was placed in our home. While we originally thought we wanted a newborn like so many other adoptive parents, our hearts melted the moment we met him and we knew he completed our family.

In Massachusetts (and other states, I’ve since learned), the state covers all legal fees associated with the adoption. Prior to finalization, the child must live in your home for at least 6 months to ensure a successful placement. During this time, pre-adoptive families receive subsidy financial support from the state to help with the child’s costs. For children with special needs, that subsidy continues after finalization.

Of greater surprise to us, children adopted in Massachusetts through the state receive full health insurance through adulthood. They also receive full tuition reimbursement for state colleges and universities. Health coverage and college tuition are two of the most feared expenses in raising a child ‘” but for those considering adoption, they need not be.

Adopting a child is the biggest decision we ever made as a couple or even as individuals. Knowing that many of the costs I feared were actually covered helped immensely. Adoption is an incredibly important decision that requires the deepest levels of soul searching. While nobody should adopt simply because the financial costs are not as high as they may have assumed ‘” it is so important that qualified, loving, caring families do not rule it out due to unfounded financial fears.

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music

Teaching Kids at Home

There are many instances where you could be teaching a skill to an individual: reading, math procedures, computer skills, mechanical skills, crafts, cooking or tutoring your children at home.

I have taught many skills to individuals of all ages. I have tutored elementary school students, secondary students and college students. In additioin I have taught individual skiils such as: CPR, Marksmanship to Korean soldiers, leather braiding, woodcarving, metalwork and knot tying.

In order to instruct individuals you need to develop a logical process that takes into consideration the characteristics of what you are teaching as well as the needs of the student.

Here is a technique that I have used successfully for many years to instruct individual students.

  1. The instructor needs to analyze the task or subject matter and break it down into small individual steps or units and arrange them in a logical sequence. Test the sequence to make sure it works as expected.
  2. Student and instructor should be seated side by side facing in the same direction. This way, the student gets the same view of the task, procedure or subject matter as the instructor.
  3. If the instructor is right handed, put the student to the instructor’s left. If the instructor is left handed put the student to the instructor’s right. This arrangement gives the student the best view of the procedure or subject matter with the least obstruction by the instructor’s hands and arms.
  4. The instructor should now demonstrate the individual steps of the skill or procedure by the numbers: No. 1, No 2 …… The instructor should explain each step as he or she moves along. Encourage the student to stop the instructor if any step is unclear. The instructor can redemonstrate, reexplain or review the material.
  5. After demonstrating and explaining the procedure or material by the numbers, the instructor should demonstrate the process slowly, moving through the steps without explanation. Again, encourage the student to stop the instructor for clarification.
  6. After this, the instructor should demonstrate the procedure at normal speed.
  7. The next step is to have the instructor and student switch positions. The instructor should be to the left of a right handed student or the right of a left handed student.
  8. Have the student carry out the procedure or process by the numbers under the instructor’s supervision.
  9. Next have the student demonstrate the process slowly without comment by the instructor. The instructor should stop the student if he or she observes an error..
  10. Finally, have the student demonstrate the process at normal pace. Once the student has mastered the process or subject matter he or she can practice to develop speed and efficiency.
  11. If the student has not mastered the process or material at this point, the instructor should return to step A.

The process may seem a bit cumbersome at first but with practice it will become very effective.

Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music
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Richard Administrator
Hi, this is Richard. I am a part-time writer and a full-time mother to my dog. I specialize in health and fitness writing.I love listening to Lo-Fi music