My Single Friend

If you're single and you live in the UK, you may be interested in a website I found recently - My Single Friend. Here's how the owners describe the site:

mysinglefriend® is the brainchild of TV presenter Sarah Beeny and her childhood friend, Amanda Christie.

Sarah is notorious for setting her friends up (with mixed consequences!) so it occurred to her that if we could create some kind of online resource where we could describe our fabulous single friends, then they could all check each other out.

So the core idea of mysinglefriend® was born, and it developed so that people could seek out suitable dates for each other, generating a little matchmaking amusement - and not by a computer, but by someone who actually knows you.

As the site grows, our singles can recognise and get to meet 'friends of their friends' who are single - and the Team at MSF think that's a wonderful thing!

We've created the antidote to the solitary 'online dating' experience - as friends join the site together.

• Single or not - you can join in:
  
  
• a friend can add their single pal who then has to look over, approve and add comments to the description before it goes live
  
  or
  
  
• a single can nominate themselves, ask a friend to describe them, again approving the description and adding comments before it goes live.

Visit the website at http://www.mysinglefriend.com/

Mary Hunt's new blog

Mary Hunt is the founder of Debt-Proof Living (formerly Cheapskate Monthly), an author, Woman’s Day money editor and syndicated columnist (”Everyday Cheapskate” is available in 500 U.S. newspapers). If you live outside of the US, you may not have heard of her, but her book, Debt-proof Living, is recommended by two of the best British wealth coaches that I know - Nicola Cairncross and Judith Morgan of the Money Gym.

Mary has a new blog, which she describes as 'where I go on (and on) about money, debt and all the stuff that bugs me'. It's definitely worth a look! There's an excellent tip about watch batteries on there which I'm sure would apply wherever you live in the world... The link you need is: http://www.moneyrulesdebtstinks.com/.

Buy Debt-proof Living from Amazon.co.uk

Buy Debt-proof Living from Amazon.com

Great quotes

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain

How many colours have you eaten today?

We all know by now that we should be eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. But, just to make life a little more complicated, did you know that we should be choosing our fruit and vegetables carefully to ensure that we are eating a range of foods from the five different food colour groups?

'What's that all about then?', I hear you ask. Read on...

http://style.uk.msn.com/wellbeing/healthyeating/gallery.aspx?cp-docume

Get the best seat on the plane!

Before you book your next seat on a plane, you may want to check out SeatGuru, which shows you the seating layout for all planes used by the major airlines and indicates which are good seats, which are poor, which seats have extra legroom and which have power ports, etc.

SeatGuru is an excellent resource if you prefer checking-in on-line and has all sorts of other information such as check-in times, boarding times and latest flight news for each airline.

How sunglasses can put eye health in the shade

Do you put fashion and price before safety when choosing sunglasses? According to a recent report by the College of Optometrists, 80% of us would rather look cool than protect our eyes and 1 in 7 of us don't wear sunglasses at all!

Get the lowdown on sunglasses safety at:
http://health.uk.msn.com/healthencyclopaedia/features/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5418293

I'm not much of a cook - I'd much rather eat the results of someone else's efforts - but I bet even I could find something to inspire me in this New York Times article which offers 101 summer recipes designed to get you in and out of the kitchen in just 10 minutes or less! Check out all 101 at:

Summer Express: 101 Simple Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less

Do you hate packing?

Here in the UK, the holiday season starts with a vengeance this weekend. From today the roads, motorways and airports will be packed with people desperately trying to escape the unseasonably wet weather that we are experiencing here at the moment.

Of course, people who are already retired have the luxury of being able to avoid peak holiday periods like the plague, but, whether you're retired or not, before you take your next trip, you may want to check out the following sites for ideas to help ease the burden of deciding what to take with you and how to fit it all into your baggage allowance:
www.travelite.org
www.smartpacking.com
www.onebag.com

Are you a Paraskevidekatriaphobe?

Do you suffer from Paraskevidekatriaphobia? If you do, you're really going to be having a bad day today. Paraskevidekatriaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th and, apparently, $1 billion worth of commerce won't happen today, because people are too afraid to fly, travel, and shop. Find out more about Paraskevidekatriaphobia at: http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/columns/?article=fridaythe13th.

Myths about oral health

I'm a bit fussy about my teeth. I brush at least twice a day and I always floss and use an interdental brush after brushing. And I've always brushed my teeth within a few minutes of finishing my breakfast... until today that is, when I read that:

"The worst thing that you could do is to brush your teeth straight after eating or drinking something acidic such as citrus fruit or fruit juice, because the acid actually softens the top layer of your teeth and by brushing you are actually scrubbing that bit off. Always wait half an hour before brushing so that your teeth have remineralised."

Oops!

Read other myths about oral health in DIY Oral Health here

The best reason to go out and buy a mattress immediately

I've been subscribing to the Health Tip of the Day from Health Coach Training for some time now and, to be honest, I haven't really learned a lot from them - until yesterday, when this little gem arrived in my inbox:

'It is best to get a new mattress every 7 - 10 years. Mattress weight will double in size from perspiration, oils and dust mites.'

Yuk. How disgusting is that?

What's on your 'To Do Before I Die' list?

I never thought I'd see my name on the same list as those of former US politician Dan Quayle and rockers Joan Jett and Patti Smith, but Wesley at LifeTwo has posted a great article about making a 'To Do Before I Die' list and he asked the rest of the Blogging Boomers to tell him something that we have on our own TDBID lists.

Find out what we all said here

Great quotes

To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To have played and laughed with enthusiasm, and sung with exultation;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (There are various versions of this quotation around. I am not sure which is the correct version, however, this is the fullest version that I have seen. I think you get the gist...)

Still studying at 95!

I love stories like this! When Nola Ochs graduated in May 2007 at the age of 95, she became the oldest college graduate in the world. Not satisfied with her scholarly achievements, however, in September, Nola plans to head back to the classroom to start working on her Master's degree.

Nola start taking classes after the death of her husband in 1972. She says, 'There's something within me that wants to keep learning. I just can't quit.' Read Nola's story at:

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/Departments/AdultLearning/?article=StillCracking95&GT1=10092

Britain's got talent - Connie Talbot

And just in case you're one of the few people in the known Universe that hasn't seen the clip of 6 year old Connie Talbot, here it is. Again, Kleenex at the ready:

Britain's got talent - Paul Potts

For those of you who don't live in the UK (and for those of you who do but missed it), I thought you might like to see the following clip from Britain's Got Talent. Bet you can't watch it with dry eyes!

Don't fall for email hoaxes by Patrick Goss

Why do people continue to fall for email hoaxes? You know - the ones involving exiled leaders or worldwide lotteries and those purporting to be from legitimate organisations and requesting your bank or credit card details. MSN's Tech and Gadgets Editor, Patrick Goss, can't believe that some of us are still so gullible. Find out what he has to say about it all at: http://tech.uk.msn.com/features/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5224211.

The rise of Newglish - an evolving language

Do you sometimes suspect that English is becoming an unfathomable language? For example, do you know what a Hactivist or a Looky-loo is? If something was described as hinky or eeyoreish, would you know what that meant? And just what is a twonk?

Find out with this quick guide to 20 of the 'most bizarre, controversial and ingenious words' that, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, did not even officially exist a year ago: http://news.uk.msn.com/the_rise_of_newglish.aspx

I know it's not Father's Day yet, but...

I bet you can't watch this without a tear in your eye! Me? I blubbed for England!

Great quotes

"In a moment we catch a glimpse of the potential of all that we can be and in a moment we can lose that to fear."

Nelson Mandela

Myths about being single

Do you secretly subscribe to the myth that single people live lonely, miserable existences? That they are self-centred, have few friends and that they die alone and are eaten by their cats? Think again! Discover the reality of being single in an article entitled Myths About Being Single by Bella DePaulo:
http://match.engb.msn.com/matchscene/article.aspx?articleid=8168&lid=0&TrackingID=511021

Why Healthy People Suffer Heart Attacks by Dr Arthur Agatston

In this excerpt from The South Beach Heart Program: The 4-Step Plan That Can Save Your Life, Dr. Arthur Agatston, the author of The South Beach Diet explains how seemingly fit and healthy people can have heart attacks and how 'soft' plaque can be a hidden killer. Read it at:
http://health.msn.com/centers/cholesterol/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100156977&GT1=9997

Healthy habits that aren't so healthy

What kinds of things do you do to keep yourself healthy? Do you, for example, drink 8 glasses of water a day? Do you use antibacterial products such as handwashes and dishwashing liquid? Do you always sit up straight to protect your back? If you answered 'Yes' to any or all of those questions, you could be doing yourself more harm than good. Find out why by watching the Healthy Habits That Aren't slideshow at: http://health.msn.com/womenshealth/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100163331&imageindex=1.

Beauty over 40

Is that a moustache? Where did my eyebrows go? And what's going on with my nose? Get the scoop on five little beauty secrets no one ever tells you about aging in an article by Valerie Monroe from O, The Oprah Magazine, October 2006: http://boomers.msn.com/articleOPRAH.aspx?cp-documentid=387809.

I don't often write a blog posting on Saturday, but I was up early today, catching up with my email backlog and, through a series of web-links (where you click on something of interest, which in turn leads to something else of interest, etc), I came across a relatively new blog by life coach Kamin Bell (pronounced Ca-meen). You can read Kamin's blog for yourself at What If You Believe? but I particularly enjoyed and could identify with the following posting, entitled What Looks Like Lazy:

What Looks Like Lazy...
can be so many other things. I recently coached someone regarding going for a new job. We discussed the actions he should take and the next steps. And...nothing. There are times that I am tempted to get frustrated when someone doesn't follow through, but how can I? I know for them, as I know for myself, that it's not lazy. I have watched myself over the years not do something I needed to or not go after something I want. I used to say I was a procrastinator. But I know better now. Sometimes is just plain old fear. But that fear holds information. What am I afraid of? What am I afraid will happen to me? Am I ready to do that thing I'm putting off? Do I need more information? Is the timing right? Is it fear of looking stupid or making a mistake? That's been a big one for me to deal with. I'm a recovering Virgo perfectionist. I work at being willing to be less than perfect and being willing to simply try.

And, sometimes I have to trick myself. Yesterday, I needed to send a long overdue email requesting assistance from someone (another challenge of mine, asking for help ). On the way home I had to stop at Target for a few things. And, since it's Easter season, my favorite candy, the Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs are in stock. I'm only allowed to buy 1, though. So, I promised myself that I could have the egg after dinner and only after I sent the email. Boy that egg tasted great knowing that I had followed through on my promise. Sometimes I have to set a timer for 15 minutes to get something started or completed. And, sometimes I journal to work out the feelings that are present and holding me back from doing what I know I must. And, sometimes it's recognizing the difference between a "should" and a "must" and following my heart.

So, no more labeling lazy or procrastinator. There's just some nugget of growth behind it that needs to come forward. Some stone to look under and say "hmm, isn't that interesting. I wonder what I'm afraid of?" and then go conquer it.

Eight Things to Help Your Mom Stay Younger Longer by Barbara Morris

It's Mother's Day in the US on Sunday, so if you're lucky enough to still have your mum around, here's a timely article from Barbara Morris entitled Eight Things to Help Your Mom Stay Younger Longer, which is equally relevant, no matter where you live in the world:
http://putoldonhold.net/Help_Your_Mom_Stay_Young.htm

The joy of text

If someone sent you a text message with the abbreviations 10Q or AFAIK in it, would you know what they meant? How about G2G or IKWYM? Struggling? So was I, before I read How Text Speak Is Taking Over. Read it for yourself at: http://tech.uk.msn.com/features/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4890569.

The art of the road trip

Have you ever dreamed of taking a road trip across the US? If you have, you're not alone... I, for one, would join you in a heartbeat! If you're considering heading out on the open road, you can't afford to miss The Art of the Road Trip by Robert Isenberg. Check it out at:

http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-doc

London 'UK's ID fraud capital' by Mathew Plowright

Did you know that Londoners are almost three times more likely to fall victim to ID theft or fraud than those living elsewhere in the UK?

Or that the three northern English seaside resorts of Blackpool, Southport and Scarborough, saw a marked rise in the number of reported ID fraud cases, while Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, Llandudno in North Wales and Chorley in Lancashire have also been identified as high-risk ID fraud hotspots?

Check out the UK's top 10 ID fraud hotspots (according to a report compiled from research carried out by credit reference agency Experian) at http://money.uk.msn.com/Banking/Current

The Procrastinator's Creed

Do you procrastinate? I saw a discussion about procrastination on an email networking site that I belong to which culminated in the following Procrastinator's Creed:

1. I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have been done already.
2. I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses.
3. I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration.
4. I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them.
5. I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations.
6. I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given.
7. I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, though infinitesmally small, is not exactly zero.
8. If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year.
9. I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind.
10. I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it.
11. I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the greater task.
12. I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but is wait/plan/plan.
13. I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget about forever.
14. I will become a member of the ancient Order of Two-Headed Turtles (the Procrastinator's Society) if they ever get it organized.

I can certainly identify with a few of those... can you?

Caught in the middle?

Do you belong to the sandwich generation? Are you one of those people caring for an aging parent whilst still having responsibility for one or more children under the age of 18?

The combination of an aging population and the fact that many boomers put off having children until their 30's and 40's means that more and more of us are caught in the middle, squeezed from above and below and, literally, feeling like the filling in a generational sandwich.

Read Melissa Segrest's account of one American woman's story of being Caught in the Middle at: http://boomers.msn.com/articleSG.aspx?cp-documentid=385773&GT1=9306.

Six ways to speed up the healing process

Did you know that burns treated with locally-farmed honey heal, on average, 4 days earlier than those treated without it?

Or that yoga eases lower back pain faster than conventional exercises?

Find out what else you can do to speed up the healing process at: http://health.msn.com/general/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100

Thirty two uses for beer

You can bathe in it,

use it to put out a fire,

polish things with it,

scale fish with it,

kill slugs with it and

loosen rusty bolts with it...

Check out these and the other 26 things you can do with beer at:
http://men.msn.com/articlemh.aspx?cp-documentid=3872767&GT1=9212.

Do you need to take a break?

How do you feel about giving up half of your annual leave in order to stay at work so that you don't fall behind with your responsibilities?

If that sounds like a good idea to you, then you're not alone. It's estimated that 19 million holiday days are 'abandoned' every year by British employees because taking a break proves to be more hassle than it's worth. (And I suspect that, included within that figure, are many thousands of days abandoned by workers in their final year before retirement who decide to work through their holidays just to get 'straight' and hand over a tidy ship to their successor.)

And what about all the people who manage to make it onto the plane, but then use technology to keep in touch with their work whilst they're away - checking their emails, and leaving their phones switched on in case of a workplace emergency, even on the beach?

If any of the above sounds like you, check out Workproof your Holiday by Emma Robertson and find out what you can do to restore your work/life balance.

Advice on love and marriage

I received the following in Philip Humbert's newsletter this morning:

Paul Vogt sent me these quotes from little kids on the secrets of love an marriage. Isn't here a Bible verse about wisdom coming from the mouths of babes? Enjoy!

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHOM TO MARRY?
You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with. -- Kristen, age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED?
You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids. -- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?
Both don't want any more kids. -- Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?
Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. -- Lynnette, age 8

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE?
When they're rich. -- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that. --Curt, age 7

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED?
I don't know which is better, but I'll tell you one thing. I'm never going to have sex with my wife. I don't want to be all grossed out. -- Theodore, age 8

It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. -- Anita, age 9

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?
There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there? --Kelvin, age 8

"And the #1 Favorite is........"

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK?
Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a truck. --Ricky, age 10

First woman in space turns 70

Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to travel into space, has just celebrated her 70th birthday.  The former textile worker was 26 when she became the fifth Russian cosmonaut to go into the Earth's orbit, back in June 1963.  On her return, she was pronounced a 'Hero of the Soviet Union' and has a lunar crater named after her.  Apparently, she still dreams of going to Mars...

Confessions of an email hoarder

I have a confession to make. I have 9520 emails stored in my email in-box. Now I have no idea how many emails I receive each day - probably in the region of 50-100, depending on the day. Of course, all the important emails I have received, such as those from clients, potential clients and suppliers are stored properly in the appropriate folders within my email box.

The 9520 are the things I'm keeping 'just in case I ever need them' - newsletters, google alerts, networking messages - that kind of thing. And the thing is... so far, I never have needed them again (and even if I did need them, I'd never be able to find them amongst the rest of the 9520). So, I was delighted to receive yet another newsletter today, this one from American coach Talane Miedaner at http://www.lifecoach.com/ which included an article entitled 'How to get rid of email clutter - Part 2'. I'm copying it below for you, just in case you're an email hoarder too. (I particularly like the less radical method and I'm going to adopt it just as soon as I finish typing this posting.)

How To Get Rid Of E-Mail Clutter, Part II

OK all you members of the "E-Mail Delete Club" - how did it go this week? Did you get rid of a bunch of emails? Here are some more tips to keep you going (or get you started) clearing out all that email clutter.

The Radical Method. The award for the best tip actually goes to my cat, Sweet Pea, who jumped on my keyboard one morning and somehow managed to delete all the e-mails from my inbox in one fell swoop. For a moment, I stared at the blank computer screen in horror and panic. The next moment I felt a tremendous sense of relief. Hooray! I didn't have to do all those emails. Then it dawned on me that all those e-mails were probably sitting in my delete folder. Darn! I'd still have to deal with them. I opened the file and started looking for the e-mails that were important and in five minutes, I dragged about 20 of them into my inbox and left the rest to die a certain death. Whew! Once the emails were in the delete folder, it was easier to leave them there than to pull them out. The same for the inbox, once emails are in the inbox, they seem to want to stay there. The law of inertia at work. You may want to try this yourself for a quick and radical fix.

The Less Radical Method. For those who find the above tip a little too radical, here is a softer approach. Set up a new file folder in your email program labeled "Old E-Mail" and then highlight and drag all your inbox emails and put them in this folder. This will immediately create a clean slate to work from. It is much easier to maintain a clear inbox if you have a fresh start and mentally, it feels better. Then decide how many of the old emails you will delete each day from the Old E-Mail folder and stick to it until they are all gone.

Be ruthless. You can do it.
Talane

Wine tasting: The rules of conduct

To spit or not to spit?
How much should you drink?
What should you do if you don't like the wine you've just tasted?
Is slurping ever acceptable?

Get the answers to these questions (and more) in Wine Tasting: Rules of Conduct by Kathleen Donnelly,

More good news...

It just gets better and better! Last week we learned that an afternoon nap is good for your heart. This week it seems that chocolate could boost your brain power! The results are in from a range of international studies on flavanols - nutrients which are, apparently, naturally abundant in fresh cocoa.

The scientists discovered that flavanol increased blood supply to the areas of the brain that are associated with learning and the memory and could have brain-function enhancing benefits for older adults.

Read all about it here

Dating over 50: The New Rules for Romance

Are you 50+ and single? Are you looking to get back into the dating game for the first time in years? Does the thought of dating again both excite you and fill you with dread? Check out Dating over 50: The New Rules for Romance by Beatty Cohen, a psychotherapist with over 35 years of experience at http://boomers.msn.com/articleDP.aspx?cp-documentid=380698.

Vitamins: From A to Zinc

Do you need to take vitamin supplements? Which one(s) do you need? How much do you need to take? Do vitamin supplements actually do us any good?

Check out Vitamins: From A to Zinc by Jo Walker

An afternoon nap is good for the heart

It's official! An afternoon nap is good for the heart. This is great news for me - I often have a short nap after lunch, simply because I wake up so early in the morning (usually about 4.30 am) and, if I don't nap, I end up falling asleep on the sofa by 8 pm. A half hour nap in the afternoon means that I can manage to stay awake until around 10.30 pm and remain compos mentis right through to the end of whatever it is that I'm watching on TV. (I've lost count of the number of C.S.I. plots I've missed...)

Now, however, a greek study has shown that people who took a 30-minute siesta at least 3 times a week had a 37% lower risk of heart disease-related death. The researchers believe that napping, and its associated relaxing and unwinding, may reduce stress levels - which can only be good news for our overall health... Read the full BBC news story here

Bugs Bunny knew a thing or two...

Did you know that eating 5 carrots a week can reduce your risk of a stroke by almost two-thirds? Or that munching on a couple of carrots every day will lower your blood cholesterol by 10% and cut your risk of lung cancer in half - even if you're a smoker? All that and you get to see better in the dark too... or is that just a myth?

Do you have a balanced diet?

Are you eating a balanced diet? Find out by taking the following 24-question nutrition test, devised by nutritionist, Angela Dowden, for msn.com: http://msntestyourself.netdoctor.co.uk/interactivetests/nutritionquiz.php.

What size is your carbon footprint?

Here in the UK, Prince Charles has recently announced his plans to cancel his annual skiing trip to Switzerland in order to reduce his carbon footprint.

So what is a carbon footprint and how can you reduce the size of yours? Well, carbon footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide. You can start off by discovering the size of your own carbon footprint at http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.html.

Next, learn how to minimise your Carbon Footprint at http://www.carbonfootprint.com/Minimise_cfp.html and, finally, discover how to offset your Carbon Footprint at http://www.carbonfootprint.com/carbon_offset.html.

Top 10 diet myths by Ross Chainey

There is so much conflicting diet advice in circulation that often the truth gets lost or obscured, making it harder for you to lose weight. Ross Chainey for uk.msn.com sets the record straight on the most frequently reported dieting tips that are, in fact, untrue. See for yourself at http://www.msn.co.uk/health/dietmyths/default.asp?MSPSA=1. (Click on any one of the 10 images and you will be able to access all 10 of the diet myths.)

Google Alerts

Did you know that you can set up Google Alerts to keep you up-to-date on a subject close to your heart? For example, you can set up a Google Alert to monitor a developing news story, keep current on a competitor or industry, get the latest on a celebrity or event or keep tabs on your favorite sports teams. (I have alerts set up for 'retirement', 'aging', 'baby boomers', 'longevity' and 'older workers'.)

Google will send you an email when there are new Google results for your search terms. You can choose to receive these alerts either as they happen, once a day or once a week. Set up your own Google Alert at http://www.google.com/alerts.

How attractive are you?

I first heard about the Law of Attraction during my coach training with Coach University back in 2000 and deliberate attraction plays an enormous part in my life nowadays.

The Law of Attraction, like the Law of Gravity, is one of the laws of the Universe. It states that ‘like attracts like’ and that ‘what we think about is what we attract to us’.

You probably already know that everything in the Universe is made out of energy. Which means that we, ourselves, are made out of energy too. Energy vibrates. Which means that we, too, vibrate. When we are ‘down’ and miserable and thinking negative thoughts, we vibrate at low frequencies and when we are happy, ‘up’ and thinking positive thoughts, we vibrate at high frequencies. Since like attracts like, when we are exuding low frequency, negative energy, we attract more low frequency, negative energy to us. When we are exuding high frequency, positive energy, we attract more high frequency, positive energy to us. It’s as simple as that – we are all just big walking magnets.

The implications for us are that, when we are exuding negative energy, i.e., thinking about everything that is wrong with our lives or focusing on something that we don’t want, this is exactly what we are attracting to us. So, when we are worrying that we won’t have enough money to get through to the end of the month, that our car will break down in a high-crime area or that we won’t get that dream job that we have applied for – this is exactly what we will attract to us.

On the contrary, when we concentrate our time, energy and attention on what we DO want to happen – the good things in life, the prosperity and the abundance – this, too, is what we will attract to us. This implies that we must constantly focus our time, energy and attention on the things that we want to have in our lives, rather than concentrating those resources on what we don’t want in our lives.

This stuff works. Whether you are aware of it or not. You owe it to yourself to find out more about it. You can make a start by checking out the following websites:

http://www.attractionville.com/ for free resources and articles
http://www.lawofattractionbook.com/ for articles and teleclasses on Attraction

If you want to find out more about becoming deliberately attractive, I can recommend the following books:

The Attractor Factor by Joe Vitale

Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting by Lynn Grabhorn

Ask and It Is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks

Remember, the Law of Attraction is at work all the time, whether you are aware of it or not. Better to be aware and using it to your advantage to attract the things you want in life, rather than a whole load of the things you don't want.

Happy New Year! - Part 3

When you have your written-down goals for the year, you need to chunk them down into monthly targets. For example, if you have written down that you (intend to) weigh 140 lbs on 31.12.07 and you currently weigh 164 lbs, then, if you divide the weight you need to lose (24 lbs) by 12 months, you can see that you need to lose 2lbs per month in order to make that desire a reality. That's not so difficult is it?

If you are starting with no savings and you want to have £5,000 in your bank account by 31.12.07, then you need to save £416.66 per month in order to make your goal a reality.

You can then go on to chunk this down even further into weekly and even daily targets - this makes your £5000 savings goal just £104.16 per week or £13.69 per day! What could you do to save or earn an extra £13.69 per day? And doesn't that sound much more manageable than £416.66 per month?

Put your daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals or targets somewhere you can see them regularly - how about the wall above your desk or your kitchen noticeboard? If you want your goals to remain private, get some postcard-sized cards, write your targets on them and carry them around with you. Read them often. Write about them in a daily journal. Make up a treasure map - get yourself a pile of magazines, find pictures, headlines and other illustrations that relate to the things you want and stick them to a large sheet of paper or card. They could be pictures of places you want to visit or that car you want to own. You could have a picture of your dream house up there. Group them in a way that's meaningful to you. Then, put the treasure map where you will see it often - it helps imprint your goals into your subconscious.

Find ways to rehearse and emotionally enjoy the experience of achieving your goals before you actually achieve them. Do you want a new car? Something really special that feels to be out of your reach at the moment? Get yourself down to the car dealership and take a test drive of your dream car. Smell that new car smell. Get the feel of the steering wheel under your hands and the feel of the seat under your bottom. Hear the clunk of the door as you close it.

Then think of all the reasons why you should achieve this particular goal. Think how you will feel when you have achieved it. Think what a difference it will make to your life. Keep your focus and attention on what you want - not what you don't want. Be aware of The Law of Attraction - it's at work whether you are aware of it or not. Better to be aware and using it to your advantage.

Come back tomorrow if you don't know about The Law of Attraction and want to find out more...

Happy New Year! - Part 2

Setting goals in the way I described in Part 1 enables you to:

1. Gain clarity about what it is that you want
2. Begin to focus your attention and energy in that direction
3. Set yourself a big vision for the year - one that will pull you forward and motivate you.

During the act of writing down your goals, a part of your brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) is triggered which determines what you will notice and what you will pay attention to.

Think for a minute about all the stimuli that are constantly bombarding your brain via your senses. How does your brain know what it needs to pay attention to and what it can ignore? This is where the RAS comes into play - it gives you a 'heads-up' and tells you to pay attention to something that could be important for you. You know how, when you make a decision to buy a specific make and model of car, all of a sudden, the roads seem full of that particular make and model? They are everywhere you look? Of course, these cars haven't just appeared on the road - they were always there, but because, previously, they held no particular interest for you, your brain just screened them out. Now that you have a particular interest in this type of vehicle, your RAS has been activated and your awareness of them is heightened.

Another example of the RAS in action is when you are at a noisy, busy party with lots of people chattering all around you and music playing on the stereo, and then someone, across the other side of the room says your name and you hear them, despite and through all the other background noise that is going on.

The RAS works as a filter for your conscious and unconscious mind, sorting and evaluating incoming data and filtering out the urgent and important stuff from that which is unimportant.

By writing down your goals, the RAS is triggered - it receives the message: 'Wake up. This is important stuff. Pay attention and don't miss it'. Your brain can then go to work on your goal, alerting you to the appropriate signs, signals and opportunities and helping you get what you want. As Henriette Anne Klauser, author of 'Write it down, Make it happen' says: 'Writing down your dreams and aspirations is like hanging up a sign that says 'Open for Business'.

More tomorrow...

Happy New Year!

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year and are looking forward to everything that 2007 brings. How are you doing with the New Year's resolutions? Wavering a bit? How successful have you been, traditionally, with keeping the resolutions you've made? Most people fail with theirs before January is out...

Are you willing to try something different this year? Can you spare an hour or so to sit down with a pen and pad? It's quite simple, really. All I want you to do is imagine that it's 31 December 2007 and you are looking back over the year and everything that you have achieved during 2007. Then I want you to make a list of all your achievements during the course of the year.

What would you like to be writing on your pad? How would you like to have spent your year? What would you like to have learned? How fit would you like to be? Where would you like to have been? How successful would you like your new retirement business to have been?

Use the following categories to help you:

Health
Money/finance
Retirement career/work
Relationships/family/friends
Personal Development
Fun/recreation/spare time/hobbies
Environment (home/garden/car/office)
Spirituality

Decide what you want to achieve this year in each category and then write it as if you have already achieved it, for example:

I had a brilliant time in Florida in March, in Ireland in August and ski-ing in Les-Deux-Alpes last week. I continue to exercise for an hour, 4 times a week and I have achieved my ideal weight of (you insert the figures) through a combination of exercising, healthy eating and portion control. My social life goes from strength to strength - I enjoy the cinema, theatre or meals out with friends at least twice a week and I am never short of invitations. My belly-dancing course has done wonders for my flexibility and my new internet-based business is starting to show a profit of (you insert the amount) each month.

Have fun with your list. What do you really, really want to be, do and have this year? Be as specific as you can. Then, come back tomorrow and I'll tell you more...

With this bone I thee wed...

It's not my idea of a romantic gift, but couples are now being given the opportunity to exchange rings made from their own bones. It's not quite as gruesome as it sounds - you don't actually have to remove any of your bones to make the ring. Bone cells are extracted from wisdom teeth and samples of bone are then grown in a laboratory. One lucky recipient of such a ring described it as being 'like ivory but more ethical'. If you're reading this and considering buying me jewellery, I think I'd prefer to stick to the more traditional gold and silver if you don't mind...

Read the full story here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6215702.stm.

Christmas - the season to be jolly? by Margaret Collins

Here's a timely article by Margaret Collins, one of the wealth coaches at The Money Gym. Their blog, http://www.wealthcoach.typepad.com/ is one of my favourites and always worth checking out.

Christmas can be many things - a great family occasion, a time to celebrate or something to endure. For many it is an opportunity - or an excuse to escape to sun or to snow.

With each Brit spending an astonishing £2,200.48 - that's the average spend over the festive season last year, it can also be a financial nightmare.

Cornhill Direct's survey of 4,000 people revealed that £693.05 a year is spent on presents for loved ones, £337.27 on presents for friends, whilst £45.45 on people such as neighbours, tradesman and the postman.

Now while it's great to be generous, a third of people go into debt for Christmas in a bid to make it the best year ever. Personally I have different definitions and aspirations for my best year yet!

Twenty per cent of people are still trying to clear the debt by March and 10% are still in debt by the next Christmas. Does this sound familiar???

We're also pretty good, on average, of eating and drinking our way into debt spending £269.48 on food and £180.24 on alcohol - that's a collective total of £449.72 a year but all within a couple of weeks! (Thank goodness nobody has yet calculated the calorific content of our consumption or I'd be really scared.)

I've no intention of "doing a Scrooge" here. In the middle of winter there are pretty good reasons for wanting to celebrate something and have a good time - just try to make sure you don't have to live with unpleasant consequences for months afterwards. Whether it's debt on the credit card or inches on your hips - it can be so easy to put on and so difficult to lose!

As sure as the sun rises at dawn, the sales will be upon us as retailers try desperately to part us from our money. By now you've missed the boat so far as shopping early goes so wait until you get the bargain. Shop online so as to get the best price - and be tempted less by the impulse buy. I can't imagine a friend worth having who would wish you going into debt to fund their flashy Christmas present.

If you're looking for something different why not try that ethical Christmas gift - a dozen ducks or two small goats can make a world of difference to a family in the developing world - really the difference between life and death - and you still get a really great card to give to your friend. (Apparently someone has used my Christmas gift to feed 30 schoolchildren???!!!)

Remember enlightened millionaires live in integrity - and still have fun.

Here's hoping you attract all you need and most of what you want!

Learn how to levitate for the holidays!

Keep everyone spellbound during those family get-togethers. Levitate your nieces and nephews, push a cigarette or rolled-up bank note through a coin or cough up a playing card. Learn to do all this and more at http://www.squidoo.com/beginningmagic/. (And just think how useful the ability to levitate would be if you ran out of seats around the dinner table...)

Free hugs...

If you're feeling a little bit down or grumpy this Monday morning, have a look at the following film and I defy you not to smile:

Impress your kids...

Steve Watson at The Money Gym has blogged about this really clever site that lets you send e-cards like the one on the right. I bet your kids would love to receive one - and just think how cool you'd look in their eyes...

The only problem is that the site is German - which means that it's written in German, so, if like me, you don't speak a word of the language, you'll have to fiddle around with it for a while until you get the hang of it.

You can find the site at www.letterjames.de. Have fun!