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By subscription only! Welcome to another issue of:
"THE BALANCED WOMAN".
Thanks to all of you who have encouraged your friends to subscribe! You are important to us. So rest assured we will NEVER sell or give away your email addresses to anyone!!
We realize that not all of the email programs available can accommodate our size. So you can also find this issue of The Balanced Woman at: http://angelfire.com/sd/BalancedWoman//issue18.html
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IN THIS ISSUE
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=> Welcome
=> Feature Article: "The Secrets
of Living"
=> Household Tip
=> Column: "I Want What I Want
When I Want It!"
=> Parenting Tip
=> Classified Ads
=> Guest Column:"The Truth About
Frugal Living"
=> Pampering Yourself
=> Can You Help this Reader?
=> Help Others without Spending
a Dime!
=> Subscribe/Un subscribe information
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WELCOME
Can you believe the holidays are almost upon us--again? I know I'm getting old when a year feels like a week! Or maybe it's just been that I've been so busy...
There's been LOTS going on this last month.
First, I am THRILLED to announce that my new book "The Business of Mom: How to Manage Your Home and Family Like a Successful Business" is completed! A few of you were kind enough to review it, in it's draft form, for me. For those of you who haven't seen it yet, please take a look at http://www.betweenfriends.org/1.htm
Between Friends is proud to be a member of a new organization called I-Cop. I-Cop stands for the International Council of Online Professionals--We police ourselves to protect you!! Please read all about I-Cop and what it will do to protect the consumer from online fraud. http://www.betweenfriends.vjungle.com/icop.html
There's been a wonderful article floating around the Internet about women. It was so well written and so good, I had to share it with you. Please take a look at http://www.betweenfriends.vjungle.com/women.html
Last month we ran a reader's question about getting rust out of a jumper. You can find all of YOUR wonderful responses at http://www.betweenfriends.vjungle.com/rust.html
Quick site updates for you…
Please stop by and cast your vote at the site poll, if you haven't yet. It's been changed! This month's site poll asks: What area of your life presents the biggest challenge...While there, you'll also find the results of the previous poll at http://www.betweenfriends.org/poll.html Remember, we don't ask for your name, email address or any other personal data--just your opinion!
This month's recipe is from my mom (thanks Moms)! You can find it at: http://www.betweenfriends.org/househol.htm
Phew! That's it for now. I hope you enjoy this issue!
jackie
PS: Please visit our website often at: http://www.betweenfriends.org
It's full of articles, tips and links to help you bring more balance into
your life.
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Feature Article: The Secrets of Living!
By: Jacqueline McLaughlin Hale
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Last month, my son started Kindergarten. All of you who have
had children go off to school know exactly how I feel. I am not unique
but I have just lost my baby. So now I have a lot of time to think
about all that will be. We're starting a new phase in our lives,
both of us. He is taking his first steps towards becoming a man and
I am taking my first steps in letting go.
Every day I deliver him to the first of many teachers who will undoubtedly give him the knowledge he will need to "survive" in this world. Throughout the years he will learn to read and write and to add and subtract. He will learn about science and history and English. He will learn what he needs to ultimately live independently. He will learn to make a living. However, he already knows how to live.
I have watched him, in awe sometimes. He takes what I make so hard and does it with ease. He simplifies what I complicate. How does he do it? What are HIS secrets to living? He treats people well and enjoys life.
My son is respectful of others. He is considerate of their feelings. He waits his turn. He shares. He doesn't let their bad moods affect him. He doesn't take what they say or do personally. He doesn't talk about them behind their backs and he accepts their imperfections as easily as he accepts his own. When he sees those who may look different, he asks, purely to understand, never to judge.
He tries. He gets right back up after he falls. He laughs often and expresses his emotions freely, liberally and without shame. He forgives quickly and easily. He focuses on what he is doing so he has little time to worry about what others may think. He enjoys himself. He makes everything a game. He loves openly and expects nothing in return. He shares without fear of lack. He assumes he will always have what he needs. He trusts. He is not afraid. He accepts what life may give him without complaining. He makes the best of each situation. He gives abundantly.
Over the years my son's mind will be filled with reading, writing and 'rithmetic. I can only hope that it's not at the expense of respect, regard and responsibility. The former is about knowledge. The latter is about wisdom.
I used to wish that he would be the best, the brightest and the fastest, but no more. Now, I wish that he will do his best and BE his best. Because I have learned that in the end, it's not necessarily those with the most knowledge who win. It is those who possess the most wisdom. Those who take responsibility for their actions; who have regard for their own feelings and the feelings of others and those who have respect for people and for life…just like my little boy…
Happy Halloween!
Jacqueline McLaughlin Hale is a CPA and the editor of Between Friends: Resources for Mothers (http://www.betweenfriends.org) Between Friends is a website dedicated to helping women balance their responsibilities so that they can make more time for themselves. It does this by providing tips, tricks and tools for household hints, parenting, budgeting, self-improvement and more! It also offers a FREE monthly ezine: The Balanced Woman. Visit today!
Webmasters and publishers may use this article in their ezine or website,
as long as the *entire*
article is used, and the *copyright notice* and *resource box* are
left in tact, including this notice
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http://www.shopshuku.com The holidays are coming up fast! Find beautiful and distinctive gifts at Shopshuku.com Shopshuku.invites you to view the Beautiful Art of "Tish Holmes"- "Disabled Artist." Tish is an Inspiration to all of us, and those whom are lucky enough to own her Beautiful Prints and Postcards, will always have the pleasure of being part of a most triumphant and courageous expression of the Human Soul. Unforgettable and Amazing. "Shuku," Presents to you: A New Attitude and New Hope, for the dreams of all of us.
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A free daily E-zine that contains inspirational stories by published
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Heart</A> http://www.StraightFromTheHeartList.com
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HOUSEHOLD HINT OF THE MONTH
Does your stove top have ugly rings of baked-on grease around the burners? There is a way to clean it. The secret weapon is full-strength ammonia!
Begin by removing the drip pans, burner rings, and heating elements, if you have them. Cut a two-inch ring the size of the largest burner from an old towel, saturate with ammonia, and place around the burner. Cover with aluminum foil to slow evaporation. Turn on your exhaust fan to dissipate fumes. Let soak overnight. Wipe the next morning with mild soap and a clean cloth to remove ammonia residue.
A warning: Always use rubber gloves when working with ammonia and work on one burner at a time to avoid excessive fumes.
From Emazing.com (http://www.emazing.com)
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"I Want What I Want When I Want It,
But What Do I REALLY Want?"
By: Rhonda M. Layton
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How to find your decorating style and know where to begin...
If you are like most people, you know what you want and what you don't want. And that's great! Sometimes, however, we are unable to communicate what it is we want in a way that others are able to understand.
When you are shopping for items in your home, this kind of shopping can be extremely frustrating. If you don't know what you are looking for, you wander aimlessly searching for things. Sometimes you see something and it may not be the right selection, but you purchase it anyway because you are just exhausted and need to get something.
Once you get it home, you find it doesn't work or you just don't like it and have to return it. What a pain that is!!! So, how do we determine what we like and dislike, what we want, what we may need and what we really desire?
The answer is simple, you need to get clear on all of these things through
education before you go out shopping.
Shopping 101
Lets begin by having you find out what you like and discovering a way for you to communicate that to others.
I want you to go to a bookstore or grocery store and sit with the home and decorating magazines. Begin flipping through them, finding photographs of rooms you really like and appeal to you. Make note of them or set the magazines aside. You can also do this with decorating books but magazines are much less expensive.
As you are searching, you will find things that jump out at you and eventually you will see a pattern emerge of rooms you like and styles that represent the kind of home you want.
Styles are typically grouped into the following basic categories:
· Traditional (formal, dressy, rich fabrics, cherry
wood)
· Country (antiques, pine, collectibles, cozy warm
feeling)
· Contemporary (clean lines, dramatic)
· Romantic (soft, elegant, ruffles, lace)
· Oriental (antiques, dramatic colors, high style)
· Southwestern (earth tones, textures, artifacts)
· Transitional or Eclectic (mixes of any style)
Knowing basic style categories will further help define your style preferences.
Purchase a couple of magazines that represented your style so you will
have them as reference. It will help you when you are looking for
furniture, colors, accessories, etc. later on. This exercise will
also help you find a definition to your style.
My Family and Home
Do you entertain a lot? Do you like to read? How many people are in your family? Do all the kids in the neighborhood come to you house? Do you have small children? Do you only entertain a few times a year for family and friends? Do you have large dinner parties with business associates? Do you prefer to have a home where jeans and T-shirts are considered formal wear?
Who are you and how does your home get used? This is an important part of the process because the answers to those questions will determine where you should begin decorating your home.
I have heard designers and decorators say the first room you should always decorate is your master bedroom. The theory is you are in this room the most and therefore it should be a well centered, organized place. If you wake and sleep in a beautiful place, you will be happier.
My argument is that I am awake more in the den or kitchen than I am in my bedroom and I like my public spaces (kitchen, family room, living room, and dining room) to appear pulled together first. This, of course, is based on my lifestyle.
What is YOUR lifestyle?
If you are a person who loves to entertain formally, then you should consider working first on your living room and dining room. If you like to entertain informally with friends and family, work on your family room and kitchen spaces. If you are a cook and everyone congregates to your kitchen, then by all means do that room first. If you are a homebody and just love relaxing in your bedroom, do that room first. If you are a busy professional and are rarely home, then the bedroom theory from above may be the best for you. Typically, you will be in that room more often anyway.
Once you define what areas are most important to have completed first, you will be well on your way to a finished home.
The answer to the question, "what rooms are most important to be finished first," can not be all the rooms! If you set yourself up for that kind of overwhelm, you will not be able to accomplish anything.
If you don't focus on what area first, second and third, you will become very overwhelmed by all the things you need to accomplish. Why do that to yourself? Break it down into smaller pieces and get it done.
Figure out with your lifestyle what rooms are most important to finish first while keeping an overall eye on your whole house. If you see bedding that would work for your master bedroom and its on sale, go ahead and purchase it, but don't then switch focus to that room when you are almost finished with the family room.
Once you find your style, the rest falls into place.
Want to learn the decorating secrets of professional
interior designers? Visit: http://decorating-bible.com
Copyright, 2000. Rhonda M. Layton Article may be reprinted.
Please keep this information in tact.
mailto:rhonda@thewebdecorator.com
http://decorating-bible.com
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PARENTING TIP OF THE MONTH
Parents, did you know that the most powerful type of reward for all children -- regardless of age -- you already possess and it won't cost a penny?
The most powerful reward that parents always have on hand can be defined
as "Praise, Recognition, and Positive Attention for Good Behavior." You
can dispense these rewards by giving you child verbal approval, by comments
such as, "I'm so proud of you." "I knew you could do it!" You can also
laugh at your child's jokes and silly behavior, and comment on how much
you enjoy being in his company. Tickle and wrestle with your child from
time to time. Also, smile at your child as frequently as possible. This
teaches your child to smile in return, and gives him a powerful nonverbal
message -- that you "approve." Hug or pat your child on the back -- sometimes
no words are necessary.
From Emazing.com (http://www.emazing.com)
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The Truth About "Frugal" Living ©1998-2000 http://www.valulinks.com
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Here's a question for you. What's the impression or image you have in your head when you think of someone who is a "tightwad", living somewhat of a frugal lifestyle?
Does the stereotypical image of a old, feeble minded miser, with dirty old overalls, worn out sneakers with a fisherman cap pop up in your mind? :-) That's ok. Stereotypes are hard to get rid of. Especially the negative connotations sometimes associated with budget related terminology.
All to often people assume frugality and budgeting are for poor, low income families. Only the less fortunate have to worry about these things, right? First off, throw out all these misconceptions. Wipe them from your mind. They no longer exist. Instead, let's take a look at the bigger picture. The purpose and reason for wanting to budget, conserve and lower your bills.
All That Waste~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In our society, it is very easy to get caught up in all the glamor
of the rich and famous. You know, all the fancies in life. Isn't everybody
supposed to be gorgeous, drive fancy cars, dine at the most expensive restaurants
and have beach front property to come home to everyday?
We have this image of the wealthy and all the luxuries they spend their
money on, and we sometimes try to replicate this in our own lives. More
specifically, we don't want to be seen as if we are financially challenged,
so we spend our money the way we think wealthier people do. We buy what
they buy. Go out where they go. We spend our money carelessly, without
even giving a second thought about it. It makes us feel good
because we've briefly made people think that we are wealthier that we really
are. Sometimes, we even trick ourselves into believing that we actually
have more than we really do.
But in the end, we have no actual wealth. No overabundant savings account. No well invested stocks to capitalize on. No lake front retirement cabin to retreat to from time to time. Just our pretend life that we've been living in.
Acquiring Wealth~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So how does a person acquire wealth? Many misinterpret the meaning
of wealth. Wealth is not determined by how much you earn, but by how much
you accumulate.
Aside from inheritance (and luck), a wealthy person will generally acquire
money through many years of hard work and discipline. And at the same time,
compliment the hard work with regular saving deposits and wise financial
investments. It just isn't in their nature to spend money haphazardly because
that wouldn't be a wise investment. Others spend all of their money
on many extravagances but rarely have anything left afterwards. Years of
reckless spending leaves little to celebrate
about in the end.
YOU Make The Decision~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Income level has little to do with whether a person decides to budget
their money and strive for future financial goals. In other words, you'd
be surprised to know how many poor people do NOT budget their money and
how many wealthy people DO!
It all comes down to the GOALS you have for you and your family and how dedicated you are in achieving these goals. Whether it be financial goals, career goals, retirement goals, business goals or all of the above. Your goals answer the fundamental question:
What do I want to have (or be) in 5, 10, or 20 years? Only you can choose what is labeled a priority in your life. Do you want to conserve money, lower bills, and start an investment plan? Or do you want a new suit every month to go with pricey excursions to Vegas eight times a year? Would you rather spend your time learning how to invest in the stock market or possibly start your own home business for additional income? Or would you rather spend the money you earn on a new deluxe home entertainment center, relax and wait for the next work day to come?
Regardless of what road you choose, choose what you feel is right for
your situation and strive for your goals. All the advice in the world can't
force you to save money and budget your finances. YOU have to WANT to reach
your goals, period. Only when you decide that your goals are top
priorities in your life, will you start implementing effective money saving
strategies and begin acquiring real wealth.
©1998-99 http://www.valulinks.com
written by Gregory Thomas THE SECRETS TO SAVING
MONEY EVERY MONTH Start saving money twice a month! Get the
FREE bi weekly "Money Saving Tips" newsletter by simply going to: http://www.valulinks.com
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Pampering Yourself
With holiday parties looming on the horizon, October is a good month
to visit a cosmetics counter at a department store for a makeover!
Often, they will do them for free in the hope that you will purchase some
of the cosmetics. Call in advance to inquire about the cost, if any
and to make an appointment!
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Can You Help
this Reader?
"hi there. i am a widow and fix income. i wonder if any of the readers could help me. i am having trouble with ground moles in my lawn. i have tried many things but nothing seems to help. i have traps, i have sprayed 3x with a castor oil mix i bought at a hardware, i have sprayed for grubs, i have used poisin pellets, also smoke bombs underground. nothing seems to help. its been 2 weeks and havent slowed down. oh yes i also put chewing gum in the ground. i have called lawn services and they said there wasnt any thing they could do except spray for grubs. i also called insect co. and they said they dont treat yards. please i would appreciate any help thank you"
Please send your suggetions to me at jahale95@yahoo.com with "moles" in the subject.
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IT WON'T COST YOU A DIME TO FEED A STARVING CHILD FOR A DAY!
Please take 15 seconds of your valuable time and stop by The Hunger
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right now and help to feed those less fortunate.
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Disclaimer
The appearance of advertising in The Balanced Woman should not be interpreted
as an endorsement by the editors of the service, product, business, or
program being advertised. We take no responsibility for claims or
representations made in any ads. The Balanced Woman is for informational
and entertainment purposes only. The ideas and information expressed
in it have not been approved or authorized by anyone either explicitly
or implicitly. In no event shall Jacqueline McLaughlin Hale be liable
for any damages whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection
with the use of this information or its publication, including any action
for infringement of copyright or defamation. The opinions expressed
by our columnists are not necessarily the position of The Balanced Woman.
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Copyright 1999, 2000 JA Hale
Editor's Comments: If any of you have any ideas, comments and suggestions
on how we can improve this e-zine please let me know. Just send an
email to: jahale95@yahoo.com
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