The purchase of a house is probably the largest single investment you will ever make. So, it only makes sense that you should know exactly what to expect, both indoors and out, in terms of repairs, maintenance and the associated costs that come with a new—or old–home. One of the best ways to understand a home’s condition is to hire a professional home inspector. A professional home inspector is not only familiar with all the components of a home but is able to evaluate the condition of the home and all of its systems. Professional home inspectors will point out the components that are not working properly as well as those that are unsafe. They will address areas where repairs may be needed or where problems may arise in the future. A professional home inspector is also able to make an unbiased and accurate report of the property’s true condition as an expert in home inspection. This knowledge will make it much easier to assess an accurate value of home property.

Even the most knowledgeable homeowner lacks the training and depth of knowledge that only a professional home inspector provides. That is why it is so important to hire an experienced home inspector to perform the inspection on a home’s property. When selecting a home inspector, be sure to choose one that will give you the quality of service you deserve and that you feel comfortable with. Consider the following questions when selecting a professional home inspector:

What are the home inspector’s qualifications?

Home inspection is a trade that requires special training, knowledge, and skills. The more experienced a true professional home inspector is, the more likely they will be able to uncover any problems. Look for professional home inspectors that have sufficient practical experience, a general understanding of all components in a home, and a background in related trades. Reputable home inspectors are also more likely to be certified with a well-known association, such as ASHI (American Society of Home Inspectors) that requires them to adhere to a strict code of ethics and specific standards of practice. Always ask about their membership in various associations. You also have the right to see proof of their membership.

Can the home inspector provide quality references?

A highly regarded professional home inspector should be able to provide you with references upon your request. Be sure to take the next step and contact the people named as references Ask them if they were satisfied with the inspector’s complete service and their overall experience with them.

Will the home inspector allow you to participate?

A professional home inspector should feel comfortable allowing you to participate throughout the inspection. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and ask questions along the way. A home inspectors purpose is to educate you on your home and all of it’s components—learn all you can. A good suggestion is to do a little research on your home beforehand and come prepared with a list of questions for the inspector.

What is the scope of inspection?

A standard home inspection report summarizes findings from a visual inspection of the home’s interior and exterior components. Exteriors components include roofing, flashing, chimneys, gutters, downspouts, wall surfaces and the foundation, including the grading around it. Interior components include electrical, heating, air conditioning, ventilation, plumbing, insulation, flooring, ceiling and wall finishes, windows and doors, basements, and any visible structures of the home. Upon completion of the inspection, the certified home inspector should provide a clear, easy to read report detailing every major home system and component within 24 hours. A quality home inspector will also provide you with pictures of various elements to help you see and understand the true condition.

Hire a professional home inspector today to help you make an informed decision on one of the largest investments of your life by providing a clear picture of the property condition. It will give you confidence and peace of mind.

About the Author: Amber Sell is a content specialist for 10x Marketing in Orem, Utah. For more information in regards to professional home inspectors, please feel free to contact North Star Home Inspection.

Fighting Spam..

Industry experts estimate that three out of every five e-mail
messages that are sent today are spam.

This is not only a nuisance; it is costing us all time and money
which could be better spent on productive ventures.

Bizwala is committed to fighting spam & blocks a great deal
without customer intervention. Our systems are updated daily and
we are always working to improve our spam filtering.

Though we may never be able to block it all, we can offer some
suggestions to combat spam effectively.
—————————————————————–
——— Q: How can I prevent spam from reaching my e-mail
account?

A: People who send spam compile their mailing lists in many
ways. Methods to compile such lists include:

Sending spam to e-mail addresses that are most commonly used. A
common tactic consists of building lists of targeted addresses
that use frequently used words such as “webmaster” or “info”
(for example, “webmaster@mydomainname” or “info@mydomainname”).

Obtaining e-mail addresses that are automatically “harvested”
from web sites by specialized software.

Compiling lists of e-mail addresses that are either chosen or
generate at random (for example, ” joe1@mydomainname”,
“joe2@mydomainname” or “joe3@mydomainname”. This method is
becoming increasingly frequent.

Because spammers often send spam to undefined e-mail aliases
such as aabbcc@domain.com, ccddee@domain.com, mfrds@domain.com,
you can combat the receipt of spam effectively by not using a
catch-all address . (The catch-all is an alias that is used to
recieve mail sent to undefined addresses/aliases .)

Q: What is spoofing and how can I fight it?

A: “Spoofing” occurs when a spammer uses some version of your
domain name in the “From” address field. Spammers use spoofing
to try to hide their identities and to pass blame for spam to
innocent Internet users. The large amount of spam messages –
many of which are sent to invalid address — result in a
significant amount of “bounced” e-mail (that is, mail that
returned as being undeliverable). Unfortunately, bounced mail is
sent back to the address found in the “From” line of the spammed
message. Typically, the “From” line is also an undefined e-mail
address not found in your mail settings. To combat receiving
bounced mail messages, you can use the “devnull” alias that we
mentioned in the previous question and answer.

Q: Even if my account is not generating any spam, can the mail
server I use get blocked because of spam?

Unfortunately, yes. The main cause for blacklisting your mail
server depends on where the spammed e-mail is ultimately
received and how the ISP who maintains that location reacts to
spam and to spam complaints. Many account holders with Bizwala
forward e-mail messages that are sent to there hosting account.
For example, a message sent to info@mydomainname could be
forwarded to myaccount@aol.com or myaccount@yahoo.com. At other
times, clients may be forwarding e-mail messages to accounts
that are invalid or otherwise not in use. The processing of the
forwarded e-mail message is handled by the mail server that your
account uses (specifically, the MTA or Mail Transport Agent).
Because a Bizwala mail server is the MTA, it is possible that
the mail server could be blacklisted even though you (or any
other Bizwala client) is not responsible for sending the spam in
the first place.

In short, you must be careful about where you forward e-mail,
how you report spam, and to whom you report it.

Note: Bizwala reserves the right to terminate a client’s
services for violations of our Acceptable Use policy.
Unacceptable use includes forwarding e-mail messages to
addresses that are invalid (not within the client’s control)
and/or sending mail with malicious intent.

Q: How can I filter spam in my Inbox once I receive it?

First, do NOT click any links in the spam or try to reply or
unsubscribe to the spammed e-mail message. Often, these links
will subscribe you to even more spam lists despite the fact that
those links appear to promise that you will be unsubscribed.
And, as spammers are always looking for legitimate e-mail
addresses to spam, replying to a spam message in any way only
tells the spammer that your e-mail address is valid.

Second, some e-mail programs have built-in functionality that
deals with spam that reaches your Inbox. Outlook 2000 (and
newer) is one such a e-mail program.

Outlook creates a folder called Junk Mail, where you can move
junk e-mail and then review it before deleting. Or, you can have
junk e-mail delivered to your Inbox, but color-coded so you can
easily identify it. The list of terms that Outlook uses to
filter suspected junk e-mail messages is found in a file named
Filters.txt.

You can also filter messages based on the e-mail addresses of
junk and adult content senders, allowing you to move or delete
all future messages from a particular sender. You can review the
Junk Senders list and add and remove e-mail addresses from it.

If you do not use Outlook 2000 or higher, please refer to your
mail program’s help files for any information related to spam
filtering.

Q: Are there any low cost programs out there that I can install
to help filter the spam?

A: Yes. There are many programs available that use a variety of
methods to help e-mail end users filter spam. Effective spam
prevention should include client-side software (that is,
software that is installed on your local computer). Below are
some links that you may want to visit:

Cloudmark Safety Bar: http://www.cloudmark.com

Realize that there are many products on the market that you can
install on help filter spam. However, as we are not affiliated
with the vendors or authors of those products, we cannot specify
which of those products would work best for your specific
situation. We ask that you “do your research” in order to locate
which product is best for you.

Q: The spam that is reaching me is being sent to defined e-mail
accounts. What can I do about it?

A: If any of your defined e-mail addresses are receiving too
many spam messages, it may be well worth it to you to change
your e-mail address. For example, if “info@mydomainname” is the
recipient of too much spam, it may be a good idea to delete
“info@mydomainname” in favor of “information@mydomainname. We
realize that this may be a tough decision, but such an action
could be a huge benefit as it would immediately reduce — if not
entirely eliminate — the amount of spam that you would be
receiving at your e-mail address.

Q: How can I prevent my e-mail address from being added to
spammer’s mailing lists?

A: As mentioned above, spammers use a variety of methods to
compile lists. We have created a help document that will give
you some useful tips about how to prevent your e-mail addresses
from being added to lists.

Protect Your Privacy

If you plan to enter your information to any Web site, please
review the Terms of Service and Privacy Policies of the Web
site. If the policies do not clearly indicate what will be done
with your information, you should reconsider posting any details
to that Web site.

Publishing Your E-mail Address on Your Web Site

Instead of having a simple “mailto” link on your Web site, such
as “Please e-mail me at joe@example.com,” consider using an
approved form mail script that allows Web site visitors to fill
out a form to send you e-mail. Bizwala offers such a script free
of charge. This will help prevent e-mail address harvesting
robots and other spammers from capturing your address. email
support@bizwala.net if you need assistance in setting up a spam
deterrent form mail

Member Profiles

Try to stay away from creating and posting a member profile, on
any Web site, for others to see publicly. Spammers are always
reviewing such information for new e-mail addresses.

Product Registration

Many of us register products online. Many times the product
registration form has options pre-selected that enable the
company to solicit you by e-mail, even though you may not want
it. Be sure to review the options you are selecting and any
options that may have been selected for you by default.

Posting to a Newsgroup

Never post anything to a newsgroup with your real e-mail
address. Consider cloaking the address or using a “disposable”
e-mail address. Consider creating and using an e-mail address
from one of the free e-mail address providers.

Do Not Reply to Spam or an Unsubscribe Request

Never reply to a piece of spam or request to be unsubscribed.
Your reply confirms that your address is working and provides
the spammer the opportunity to add your address to their list or
sell it to another entity. This actually helps facilitate more
spam.

Report Spam

An effective way to help prevent spam is to report it to the ISP
or mail administrator where the spam originated. Such reports
help ISPs to identify the user or users who sent the spam.
Report the spam, including full headers from the spam, to the
ISP abuse department or postmaster e-mail address.

Federal law strictly limits the information that online service
providers may disclose about their users. However, e-mail
messages do contain some information about the sender.

E-mail headers contain an Internet Protocol (IP) address that
corresponds to the sender’s Internet service provider (ISP). A
line in the e-mail message contains an 8 to 12 digit number,
separated by periods. For example: “Received: from
[123.456.78.91] by . . .” The “123.456.78.91″ represents the
ISP’s unique IP address for the sender. Most spam headers have
multiple “Received: from” lines. If the e-mail message has not
been forged then, in general, the first such line from the
bottom is the true origin of the spammed message.

After you identify the IP address, you can search to determine
which ISP provides this person with Internet access. A Web site
that attempts to determine the actual computer with that IP
address is located at http://www.arin.net/whois/index.html

-Article written by Wendy Jo McLeod Spam solution providers

This article explains a few things about tae kwon do, and if you’re interested, then this is worth reading, because you can never tell what you don’t know.

You have probably heard this over and over again but you are going to hear it again now? Taekwondo is known for its kicks.

The kicks used in Taekwondo sparring are more striking than in any other martial art. Even though the kicks in poomse are simpler than the ones used in sparring, they can be equally as impressive if executed properly.

Also, a good, solid front kick is more impressive than an impromptu tornado or double roundhouse kick.
What is it that makes a great taekwondo kick?

1. Balance.

Balance may not be seem as obvious as you think. And balance is more than just not ending up on the floor. It is a matter of fluidity, of gracefulness, of naturalness.

With a properly balanced kick, the supporting foot does not wobble, the hands do not flail about, and the athlete does not rush to complete the kick.

Also, the athlete begins and ends the technique in the proper stances without having to correct the stances to accommodate the kick.

Practice moving within your stances. When you feel comfortable doing simple things within your stances, you should try to kick from one stance into another.

2. Proper form.

Having proper form is a requirement to having a beautiful kick. Proper form may be defined as the correct positions to which the entire body enters as it performs a kick from start to finish.

It is wise to talk with your instructor or other certified professional martial artist to learn the more articulate details of proper form. They will have the answers to any questions that you may have.

Those of you not familiar with the latest on tae kwon do now have at least a basic understanding. But there’s more to come.

3. Control.

The kick in Taekwondo is not supposed to be like that of a whip. It does not have to be so fast that it cannot be seen.

Instead, the kick is to be relished and beheld as the single most attractive feature of Taekwondo.
It is therefore necessary to control the kick. Controlling the kick involves the ability to freeze the kick for a split second at full extension.

This freeze is the life of the kick. It is the most memorable and beautiful part of the kick. Controlling the kick is not that easy though. Usually it involves much concentration and many years of practice.

Form is a must to both control and power. If you are not sure that you are doing the kick with proper form yet, keep working on the form part before you begin working on the control part.

Control takes some muscle development and patience, but it is well worth all the effort in the end.

4. Power.

Nothing is worse than seeing someone perform a kick with great form, balance, and control, but with no power.

If this is the case, that person is better off as ballet dancer than a taekwondo practitioner. There is no such thing as an excellent kick that has no power.

Take note that proper form is needed to achieve control. And control is the factor that leads to power.

Bear in mind also that if you try to develop power without mastering the proper control first, it may result to permanent damage to your joints. So be very careful.

The process for developing power in a taekwondo kick is very similar to developing control in that same kick.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding of Tae Kwon Do. Share your new understanding about tae kwon do with others. They’ll thank you for it.

Tommy Lee runs a Tae Kwon do information and resource site. Visit his website for more useful tips.

Women are simply wonderful don’t you think? This question is not just aimed at us men but to women also! Throughout my life women have played a massive part in my upbringing from my Mother, my Aunts and to my very lovely and sadly missed Grandmother. These women have nurtured me and shown me what it takes to really be a man. How did they do that? Well! Somehow they just did and God they do it so well.

Men’s fascination with women be you straight or gay is so open to many questions that men can never actually quite answer but if you talk to a woman the odds are that if you ask them the right questions you will get the right answers. It’s this innate goodness that they naturally have which most men don’t really understand. So what do we do as men, we keep most of our emotions locked deep within us and we never really truly say what we really feel and want. Now that’s when all the problems start, don’t get me wrong now some men are very open with their feelings but most men are pretty much isolated in regards to how they feel and what they say…For instance take me, I have only ever really been in love maybe once or twice in my life so far and in those two separate occasions my feelings for the two women actually grew much stronger when It appeared that I was losing their love.

I felt in love at the start but that really was not the case and as I got to really know each of these two women, I loved them but I was not in love until I could no longer be with them.

It’s amazing how this situation happens so many times in relationships. It always starts as Lust and Infatuation but then it becomes just ok! Then there is that tedious period where you are both a bit lost with each other and you do all you can to revive it but in reality you can’t because you know that you both have changed somewhat and silly things like life in general helps change your view of the person you are with. Then one day its all over and yes we all do what we can to deal with it but for me the end was always where I could finally see just how much I was in love with the person and then I would look like and act like a fool to try to resolve the situation but again it would always be too late. Why! Well as a man my true feelings were hidden and I could never find the right things to say when it really mattered. Life is hard but you know what, we make it so hard especially us men…we should really do much more to understand our women and women as a whole!

Women are seen as sex objects in so many ways that these days you are blinded by just how beautiful and natural women are. We desire them the same way we desire money, in fact within today’s society both are pretty much the same to many men. From those immortal words from the main character from the movie ‘Scarface’ where he says, ‘You get the money, you get the power and you get the women’. This is so true and its how most men see women. When the young see all these images of women parading around practically naked in rap videos and other mediums where women are somewhat idolises, it’s us men who really benefit the most from it, I sometimes wonder and ask other women just what they think about this and the most of the time the woman would put the blame on women, where you would think that they would be angry at men!

On many occasions I have seen or heard where the man does wrong i.e. let’s say, he cheats on his girlfriend, instead of blaming the boyfriend the girl would go after the girl he cheated with…go figure! Women these days for me can be their worse own enemy.

Women truly just want to be loved but it’s us men who don’t know why they want that, so we screw things up all the time and it’s always the woman who has to pick up the pieces. There are some great men out there who are very open with their feelings and good on them but there is still a vast majority of men around the world who because of
lack of intelligence choose to disrespect women in so may ways to the point it seems that they almost hate women which I think most men do anyway because they fear what they don’t understand. In a woman’s world things look and feel different, to them I feel that they see life more clearly. In a man’s world men almost feel that they are held back, we view women as objects to be used and abused mentally and physically. If it was ever possible to find a common ground between the sexes that would be understanding. In my life I have been lucky enough to really understand most women but still I feel like a novice when it comes to truly understanding what women want. So the lesson continues and it’s a lesson where in truth I just have to learn and that should apply to all the men in the world.

Mark J Stevens©

Whether you are looking for spinning rims for your car or for
your pendant jewelry, there are many styles and designs
available to you that you are sure to get just what you want.
Spinning rims started on cars, but they didn’t stop there. These
flashing, very cool looking spinning rims have fast taken over
the hip hop jewelry world. Hey, they look great! Why not have
them around your neck or on your belt buckles as well as having
them on your car?

The concept is a simple one. The rims that are on car tires are
simply spinning, or turning. Even when the car is at a stand
still, it looks like the car is moving. Very cool trick! But,
take this to the level of jewelry and you have all sorts of
options available to you. There are pendants, watches, rings,
and belt buckles that are spinning rims. They look just like the
rims that are on cars in some cases, but not in all! In fact,
you will find that there are a number of spinning rims that have
anything but a car theme.

They are often used to symbolize whatever means the most to the
person wearing them. Support for their favorite hip hop bands
and singers or perhaps a reference to the New York town they are
from are just a couple examples of what you can find in spinning
rims. Whatever they are, they are in demand and a great way to
express yourself.

Many people are demanding great things from spinning rims.
Customized designs as well as added accessories like flashing
and gems are just a few of the things that are now available to
anyone who wants them. The good news is that there are a number
of great websites online that offer a huge selection of the
spinning rims that everyone wants even providing for new designs
all the time. So, if the stars of hip hop are wearing these
spinning rims, you can count on them to be around, in demand,
and fabulous!

Important: This article contains opinions and information about
copyright law. Keep in mind that I am not a lawyer and have not
been a lawyer in any past life that I am aware of. If you have
specific questions about copyright law you should contact the
appropriate legal resources.

People work hard to develop graphics, write stories and
articles, design web sites and build software, among other
things. They are sometimes paid for their efforts, sometimes
not. In any event, in the United States (and in most of the
world) anything that you create or write is automatically
protected by copyright.

You do not generally need to register your works with the
copyright office in order for them to be protected. Registration
simply serves as added insurance - it gives you the ability to
prove that you wrote or created the item on a specific date and
formally establishes you as the copyright owner.

The person or company (if you create the work for a company it
belongs to the company) owns the rights to publish the material.
These rights do not stop no matter how many times the material
is illegally copied or if the copyright holder gives you a copy.
He still owns the copyright unless he signs it over to someone
else.

The point is that taking someone’s images, writings, songs
(MP3’s included), videos or anything else is violating the law
and the person’s rights. In fact, it is stealing and, if proven,
the violator can be held liable for damages.

So what do you do when you see that cool graphic or sound file
on the internet and you want a copy? Well, you can write to the
copyright owner and ask permission to use it or to make a copy
(always get written permission - anything not in writing is
difficult to prove in a court of law). Getting permission is not
difficult and it is rewarding to create a web site or other work
knowing that everything is totally legal.

I’ve found that most artists and writers on the internet are
completely willing to allow their work to be copied as long as
they get credit and a link back to their site. Occasionally I’ve
found an exception - an author or artist who does not want to
allow casual copying. In this case the best thing to do is to
follow the wishes of the copyright owner - don’t copy the
material.

A good rule of thumb about using materials gleaned from the
internet is: if you have any doubts about being able to make
copies, don’t use it. There are way too many good public domain
sites for clipart, music and video for there to be any excuse
for illegally using copyrighted material on your site.

One of the more interesting copyright violations occurred
between the owner of Star Trek (Viacom) and every non-sanctioned
Star Trek site on the web. Viacom decided that it didn’t agree
with people using Star Trek photos, graphics, stories and other
materials as it owned the copyrights. So it send out a letter to
every site it could find telling them to cease desist. They
succeeded in alienating most of the Star Trek fans in the world
and in angering just about everyone … and most of the site
still seem to be operating. Yet, legally, Viacom is correct …
they do own the copyrights. But was it a good move to act the
way that they did? I don’t think so, as Star Trek has a huge fan
following and allowing the fans to create literally thousands of
web sites is probably the best advertising that Viacom could
have asked for.

Some examples of behaviors that are commonly believed to be
allowable which are in fact illegal in the United States are:

- Taking images from newsgroups and posting them on your web
site. Just because something has been copied to a newsgroup,
regardless of whether the copy was made by the copyright owner
or someone else, does not mean in any form that the copyright
has been given up.

- Using articles and images from other web sites. Again, this is
illegal unless explicit permission is given or the item in
question is in the public domain.

- Scanning images from magazines and posting them on your fan
site. This is illegal as you are making a copy (a scan) of a
copyrighted image.

- Recording sound from your favorite television show and posting
them to your web site. Again, not legal.

- Getting permission from someone who has made a legitimate copy
of the material. The rule is simple: you must obtain permission
from the copyright owner or their legal agents.

- Modifying an image and claiming it as your own. Copyright
protects derivations of works as well.

On the other hand, the following are acceptable under the US
copyright laws.

- Including a few brief quotes from a book in a review. This is
acceptable under fair use laws - see
http://www.internet-tips.net/Legal/fairuse.htm

- Reprinting a confirmed public domain novel on your web site
(public domain is the theme of a future article in this series).

- Asking and obtaining reprint permission from the copyright
owner or a legal agent of the copyright owner.

- Reading an article about cheese puffs and writing your own
article about cheese puffs. Copyright protects creative works
(writings, images, paintings, sound and so on), not ideas or
concepts. You are safe as long as your work is not simply the
same as the other work with the words changed.

The best advice is simple. When in doubt, ask permission. If you
are denied permission or for some reason cannot obtain it, then
don’t use the material.

1)Are you licensed? Make sure your contractor is properly licensed. In the State of Delaware, all contractors MUST be either certified by the State (if they have a statewide license), or registered with the State (if they have a countywide license). Anyone can say they are licensed. Make the contractor prove it by either showing you the license or giving you a copy of it. Remember to check the expiration date, and the county if It’s a countywide license. Being licensed is the law. If a contractor cannot produce a valid license, DON’T HIRE HIM!

If you live in a townhouse, villa, or high rise condominium building with four or more
units, only a Building Contractor or General Contractor are permitted to perform remodeling work. Do not hire a Residential Contractor; he would be operating outside of his license. Furthermore, hire a specialty contractor (trim, carpentry, drywall, glazing, aluminum, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, roofing, etc.) to do only the type of work the license specifies.

If you have any questions or doubts, call the Delaware Department of Business and Professional Regulation, or the New Castle County Construction Industry licensing board.

2. Do you carry general liability insurance? Make sure your contractor carries general liability insurance. This type of insurance protects your property in case of damage caused by the contractor and/or his employees. The insurance company will pay for the cost of replacing and/or repairing any damage that occurs.

Anyone can say they are insured. Make the contractor prove it by having their insurance company FAX or mail to you a certified copy of his insurance with you named as the certificate holder.

3. Will you provide me with a written lien waiver? Your contractor should provide you with a written lien waiver at the end of the job. This is a legal document, which says you the homeowner have paid the contractor in full for the services rendered and the contractor waives his right to place a mechanic’s lien on your property. If during the course of construction you receive any Notice to Owner documents from material suppliers or sub-contractors, it would be prudent to ask the contractor for a Final Release of Lien from each one prior to paying the contractor his final draw. This protects you in case the contractor doesn’t pay his material suppliers or sub¬contractors after you have paid him in full.

4. Are you a member of NARI or NAHB? NARI stands for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry and NAHB stands for the National Association of Home Builders. It’s always a good idea to consider hiring a NARI or NAHB contractor. In most cases, both organizations only attract conscientious contractors interested in bettering the industry and in weeding out unprofessional contractors. In order to become a member, the contractor’s background and references are thoroughly investigated.

5. Will you pull all the required building permits? Make sure your contractor pulls all required permits. This is very important. When a contractor pulls the required building permits, you know things will be done to “code’. Also, many homeowner’s insurance policies require pulling a permit on any major remodeling to keep your home properly covered. Not all contractors will do this. Many prefer not to pull permits because of the time involved and the “hassle” with the inspectors. Some contractors may ask you to get the permits. This could be a warning sign that they are not able to pull the permit because they are unlicensed, or the work is outside of their license. A reputable contractor will permit every job where a permit is required.

6. Do you guarantee your work? Your contractor should guarantee his work for at least one year from date of completion.

7. Who will be In charge of the Job? Make sure the contractor or his foreman is on the job whenever work is being performed, - especially if sub-contractors will be used. The
responsible party must be intimately familiar with every aspect of your project. If you won’t be home during the construction and must leave the house unlocked, or leave a key with the contractor, you must feel comfortable. You can’t be worried about what is going on when you are not there.

8. Will you provide me with written references? A good contractor will be happy to provide you with references. You should look for a well-established contractor who can
give you several client references from the last 6 months to one year. Ask for the name of the contractor’s accountant or banker. You want to ensure the contractor is financially
sound and won’t be declaring bankruptcy in the middle of your project.

9. What percentage of your business is repeat or referral business? When a significant source of a contractor’s business is derived from repeat and referral business, it usually indicates that his clients are pleased with the work they have received.

10. How many projects like mine have you completed in the last year? Your contractor should have experience in the type of remodeling project you want done — not just “contracting experience”

Roland Ridgeway is owner of Tri-State Remodeling, a delware remodeling contractor that specializes in replacement windows, roofing, vinyl siding, and gutter protection systems for homeowners in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Roland is also the author of “9 Things You Must Know Before Hiring a Window or Siding Contractor”

a free consumer guide that can be requested at http://www.tri-stateremodeling.com/remodeling_tips/consumer_guide.html

Here I sit in Wisconsin in my Aunt Mary’s hospice room, as she lay dying. I’m feeling myriad emotions and thoughts are surfacing that I haven’t had in years. I’ve met with a number of my relatives, siblings, cousins, and brother-in-law. It seems that I only see them when someone dies. How unfortunate and yet I’m still glad for the reunion.

My aunt is pain free for now and completely unconscious, as she has been since my arrival last night. It seems that she decided this is the time to leave the planet, and has refused food for a week now. The staff seem to go along with her wishes. So we wait for the inevitable. Meanwhile her breathing is labored and you hear a constant gurgling, since she has a challenge swallowing. The staffs of nurses come in periodically and check on her, readjust her medication or oxygen supply. It’s a process I hope I don’t have to go through. We have al wished my Aunt Mary peace and said she can go if she wants to. We all told her we love her. The nursing staff suggested that she might not even make it to today, but like Terri Shivo, she is hanging on a few more days.

I feel somewhat helpless, since I can’t do anything to help the situation. This is the first time as an adult that I’ve had warning that death is impending. The other lives I’ve been associated with all left suddenly. My best friend committed suicide, and I found him. My grandparents each died suddenly after a short trip to the hospital, as did my dad. My mom was killed in a head-on collision, coming to volunteer at this hospital almost 15 years ago. My sister had an aneurism and died instantly 2 years ago.

I’ve had a lot of loss in my life. Even as I type this I feel tears welling up in my eyes. It’s not a wonder I’ve been feeling the sadness associated with loss lately. I’m sure I haven’t fully dealt with the loss of my sister and maybe not loss in general. I feel the aloneness from my siblings, that is I feel alone compared to them. They seem to have their own life that is mostly separate form mine.

Maybe the lack of rest is catching up with me, since I’m yawning and my eyes are watering. I’m taking advantage of being here to catch up with some friends as well. Wayne Dyer says friends are God’s way of making up for your relatives. Probably right.

So here I sit waiting. Sooner or later my aunt will take her last breath. I was hoping to have a conscious talk with her, but that may never happen. I’m not sure what radio station we’re listening to there are no commercials, and an eclectic variety of tunes. I finally decided to turn on Lawrence Welk on PBS. Even though I really didn’t like the program, my aunt always loved watching it.

After 10 hours of my vigil, I told my aunt that she will be ok, and we will as well. They say the last thing to go is the hearing. Shortly thereafter my Aunt Mary did transition. The nursing staff came in to reposition her and did a suctioning of her throat to clear it. I had left the room for a few minutes to give my aunt her privacy. I returned and the nursing staff came in to check her vital signs. Shortly thereafter her breathing slowed then stopped. This was a first for me. I’ve never been present for a human being when they transitioned. I felt sad, but I knew she was at peace.

I Don’t know what to feel. Men often disconnect their feelings for survival, at least in their mind. I’m no different. My feelings come and go, at least on a conscious level. Even though I have studied how to deal with emotions, I still have normal resistance to dealing with them. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if I really don’t have unexpressed emotions, or if I have actually learned acceptance as life happens. I suspect it’s a combination. People often mask their feelings and put on a face to show the world. Sometimes it’s due to not knowing what to do, sometimes fear of completely falling apart. We will find a time when we will deal with our emotions. It will happen when we feel safe. It needs to happen. We often continue our life as though nothing happened. I find that writing helps me to express myself. I encourage clients to do the same. Try it yourself. If you need help expressing your feelings, find someone who can help you. Friends, family often can be supportive. Sometimes however a professional coach or therapist is needed. If you need help, find it. Life changes, and if we want better results we need to do something different. It’s worth your effort to do the emotional healing to create the life you want.

John Seeley Life Coach~Speaker and Author of Get Unstuck! The Simple Guide to Restart Your Life. http://www.getunstuck.com

John Seeley is President/CEO of Blue Moon Wonders and HeartFire Seminars, specialize in educational & personal growth workshops and products.

John grew up in the Midwest the youngest of five children. He has worked all over the country for Fortune 500 companies. John has been involved in personal growth & coaching since 1990. He works with individuals and business executives who have a commitment to making positive changes and awakening a greater sense of purpose and fulfillment in their lives and companies. John is a catalyst for change your life and has been in the lives of many people. John’s books Get Unstuck! The Simple Guide to Restart Your Life! and Get Unstuck! The Companion Workbook are showing people the steps to take to get their lives moving and create the life they really want.

John has participated in various individual and group experiential trainings for the past 15 years. Today he spends his time showing others how to do the same

We have all experienced the blowing winds of disappointment, despair and heartbreak. Why, then, would each of us, in our own individual ship of life, all beginning at the same point, with the same intended destination in mind, arrive at such different places at the end of the journey? Have we not all been blown by the winds of circumstances and buffeted by the turbulent storms of discontent?

What guides us to different destinations in life is determined by the way we have chosen to set our sail. The way that each of us thinks makes the major difference in where each of us arrive. The major difference is the set of the sail.

The same circumstances happen to us all. We have disappointments and challenges. We all have reversals and those moments when, in spite of our best plans and efforts, things just seem to fall apart. Challenging circumstances are not events reserved for the poor, the uneducated or the destitute. The rich and the poor have marital problems. The rich and the poor have the same challenges that can lead to financial ruin and personal despair. In the final analysis, it is not what happens that determines the quality of our lives, it is what we choose to do when we have struggled to set the sail and then discover, after all of our efforts, that the wind has changed directions.

When the winds change, we must change. We must struggle to our feet once more and rest the sail in the manner that will steer us toward the destination of our own deliberate choosing. The set of the sail, how we think and how we respond, has a far greater capacity to destroy our lives than any challenges we face. How quickly and responsibly we react to adversity is far more important than the adversity itself. Once we discipline ourselves to understand this, we will finally and willingly conclude that the great challenge of life is to control the process of our thinking.

Learning to reset the sail with the changing winds rather than permitting ourselves to be blown in a direction we did not purposely choose requires the development of a whole new discipline. It involves going to work on establishing a powerful, personal philosophy that will help to influence in a positive way all that we do and that we think and decide. If we can succeed in this worthy endeavor, the result will be a change in the course of our income, lifestyle and relationships, and in how we feel about the things of value as well as the times of challenge. If we can alter the way we perceive, judge and decide upon the main issues of life, then we can dramatically change our lives.

To Your Success,
Jim Rohn

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine.
Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved
worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine, go to
http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com

An elderly engaged couple go for a stroll to discuss their wedding plans. On the way, they pass a drugstore. The man suggests that they go in. He addresses the man behind the counter.

“Are you the owner?”

The Pharmacist answers, “Yes”

“Do you sell heart medication?”

“Of course we do.”

“How bout medicine for circulation?”

“All kinds.”

“Medicine for rheumatism?”

“Definitely.”

“How about Viagra?”

“Of course.”

“Medicine for memory?”

“Yes, a large variety.”

“What about vitamins and sleeping pills?”

“Absolutely.”

The prospective bridegroom replies, “Perfect! We’d like to register here for our wedding gifts.”

It might be intended as a joke, but the fact is that medical advances are keeping us alive longer. One result is that many of us are re-marrying in our later years.

Two couples that re-married in their later years are Lois and Jim, and Elsie and Colin. “We eloped, but there was no ladder!” laughed 83-year-old Jim when he described how he and 74-year-old Lois married in October 1997. They lived two doors from one another in the same apartment block.

“Would you like a whisker rub?” Jim laughingly asked Lois one day in the elevator, after she had commented on his magnificent beard.

A firm “No thanks” was the chuckled response from Lois.

“Well then, how ‘bout dinner?” Jim persisted.

“Dutch,” said Lois.

Jim’s wife of 49 years had passed away and although she was previously married, Lois had been living as a single person for 17 years. Their relationship quickly blossomed. Two and one-half months after they met, a Marriage Commissioner pronounced them man and wife. Their children surprised them by renting the honeymoon suite at a local hotel.

“You should have seen us!” Lois said. “A couple of wrinkly old farts sitting in the Jacuzzi tub drinking champagne in our bathing suits! We just laughed ourselves silly.”

And they are still laughing despite the fact that they are no longer married. Jim and Lois spent four years together and then decided that being married wasn’t what they wanted. So, they agreed to divorce but continue to have a strong friendship. They speak to each other daily, are travelling companions, go to movies and take part in other social activities. They are, as Lois says, “best buddies.”

Colin and Elsie, met when they were both members of the same choir and have been married for two years. Elsie taught piano and singing for 61 years. Music continues to be important to both of them. Elsie said “Colin asked me one day if there was a Mr. anyone in my life and of course I said there wasn’t. I had noticed him before he asked me. I found him very interesting.” They started to spend time together and found they had many interests in common. Colin had been married for 53 years to his childhood sweetheart. When she died, he was devastated. “I read a lot of books about death of a loved one and they helped me to realize that I could continue to live and enjoy life. They helped me to see it was my wife who died and not me.” Elsie too, had been married before, but she had been single for a number of years when she met Colin. They married in a small private church ceremony and told their respective families after the fact. They said they “didn’t want a fuss.” They have 11 children between them as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren.

It doesn’t really matter what age people are when they fall in love. Usually, young people meet, marry and spend a lifetime getting to know one other, often becoming more alike with each passing year. People under the age of 40 years could be considered more flexible as they search for ways to communicate and live together in harmony. As we age, we become more set in our ways, almost to the point of predictability. Learning to live with someone new once you are past the age of 65 or 70 years of age could be challenging. Despite this fact, it seems that more people are re-marrying later in life than ever before.

Studies have shown that people who are married live longer than people who are single. Walking through life hand-in-hand with someone else does seem to ease some of the burdens and crises that go along with living no matter what the age.

There are also financial benefits in sharing living expenses. Under current law, retired couples are penalized for marrying Yet couples who choose to live together are not affected by this law. But either way, paying the bills becomes less onerous when you can share with a partner.

Loneliness is an issue for many seniors who lose their life partner(s). It could be difficult to get out and mix with people again as a single after decades of living with someone else.So, if you are not quite ready for the dating game, but would like to meet people, here are some suggestions:

For internet savvy seniors, checking out internet sites could be a way to lessen the loneliness. You can meet people all over the world without leaving your home.

www.sassyseniors.com
This site has information on just about anything and everything - you might be interested in. From cars, to home, to health issues.

www.50plusfriends.com
This is a group of people from all over the world who chat together and frequently arrange for “cyber meets”, where members meet in small groups, usually in friendly and public places. This is a safe and clean site where you can find friendly caring people.

If you are not comfortable on the internet, then there are other ways to mix and meet people.

1. Volunteering

· Meals on Wheels

· Hospital

· Running errands for folks who cannot get out

· Canvassing for non profit groups

· Hospice House

There are so many organizations that need help these days due to cutbacks in funding.

2. Special Interest Groups to join

· Choirs

· Bird Watching (naturalist societies)

· Historical Societies

· Dance groups

· Clubs (camera, computer)

3. Fitness

We are told we should exercise 30 minutes each day. There are many different types of exercise specifically geared to seniors.

· Swimming (aqua fit)

· Osteoporosis fitness classes

· Senior aerobics

· Walking · Joining fitness studios

· Yoga

· Tai Chi

Although Jim and Lois, Colin and Elsie have an the ability to laugh at almost any situation that occurs in their lives, both couples seem to view life as though the glass is half full and, as a result, they find the joy that they look for on a daily basis.

Marrying when you are a senior may take some extra compromise, but it can give you great happiness and can even add to your longevity. Both couples tell me that the secret to finding joy is being able to communicate openly with one another.

Some things never change.

Carole Fawcett is a Stress Management Consultant, Laughter Therapist, Therapeutic Clown Teacher and Freelance writer. She lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, Canada, with her dog Huey. Carole is frequently heard to say “If you are not having fun, you are doing something wrong”. You can find out more about Carole at http://www.afunnybusiness.ca