:Forest Folk

The second time I did acid was my freshman year in college. This night easily goes down as the weirdest, craziest and most bizarre night of my life.

The night had been planned for over three weeks. My teammate, Dan had the hook up for the acid. Me, Dan and six other guys from our team were confirmed to participate in the festivities.

By the time Dan came back to his house we were all ready to waist the next fourteen hours of our lives away. To my suprise though, Dan didn’t come back with paper acid. It was in gel tab form. I wasn’t;t aware at the time that you could take acid that way. Dan then began to tell us how his friend said this acid was special. Hearing it was special didn’t really mean much to me since I had only done it once before. If Dan would have told me that I’d be playing with pink bunnies, or that I would turn into a glass of orange juice, needing to keep my balance or I’d spill, maybe if would have meant more to me.

So there we were, deciding weather or not to take one or two. Me, being the natural raging addict that I am, took two. Dan and three others also took two. Everyone else took one. Now, the first time I did it, I remember not feeling anything for an hour. With these gel tabs, I had a weird, hyperactive body buzz after only fifteen minutes. I couldn’t sit still…I couldn’t shut my mouth….and I couldn’t keep myself from laughing. After another fifteen minutes, my vision started getting distorted. I began seeing trails and color changing. After another fifteen minutes, everything was fucked. Nothing made sense………We were all out of our minds. The only words I remember hearing and saying are “this is crazy” and “I can’t believe what’s going on.” A little more time went by, and now all of us were laying on the hoods of our cars, staring at the sky. This is another image I will always remember. The sky looked like a video game. Every star in the sky was shooting. It was impossible to focus on just one, because on this night, there was no such thing.

Even though this was the most amazing thing I had ever seen, besides elephants having sex at the zoo, we wanted to venture into something else. One of us had the brilliant idea to take a walk around the neighborhood. Only four of us went. Naturally, we got lost. I’m not sure how long it took us to get back to the house, but it was a while. Then, for some unknown reason, Dan wanted us to go to Walmart. So there we were….four morons, tripping our balls off……hopping into Dans jeep to go to Walmart of all places. Walmart was only about two miles from the house, but the ride felt like an eternity. Everytime a car went by us we freaked out. We didn’t just see two headlights coming towards us. We saw and felt a run away freight train blazing by us at incredible speeds.

When we got to walmart, we had to hang out in the jeep for a minute to finish our cigarettes. So, there we were, puffing away…..puff, puff, puff…..then, out of nowhere my roommate Mike yelled “STOP!!!!!!!!!” Right away, Dan slammed on his breaks and we all braced ourselves. The funny thing is that we were parked the entire time. A car passed by where we were, and Mike was just so fucked up he forgot we were parked. Apparently all of us forgot, including Dan, or we wouldn’t have braced ourselves and he wouldn;t have slammed on his brakes.

Once we mustered up the courage to enter, we made one rule…….stick together. I’ll always remember what it looked like in there. It felt like I was in a cartoon. Everything was so bright and colorful. I was literally walking around in a cracked out Rainbow Bright episode.

It really is amazing how paranoid you are on acid. I swear everyone knows you’re on tripping………..or do they?

So, here we are again walking through walmart, utterly amazed at how cool simple things look. I was so amazed at how a shampoo bottle looked that I stopped to check it out. Apparently, my friends didn;t notice me standing there because they kept on walking. We made one rule…..stick together. It’s a great rule to have while on drugs, but when you’re so fucked up that a shampoo bottle boggles your mind, how is one to remember anything?When I couldn’t find the crew I began to panic. I’m assuming that when you’re under extreme stress on acid it makes your trip that much more intense, because when I couldn’t find them my trip became insane. Every person there became the ugliest human being on earth. Their faces were melting off………their clothes were horrible…..and they all knew I was on acid.

I remember thinking, “just walk around like you’re shopping and no one will notice you.” I then realized where I was. The CD/movie section. “Pick up a CD and act like you’re interested in it.” I grabbed the first CD I saw and acted like I was reading it. “They’re all buying it.” “They think I’m normal.” At that very moment I actually looked at which CD I was holding. THE 3 TENORS GOSPEL CD!!!!!! OH GOD, WHY?!?!?!?!?! No one will believe that an 18 year old listens to this…..I’m busted. The only thing I could think to do was get the hell out of that store as fast as I could and wait out front for the guys.

Luckily, when I got outside there was a bench for me to sit on. This is where things got even more bizarre. An old Asian man approached me first. He babbled something off that I didn’t understand. I tried ignoring him but he kept repeating something to me in a foreign tongue. “Why won’t this guy leave me alone?” So, I said the first thing that came to mind. “I lost my mom and dad inside. I’m waiting here for them.” Why that came to mind I have no idea. He stood there for a moment with a blank searching for answers look on his face. He then said something that sounded like goodbye, and left.

The next group of people I encountered were a bunch of gothic freaks dressed for a funeral. As they were walking to their car, one of them turned and noticed me sitting there. She said something to her friends and then started walking my way. She sat down right next to me and asked for a smoke. I gave her the smoke, she said thanks and began walking back to her friends. Then, she turned around again and walked towards me. She got right in my face and said something that still sends chills up and down my spine. “I wish I was looking through your eyes right now.” This, of course, freaked me out even more. “how the hell did she know?” “Did I do something to give myself away?” These questions will go unanswered forever.

After sitting outside for a little while longer, my friends finally made their way outside. We shared our stories about what had happened to all of us once we separated. They found my CD mishap hilarious……and were even more confused than I when I told them about that gothic girl.

We hadn’t been back to the house for over an hour now. We had no idea what our fellow acid monkey friends were up to. The first thing I saw when I walked inside was our friends Norm, sitting on the couch wearing only his underwear and a beer helmet. Needless to say, I pissed my pants from laughter. We tried talking to him btu he was to wrapped up with ESPN to pay us any attention. Speaking of ESPN, I’ll never forget what the TV looked like. Ricky Williams was being interviewed because earlier that day he broke OJ Simpsons college rushing record. Rickey’s head looked like Medusa. His hair looked like snakes. His face wouldn’t stop changing. Very odd indeed.

Everyone else on the team freaked out and walked home. I guess they couldn’t handle the trip……..Norm was handling it his own way by watching TV in his underwear, wearing a beer helmet.

After a few more hours, we decided to go back to my apartment. At this time our visuals weren’t anything special. We had all come down quite a bit. Our eyes were winding down but our minds were still going 100mph. It would have been great if we could have recorded ourselves. I can’t imagine watching myself in that state. That alone would have probably been enough to get me to stop…………..yeah right, who am I kidding.

I don’t remember what time we went to sleep, but I do remember the sun was out. I tried many times to duplicate that night. No other acid trip ever came close.

Tanner Rhoden

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Where is Yesterday? Really where did it go? I mean………….. How can 24hrs just disappear?

Awareness, Education and Responsibility.

One of the best ways that i have found to build a healthy personailty involves understanding yourself and your feelings. This can be achieved through this simple exercise i like to call “Awareness, Education and Responsibility” or “Intentional Seeing”

Awareness

You have to accept yourself for the person you are with good points and bad points with strenghts and weaknesses……

….when you learn to develop the ability to stand back and look at yourself “honestly” and to candidly admit to others that you may not be perfect, but you’re all you got.

Maybe then, You will start to enjoy the heightened sense of “Intentional Seeing”

Your Future is in your eyes to see.

Education

Think about this, In order for you to become a Medical Doctor you have to go through some serious “education” likewise in order for you to become a Nurse also requires some “education”.

A Lawyer, A carpenter, A Teacher, A Fireman, A policeman, A Millionaire , An Architect, etc. etc.

Fill in the Blank

You have to think about your future possibilities and the “fact” that your potential is virtually unlimited. You can be the person you want to be. You can set large and small goals and make plans (education) and move step by step progressively toward their realization.

There are no Obstacles to what you can accomplish, Except the ones you created.

And last but not least…..

……Responsibilty

You have to develop a perspective of what is causing you Unhappiness, then stand back from the situation and imagine the same thing happening to someone you love.

What advice will you give that person?

You know what?

“If the mind can conceive it then you can achieve it”

I hope you are Responsible!

Be good.

Olabisi(DJ)

©2004 Olabisi(DJ)

763-438-7993

You have permission to publish this article, in its entirety (grammatical corrections accepted), electronically or in print, free of charge, for ministering purposes, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

About The Author

Olabisi(DJ) Gbayisomore is the owner of http://www.Taeboselections.com a website dedicated to Moms all over the United States.

Sign/View My guest book http://www.Ryze.com/go/olabisi

Olabisi(DJ)’s writings speaks to the heart.

mysecret@Malibuemail.com

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Pre-teens are no longer wanting to play kiddie games but are not yet teenagers. They will not want to play running games yet are not really ready to just hang out. Here are some ideas for your pre-teen party.

Untie the Knot

Place the guests in two separate circles. Ask them to raise a hand and take hold of someone’s hand on the opposite side of their circle. Then, using their free hand, grab the hand of a different person close by. Without letting go they must try unravel themselves. The first team to do so is the winner.

Matching Characters

Identify couples from real life or fiction like Lady Di and Charles, Peter Pan and Wendy or Willie Wonka and Charlie. Place a piece of paper on each persons’ back identifying them. Each person then asks 1 question from every other person till they discover who they are. They may only ask questions such as am I male or female, a fictional character or real person, dead or alive, etc. Once they identify themself, they can start looking for their partners. The winners are the first matching couple.

Toilet Paper Game

This is a wonderful ice breaker - especially if the guests don’t know each other well. As each guest arrives ask them to take a strip of toilet paper off a roll. When everyone is there get the guests to sit in a circle. Starting with the birthday person, each person must reveal something about themselves equal to the number of squares they tore off. You could also pass a bowl of sweets around. Tell each guest to take a hand full. They must tell a secret for each sweet they took.

Balloon Defense

Tie a balloon to each persons’ ankle. The idea is to try stamp on each other’s balloons to pop them without having yours burst. Here are tons more wonderful balloon games.

Note for Note

Have a selection of popular CD’s (preferably of mixed artists) and a CD player which allows you to fast forward to the middle of a song. Press play anywhere in the middle of a song and play for 2 seconds. Whoever identifies the song first gets a toothpick. The one with the most toothpicks in the end wins. You could have them identify the song or artist.

Questions and Answers

Get each person to write a way-out question on a piece of paper. Fold and place in a bowl. Ask them to write a line from their favorite song on another piece of paper. These are the answers. Pass the questions around and let every one take one. Each person gets a turn to read their question, then take an “answer” from the second bowl and sing it if they know the song. Some really hilarious answers to questions come out! And strange versions to songs too.

Stork the lantern

This game is played best outside at night. One child is “it” and sits with a flashlight or lantern. They must look at the light. The other children move out into the dark. They try get as close to the lantern as possible. The person with the light tries to listen for noises or spot movement. Then they can look up and say something like “I see you with the red shirt”. That person then sits down. The child that gets the closest to the lantern wins.

Bubble blowing

No not just any bubbles but big odd shaped bubbles. You will need a good bubble solution and shaped wire to create these huge bubbles.

Use these ideas, they are sure to be a hit.

Blessings from Africa
MissTy (Tania Collins)
I get all my free printable invitations here

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A baby crib is one of the most expensive things you will buy for your new baby. You can always go to your local store to shop for a crib, but you may find that your options are limited in terms of finding the perfect baby crib. Plus, it is much easier to sit at home and shop at your own computer than to go from store to store looking at baby cribs. If you decide to shop online for a baby crib, there are a few things you should keep in mind. This article will review a few pointers that will help you safely buy a baby crib online.

It’s All About Selection

One of the greatest things about online shopping is the selection! For example, if you decide that you want a round baby crib, your local store may not carry any at all. Through several online stores, you can find dozens of great round baby cribs made by several different manufacturers. While the wide range of choices may be overwhelming, it can be very useful when you are just trying to get an idea of the type of crib you want. You can review lots of different baby crib models in order to help you decide which baby crib features matter to you most (i.e., convertible, casters, both sides dropping down, etc.). Once you finalize the type of crib that you want, you are then ready for some serious price comparison shopping.

Compare Baby Crib Prices

You will be amazed to find that the very same baby crib may vary in price by several hundred dollars. That is because there are more than a dozen online stores that sell baby cribs. They all compete with each other meaning that you can get some a really good deal on a baby crib. They often offer free shipping, put their baby cribs on sale or offer “internet coupons” for a certain percentage off the total price. This is all to your advantage but requires you to shop around to find the best deal on a baby crib. One thing to look for is the shipping cost when comparing baby crib prices. One crib may be listed at a lower price but have a higher shipping charge. Make sure that you identify that actual shipping charges and take that into consideration when selecting the best priced baby crib. Many of the online stores will list the shipping cost right on the product page. If not, you may have to add it to you cart and “check out” to see what the shipping charges are.

Check the Online Store’s Policies

The last thing you will want to do before finalizing your online purchase of a baby crib is to check the store’s policy. You will want to make sure that it is easy to contact them by mail, email, and phone. If they do not provide this information, then you may not want to buy from them. You will also need to check out their shipping policies. Some will offer you a choice in shippers which may influence the shipping price. You will also want to check to see when they will ship the crib. Several online stores take 6 to 8 weeks to ship a baby crib. If time is short for you, you will have to select an online store that can ship the baby crib right away.

It is important to review the store’s return policy. If you decide on ordering a custom made crib, the online store may not allow any returns. If this is the case, you will need to be 100% that this is the baby crib for you. Online stores may offer free exchanges or may require you to pay to send the crib back. These are all issues that are important to take into consideration when deciding on where to buy your baby crib. Also, if you do decide to order a specialized crib such as a round or corner crib, be sure to order a mattress and baby bedding. Regular stores don’t usually carry these items and it’s best to order them online as well.

With this information in mind, you should be able to find the best online deal for a new baby crib. You will definitely find the widest selection online and most likely the best deal on the perfect baby crib for your new baby.

Sarah Holmes, Ph.D. quit her full-time job in order to stay home with her baby girl. She created http://www.BabyCribCentral.com as a free resource to other new moms and dads. Her site compares prices on hundreds of baby cribs from more than 20 online stores allowing you to find the beset price with a click of a button. Her site also offers lots of information about the different types of cribs as well as all sorts of safety information about how to buy and use your new crib safely.

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Recently I read a very cool book called “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff written back in the 1980’s. It shows how the popular children’s cartoon bear Winnie the Pooh created by A.A. Milne in England in the 1920’s, though a Western concept, actually embodies the ideology of the great Chinese (Eastern) philosophy Taoism (pronounced Daoism). I remember enjoying Winnie the Pooh stories when I was a kid so I thought I’d do the modern task of searching for his name on the Internet. Of course there are hundreds of sites based on Pooh, but I decided to go to the official site entitled: http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/animatedfilms/pooh/. Uh oh, Disney! Of course Disney didn’t have the rights on Pooh Bear from the start, but where there is a dollar to be made in the realm of children’s entertainment…

I may sound a little judgmental here, but I just get a weird feeling about Disney, like they are planning to take over the world one day, possibly replacing the current governor of California, movie ’star’ Arnold Swartzenegger, with Donald Duck or heaven help us, Goofy. Then again maybe that wouldn’t really change the world much at all! I don’t want to get too political as this article is basically going to be a positive review of the Pooh website, but when I think about it, having Pooh Bear as president instead of George Bush could have some really happy and peaceful repercussions around the globe.

Getting past the idea that Pooh Bear has been ‘acquired’ by the Disney Corporation there are some positives in all situations (Taoist belief of the balance of yin and yang energies) and one of these is the fact that Disney have a lot of power and money behind them. Therefore, the Pooh Bear website in question sets a very high standard of how high the quality of websites can reach. The colored graphics are astounding as well as the movement and interactivity of the site in general. The main point of the site that I want to emphasize is the enjoyable educational value that it holds for children approximately 3-6 years of age, although after reading Hoff’s novel, parents and people like myself can also get something out of the stories. Milne’s original tales were a social commentary at the time of writing as well as promoting happiness and friendship to the youngest generation. Hopefully in keeping in character, Disney doesn’t lose too much of the original purpose and perspective, though in being perpetually politically correct I’m sure all real controversy has disappeared like honey from Pooh Bear’s jars.

Your kids can enjoy Pooh based on-line video games, as well as downloading coloring-in pages, mazes, and color wallpaper posters. You can also download a fun empty family tree that the child can then research to fill in. As the site is highly professional and under constant updates in construction, it says that soon there will be Pooh alphabetical flash cards and even an ‘Enchanted call from Pooh and Tigger”, although this sounds like a pure money/honey making exercise. Speaking of money please be careful as this site has lots of different products and merchandise your kids are bound to obsess over. If I were you, just try and choose the stories and videos that seem to have genuine educational value. However, there are a few nice freebies that you can download from the ‘Characters’ link, such as a Tigger mask and a valentine card for Eeyore the donkey as well as more fun activities. Whether you want to show your young children an interesting and fun time on the computer/Internet, or you are planning to build a children’s website of your own, this site is an excellent choice.

Jesse S. Somer
http://www.m6.net
Jesse S. Somer is and always will be a child at heart and believes that the ‘Way of Pooh’, a life of friendship, love, and relaxedness, is one that humans of all ages can learn from.

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It must have been a crushing blow. It was 1934, the depths of the Great Depression. Charles Darrow was unemployed. But, he had an idea. Actually, he had a board game. He called the game Monopoly. He liked the board game and felt it was his ticket to financial success and out of the desperation of the depression. Darrow had taken his game to the famous Parker Brothers game company to publish and help him sell.

The Parker Brothers had agreed to look at the board game for Darrow. They were not impressed. Formed in 1883, by 16-year-old George Parker, the game publishing company had been making and selling games and puzzles for 51 years. During that time they had seen success and failure. Parker Brothers knew the game business. They knew what worked and what didn’t. They knew what sold and what didn’t. Representatives of the giant game company found 59 reasons why they did not think Darrow’s game could be successful.

Charles Darrow simply didn’t agree. He believed. He decided to publish Monopoly himself and market it through department stores. He had 5,000 copies of the board game printed.

Hope was scarce during that harsh Christmas of 1934. Money was even scarcer. And, Monopoly was a hit. Nearly all 5,000 copies of the board game sold. Within a year Parker Brothers was publishing the game. It was the best selling game in America by 1936.

Monopoly is now published in 89 languages and over 200 million copies of the board game have been sold. More than 500 million people have played the game. It has also been adapted as an electronic game. Monopoly is firmly entrenched as the best selling board game of all time.

Monopoly is a relative upstart compared to other popular board games.

The oldest known board game is called “The Royal Game of Ur” or the “Game of 20 Squares”. This game was discovered in a 4,500-year-old tomb in southern Iraq. This game was played throughout the Middle East for perhaps 1,000 years or more. In fact, the rules of the game have been found in cuneiform tablets. Game aficionados can play this ancient game yet today, even though it has long ago faded from popularity.

Perhaps the oldest board game still popular today is chess, which first appeared in India by the sixth century A.D. By the year 1,000 it was being played throughout the Middle East and in Europe. The rules and game board design have evolved somewhat over the centuries, but the game is still very much the same as the ancient Indians played it. They could hardly have dreamed, however, of the world-class chess match play or the electronic versions of the game we enjoy today.

Another very old, yet immensely popular board game is checkers, also known as draughts. A form of checkers was being played by the Egyptian Pharaohs as early as 1600 B.C. This game has also evolved over the centuries. By the 12th century the game was adapted to the 64-square chessboard. Four hundred years later the rules involving capture were added, yielding essentially the same game we play today.

There is simply no way to tell how many copies of chess or checkers have been sold or how many people have played these games. If the numbers were known, they would have to be truly staggering.

Popular Board Games Share Common Traits

Other top selling board games include Yahtzee, Scrabble, Mahjong, Trivial Pursuit, Battleship and the Risk game. Most of these games were developed during the 20th century and all are still big sellers and tremendously popular.

These popular board games share some similar traits. Most of them involve specific strategies of play. When these strategies are employed successfully, the games are fun, challenging and intensely rewarding as players attempt to capture portions of the board and/or each other. Another common element in most of these board games is chance, or luck. Luck is introduced usually by drawing cards or rolling dice. The element of chance opens up possibilities for even more strategies of play. A final important trait of these games is that in one way or another they reflect the lessons of life. They teach competition and sportsmanship. They teach strategy and the lesson of never giving up.

Perhaps that is why Charles Darrow was so attracted to Monopoly. He believed that success comes by employing sound strategies to following a dream and never giving up. We are glad that Darrow didn’t give up. We are glad he didn’t throw the board game with 59 things wrong in the trash bin as he left the Parker Brothers plant in 1934.

About the author: Royce Armstrong is a successful freelance writer with a business and banking background who believes consumers should get the best value for their money when shopping for board games, family games and learning games.

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Graduation Cap and Gown

Graduations are celebrated year in year out but what is noticeable about the ceremony is the fact that there must be a graduation cap and gown for each ceremony all over the world. It is a common question where this similarity in tradition came from. Graduation caps were in the past known as hoods which can be traced to the Celtic groups. At the time, only Druid priests were allowed to wear the hoods to signify their high intelligence and superiority. Currently hoods or caps are worn by students to identify the institution from which they are from and the degree attained.

Before the 1950’s graduation gowns in the US were grey and they were worn to symbolize the area one was studying in. However in the 1950’s students requested that the gowns bear a features to their schools, this was granted and from then on gowns have come in a variety of colors. Over the 12th and 13th centuries, the graduation cap and gown was still not identified as the official academic regalia, instead people wore clerical dresses until the system was breached in University of Coimbra in 1321.The ceremonial garb has since then and up to date been inclusive of the graduation cap and gown.
GraduationSource, a leader in graduation regalia products since 1960.

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Homework causes more headaches for parents than it does for children. Some parents worry because their children don’t seem to do enough while others are concerned because they do too much.

But for many parents homework is that time of the day when they routinely harass, hassle and harangue their child to JUST DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

Okay, what to do?

The first step is to know the homework policy of your children’s school and understand what is expected of you as a parent. Most school’s have parent interviews and information sessions at the start of the new year so make sure next year you get a good handle on how your children’s teacher expects you to assist your child.

It is also useful to find out what your children’s teacher will do if your child doesn’t complete set tasks. Homework is basically an agreement between a teacher and a child so it should be up to the teacher to ensure the homework is completed. That means the teacher becomes ‘the bad guy’ and puts some consequence in place if the homework is not completed. Your role as a parent is to support the school if a consequence is put in place, such as missing some recess to complete or whatever.

Parents need to be mindful that it is hard for teachers these days as they don’t have too many options available to ensure children complete homework.

Here are 10 tips to help you handle homework in a relatively sane way:

1. Establish homework time and stick to it each day. If children tell you that they don’t have any formal homework then they can read, revise or organise their work. My feedback tells me that sticking to a routine despite the fact that no formal homework is set extremely useful and helps avoid battles.

2. Put the onus back on your children to take responsibility for their work. Ask children at the start of a homework session to state how much homework they will do. At the end of the session check it to see if it matches with their intentions as well as yours. If you are more concerned about homework than them then it is you not your children who is responsible for homework.

3. Homework is as much a time management issue as anything else. Encourage students to work reasonably quickly and efficiently. Have a set time limit, which they should stick to. There is generally little point slogging away once they become frustrated or tired. Give them an egg-timer or use a clock and get them to work hard for small chunks of time. A little work each night is more productive than packing it into one weekly session.

4. Help children decide the best time to do homework and then encourage them to stick to those times. Maybe on some days homework is tackled after dinner for any number of reasons. If having homework done straight adter school is important to you then consider feeding children ONLY after homework is completed. Food can be a huge motivator for some children!!! (As mentioned in point 1 it is important that there is a homework routine, but the timing can vary.)

5. Establish a good working environment for students. Make sure they have a quiet area away from distractions that is well lit and with good ventilation. A table or desk makes a good workspace, although don’t be surprised if they spread work out all over the kitchen table. Some kids hate to be stuck away in their rooms and prefer to work at the kitchen table and can do so productively. Others are easily distracted and work in short bursts. Work out what is best for YOUR child.

6. Use the motivating research tool of the 21st Century - the Internet. It is quick, convenient and gives access to huge amounts of information. Nevertheless, children should still know how to access information from more traditional means such as books. Check with your child’s teacher as to their specific recommendations and preferences.

7. Encourage children to get organised by thinking ahead and planning their homework around their extra-curricular activities. A weekly planner or diary will help older students get organised. Assisting children to become organised is perhaps the best way parents can help at home.

8. If you are helping a child with a particular task, keep your explanation as simple and practical as you can. If you become upset or frustrated and the atmosphere becomes tense then stop helping.

9. Be realistic and don’t expect to solve all homework difficulties. When in doubt send a note to your child’s teacher letting him or her know the problem. The teacher will appreciate this good communication.

10. If you have concerns about the how much homework your child is set or the level of difficulty of homework contact the teacher and arrange a time to discuss your worries. Such discussion is the basis of true partnership between you and your child’s teacher.

Homework hassles have always been around and always will be. The place of homework is routinely questioned by education authorities (now is currently one of those times in Australia) but my gut reaction is that children will always have homework. The name may change and the activities may vary but it will always be homework.

I urge schools to make sure homework is varied, interesting, engaging and purposeful for children and parents.

Parents also need to be patient with both children (if they struggle) and schools that are trying to find a balance between too little and too much in these busy times.

For more practical ideas, free parenting courses and resources to help you raise confident kids and resilient teenagers visit www.parentingideas.com.au. While you are there subscribe to Happy Kids Michael Grose’s free email newsletter and receive thought-provoking, up-to-date, practical information about children and parenting in your inbox each fortnight.

Michael Grose is a leading parenting educator. He is the author of six books and 300 columns, and gives over 100 presentations a year.

For more practical ideas, free parenting courses and resources to help you raise confident kids and resilient teenagers visit http://www.parentingideas.com.au

While you are there subscribe to Happy Kids Michael Grose’s free email newsletter and receive thought-provoking, up-to-date, practical information about children and parenting in your inbox each fortnight.

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What’s all this fuss about promise rings? Are they something new or have they been around for a while? What do they mean and why is my teenager wearing one? If you’ve ever wondered what the rage is all about, then you’ve come to the right place!

What exactly is a promise ring?

When an agreement or oath has been made between two people, a promise ring is a piece of jewelry given as a token of the commitment that was made.

Sounds simple enough doesn’t it? Well, be careful because the promise made between two people can be practically anything. It’s imperative that both parties are clear on the meaning of the pact or pledge. For example:

• Monogamy: A promise to stay faithful to one another.
• Chastity or Purity: A promise to keep ones virginity until marriage.
• Friendship: A promise to seal a pledge of eternal friendship.
• Substance or Sobriety: A promise to remain free from addictive behavior (alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, etc.).
• Religious or Christian: A promise to remain committed to one’s faith or belief in the God of their understanding.

These are just a few of the more popular reasons to give or wear a promise ring.

Pre-Engagement

That being said, the most popular reason to give a promise ring is for pre-engagement.

Are you confused yet? Pre-engagement is actually not as bad as it sounds. It has always been popular to exchange promise rings, so a couple can showcase their commitment to one another prior to getting engaged. In other words, this ring is symbolic of a promise there will be an engagement ring forthcoming.

If you are old enough to remember “going steady” with someone then giving this type of promise ring is kind of the updated version of going steady. The symbolism of the promise ring is really no different than a girl of years ago wearing her boyfriend’s high school ring on a chain around her neck or wearing her steady boyfriend’s letterman jacket. If you are too young to understand this analogy, talk to your parents or grandparents and they can enlighten you.

This trial period before the engagement is a good way for a couple to test the waters before they make an actual commitment to marriage. Some may scoff at this gesture of pre-engagement. However, with the rise in divorce rates in this country it may be wise to start off slowly in the relationship instead of rushing ahead into something you are not ready for.

The other good news here is that a promise ring costs significantly less than an engagement ring. It makes a wonderful alternative for the couple who chooses not to spend a fortune on a ring at this time but still wants to make a statement about their commitment to one another.

How does one wear a promise ring - which finger, which hand?

Basically it’s strictly a matter of personal preference, however the finger and hand you choose can depend entirely on the type of ring it is and in some cases the type of pledge. For example, an Irish Claddagh ring can have several meanings depending on the way it is:

• Worn on the left hand, the wearer has made a promise of love and fidelity.
• Worn on the right hand with the heart facing outward, the wearer’s heart is free.
• Worn on the right hand with the heart turned inward, the Wearer’s heart is taken.

If you are exchanging friendship rings, it may be wise to wear the ring on your right hand so there is no confusion about romantic ties. There are many different types of rings you can share with a friend that will be meaningful to you both. A fun vacation you went on or the love of a certain hobby or animal, for example. My best friend and I share a love of cats. Therefore, we bought matching kitty cat rings, gold with diamond pave no less! These rings are special only to us and are a symbol of our friendship.

Most people associate the wearing of a ring on the left hand ring finger to mean that a significant commitment of some sort has been made.

If the promise is for pre-engagement, many couples choose to wear this ring on their left hand ring finger. They then switch the ring to their right hand once the actual engagement ring or wedding band is received.

Likewise a ring exchanged for the promise of monogamy or fidelity would be worn on the left hand ring finger to symbolize that the wearer’s heart is taken.

Where did the promise ring originate?

Rings themselves have been symbolic for many thousands of years. The circle has no beginning and no end and is a strong symbol for eternity.

Have you ever heard of a scribbling ring? In sixteenth century England, uncut diamond crystals were set into rings and exchanged by lovers. The wearers of these scribbling rings would use the points of the diamonds to etch (or “scribble”) romantic writings to each other in glass, mirrors or windows.

Another popular ring exchanged during Shakespearian times was called a Posey Ring. Posey rings are inscribed with poetic phrases or dates significant to the wearer.

It is believed that wearing words next to ones skin has a magical effect. These symbolic words may be carved on the outside or inside of the ring, or on both sides, there is no right or wrong way to do it!

Posey rings are a romantic way to share an expression of love and come engraved with beautiful sayings. It is no surprise that since French is said to be the language of love — the French poseys are very popular. Some special phrases include:

• A Ma Vie De Coer Entier - My whole heart for my whole life
• A Vila Mon Coer, Gardi Li Mo - Here is my heart, guard it well
• Amor Meus - My Love
• Autre Ne Veuil - No one, but you
• De M’Amoure Soiez Sure - Of my love be sure

Ok, so maybe French isn’t your thing - how about one of these:

• In Gaelic - Anam Cara - Soul Friend
• In English - I Am My Beloved’s & My Beloved Is Mine
• In Latin - Semper Amenus - Our love is forever
• In German - Mine Genyst - My heart
• In Hebrew - Mazel Tov - Marital good luck ring
• Christian - With This Ring, I Thee Wed
• In Italian - Mani In Fede - Hands Together in Faith
• In Spanish - No Tengo Mas Que Darte - I have nothing more to give you but my heart

Use your imagination and write a Posey of your own!

The list of Posey ring sayings is endless! If you really want to “wow” the love of your life, come up with a special phrase that is meaningful to just the two of you. Having a special ring engraved with one of your own poseys would be a very romantic way for you to share your most heartfelt sentiments with a special someone you care about!

About The Author

Mary Ferguson is a successful writer and internet entrepreneur. She has written many informative jewelry articles on such topics as Promise Ring Significance, and Promise Ring Etiquette.

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I don’t believe that ANY “physical” maneuvers or “techniques” are really worth teaching children. An EIGHT year old vs. a GROWN adult who is most likely a violent psychopath with a HISTORY of violent criminal behavior?
I can’t see it.

Instead, emphasize the following:

1. RUNNING at the FIRST sign of trouble. IMMEDIATELY and in a “zig zag” pattern and using the environment as a “hedge”.

2. SCREAMING as LOUDLY and HYSTERICALLY as possible.

3. Wriggle, twist, turn, jump……ANYTHING to make the potential victim HARD to hold and control……….THEN 1 & 2!

4. RUN towards any source of HELP and SAFETY.

5. ONLY two potential “physical” maneuvers even worth considering - jabbing, clawing and scratching at the eyes with either one or both hands in a CONTINUOUS VIOLENT manner and BITING. ANYTHING carried: Knapsack, book bag, school books should be TOSSED at the LEGS! Anything to make the skel trip, maneuver to dodge, stumble ANYTHING that will SLOW him DOWN!

7. Carrying a HI decibel safety whistle(FOX is a good one) on a WRIST strap NOT around the neck AND a small hi powered LED light also on the wrist.

8. EMPHASIZE ESCAPE! If dragged to a vehicle(almost always the perp’s MO) seize the KEYS(from the ignition) at the first opportunity and TOSS THEM, either out a window or into the back seat(the farthest, longest, hardest place for the perp to attempt to retrieve them).

9. If forced into a trunk, pull, yank, kick or BATTER out a tail light and shove anything through the hole that will ATTRACT someone’s ATTENTION!

10. NEVER, EVER, EVER GO ANYWHERE WITH A STRANGER!!!!!!!!
Fight, scream, run ON THE SPOT! This goes for ANY abduction!
NEVER GO WITH YOUR ABDUCTOR! NEVER!

11. Awareness. But DON’T use “scare” tactics with a kid.

12. TIME is of the ESSENCE! Increase the TIME that the perp is in PUBLIC VIEW and you’ll go a LONG way in FORCING him to abandon the attack and FLEE. DRAW ATTENTION in ANY WAY possible to the scene IMMEDIATELY! NEVER give in a GO with an abductor. WHENEVER POSSIBLE MARK HIM! Try to remember EVERYTHING about the assailant, his vehicle, etc.

13. DO EVERYTHING to make oneself a HARD TARGET! Attackers what VICTIMS that are easily dominated, controlled and done so in as SHORT an amount of time as possible. MORE TIME. MORE EXPOSURE, MORE CHANCE OF GETTING CAUGHT!

14. Once again, DISTANCE as far and fast as possible is YOUR ALLY!

Hope this helps!

Copyright 2003 www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com©

Carl Cestari began his study of the martial arts with judo at the age of 7 under the direction of Yoshisada Yonezuka. During the past forty plus years Carl has dedicated his life to studying the martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, history and religion. He is continually improving himself through his studies. What makes Carl unique is his combination of martial arts, law enforcement, military and real world experience. Carl has been exposed to a multitude of people with a wide variety experience. Below is a list of some of Carl’s ranks and honors.

Shinan (Founder)Tekkenryu jujutsu

Ryokudan (6th degree)Koshinkai Karate under John Burrelle

Godan (5th degree)Jujutsu under Clarke of the World Jujutsu Fedaration (now defunct)

Sandan (3rd degree)Nippon Kempo under Narabu Sada

Nidan (2nd degree)Judo under Masafumi Suzuki

Shodan (1st degree)Judo under Yoshisada Yonezuka

Shodan (1st degree)Shukokai Karate under Kimura, Kadachi and Yonezuka

Shodan (1st degree)Daitoryu Aikijujutsu

Instructors Certificate-Charles Nelson System of Self Defense under Charlie Nelson

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