An except of an article about dog training books
When you are training a new dog, it is best to face reality: most of us are not the Dog Whisperer. Dog training books can help new owners train their young pet’s good behavior skills from the first step instead of dealing with bad behavior later. They also help frustrated owners whose relationship with their pets is strained because of behavior issues.
Read the full artilce about dog training books
An except of an article about dog training books
When you are training a new dog, it is best to face reality: most of us are not the Dog Whisperer. Dog training books can help new owners train their young pet’s good behavior skills from the first step instead of dealing with bad behavior later. They also help frustrated owners whose relationship with their pets is strained because of behavior issues.
Read the full artilce about dog training books
Refining your writing process is key to your writing success
Many struggling writers are convinced there is a secret to the success of more confident writers. There is in fact a secret but it is one that you too can embrace to improve your writing. The simple truth is that refining your own personal writing process to your unique strengths and weaknesses can not only make writing easier it can also improve writing as well. Every writer’s writing process includes the same basic five elements: inventing, organizing, drafting, revising, and editing; however, in order for the writing process to improve writing that process must be tailored to fit the individual writer’s strengths and weaknesses.
Invention is one area that many beginning and struggling writers simply do not spend enough time on. Many beginning writers believe any time not spent writing is a waste of time. However, experienced writers know that the more time spent thinking about and preparing for the writing task then the less time that will need to be spent on actually writing. Invention might simply include thinking but writers can also use various methods to brainstorm from free writing to clustering. Experiment with many types of brainstorming and invention to determine which methods work best for you.
Organization is also a key part of writing preparation that many novice writers do not give proper attention. Depending on the length and complexity of the writing task this can take a lot of time or very little time, but do not overlook this important element.
Writing is of course an obvious part of the writing process, but many struggling writers simply overlook the fact that multiple drafts can make a big different in the quality of the work produced. The more time a writer allows between drafts then the more effective the drafting process can be.
Many poor writers believe that proofreading is the same as revising and editing, however experienced writers understand that revision is the reworking of content so that all ideas are fully expressed, transitions are clear between topics, and organization is effective. Experienced writers know that proofreading is more closely associated with editing but even then editing is more than simply proofreading for the simple surface errors of spelling and punctuation. Editing is looking at the structure of sentences and paragraphs as well as looking at grammar and word choice. Revision and editing should include at least two more draft but may require more depending on the writer’s weaknesses.
It is quite simple. Creating an individual writing process can improve writing and make writing easier as well. Scratch the surface of any successful writer and you will find an individual writing process.
Lately, however, choose your own adventure books have been making a big resurgence. It’s hard to find the actual original choose your own adventure novels, and for a while they were extremely rare. Nowadays, however, the original series is being republished, and there is rumor of new stories coming out. This could be better news, both for today’s children, and people of my generation who were raised on these books.
I’m glad that the company decide to republish them. In my opinion, good children’s books are timeless. Sure, people get fascinated with new technologies and flashier special effects, but a good book will always have a place in a child’s heart. Choose your own adventure books – and good books in general – have an element of transport in them that doesn’t translate well to any other medium. Movies take you away, but as soon as the screen goes blank, it’s all over. Books stick with you for years to come. By allowing kids to participate in the action of the story, the choose your own adventures have provided a brilliant way to make reading enjoyable and attractive to even the most jaded child.
Read Full Article : The Comeback Of Choose Your Own Adventure Books
Time Management Books
In today’s world, yesterday’s methods just don’t work. In Getting Things Done, veteran coach and management consultant David Allen shares the breakthrough methods for stress-free performance that he has introduced to tens of thousands of people across the country. Allen’s premise is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax. Only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential. In Getting Things Done Allen shows how. Time Management Blog
Besides books there’s also great software to manage your time better.
FranklinCovey PlanPlus for Microsoft Outlook seamlessly integrates powerful planning tools into the already familiar Outlook environment, allowing users to enhance their scheduling system with FranklinCovey’s proven productivity principles. In addition to providing specific implementation tools around core FranklinCovey concepts such as Prioritized and Master Task Lists, Daily Records, Weekly Planning, Goals, and Compass, PlanPlus also features a system of built-in learning and help wizards.
Time Management Book Store
Personal Digital Assistants are able to function as cell phones, fax machines, a web browser, and a personal organizer. Most Personal Digital Assistants use a stylus, or pen for input instead of a keyboard like most computers.
Time Management Book
Personal Digital Assistants are actually handheld computers designed specially to serve the need of personal organizers but with time it became more versatile serving multiple purposes. Common uses of PDA are calculation, use as a clock and calendar, maintaining an address and phone book, accessing the Internet, sending and receiving e-mails, working on spreadsheets, use as entertainment tool as a radio or stereo, playing video or computer games and Global Positioning System(GPS). Personal digital assistants are durable, handheld notebook computers which can engage the interest of the student and empower them. They are easy to use and their compactness evokes a sense of ownership that is exciting to children.
Personal Time Management Devices
Chipping Away Your Writer’s Block
In almost every writer’s forum, the deplorable perennial problem of writer’s block has always been brought up by both professional creative writers. Some discussions have gone as deep as defining the nature of writer’s block. In case a writer’s block (a.k.a. "fear-of-the-blank-page") should come up in the middle of the deadline, the writer will be able to hopefully do something about it.
But what is a writer’s block? On the surface, it is simply a period of non-activity for the writer. A writer or a poet may attempt to write something based on the need to write something, but then they come up with absolutely nothing! What causes a writer’s block and what can be done about it? Here are some thoughts and suggestions:
1. The fear of coming up short from their last project - Collectively speaking, most artists and writers have an obsessive compulsion to concretize and materialize, through their works, abstracted thoughts and ideas. Once they start at some project, there is always that fear of producing something despairingly short of what they have intended to create. Thus, they become disappointed in themselves. If artistic or writer’s block does not happen prior to the start of the project, it may also very well occur while the work is in process. This explains why several writers may work on different projects at the same time and jumping from one unfinished work to another. Some even abandon previous works altogether for a new one but ultimately end up not accomplishing anything in the end.
2. A comeback after a long time off - Vacations and some time off taking care of familial/domestic or personal matters can only have two extreme results: either it rejuvenates, recharges and inspires the writer for the next project, or it completely diminishes or finishes off whatever is left of a prolific and fecund mind! Let’s face it, even professional writers are, first and foremost, human beings before they are writers. And, as humans, writers too are bound to lose footing once they have taken some time off from writing, if not inspired and recharged, as mentioned.
3. Insecurities - Lack of formal training…Being a newbie…The writing style…a friend who’s a better writer…etc., etc., etc., these can all spell one thing: insecurities. Our insecurities can really work nasty for writers. We know there is no other way out other than a paradigm shift or a change in perspective for the writer. We know that there will always be other people more educated, more renowned in the creative writing field. We know there will always be writers who are relatively better than us, other trends and styles in writing which the we can become unfamiliar and intimidated with. However, the bottomline is that it is just a matter of gritting your teeth with some decision-making: to write or not to write?
4. Bills to pay, daily tasks, and other small details - Where do I get the money for the bills? Who brings and fetches the children to and from school? For writers with actual day jobs and many deadlines to meet, who can still think of writing? These concerns, to mention only a few, hampers the writer’s writer’s sensitive thoughts. These are practical things that need to be done on the daily basis. On the surface, these concerns may seem harmless to an aspiring writer. However, eventually, these daily concerns will dry up the creative writer’s reservoir that needs constant nurturing. This is not to say, however, that children, career and domestic chores and other concerns should no longer be tended to in order to write. Being a great writer does not necessarily entail shunning away from daily practical concerns, in the same manner that a person with no other daily duties does not guarantee a prolific writer. Difficult for the right-brained writer as it may be, time must be managed. Schedules and systems must be established in order to attain the perfect juxtaposition and equilibrium of work (chores and responsibilities) and play (writing).
Set Goals to Achieve Success
Despite your best intentions, you will never achieve the success you are looking for if you never set goals for yourself and your business.
Ask yourself, "What goals have I written down for myself and my business?"
Most people never set goals for themselves or their business. One day leads to another and the days continue to disappear without success. How can you get to where you want to be if you never know where you are going?
The biggest roadblock to goal setting is YOU. Setting goals require you actually to write down your dreams and put a date of accomplishment to them. Do not get in the habit of working your business without goals. This leads to apathy and an empty checking account.
Goals are the lifeblood of your business. Statistics have proven over and over that small businesses fail within the first five years. You do not want to become a statistic, you want to become a success.
How do you become successful at setting goals?
The first step you should do is to write down your dreams. What dreams do you have for your life and your business? Write them down. When would you like to achieve these dreams? Put a date of accomplishment to your dreams. Get a pad of paper and start writing. Be bold and write them all down. Your dreams are now your goals.
You now have goals with deadlines. Your first step is accomplished.
Your goals will either be short term or long term. In order for your goals to become a reality you will be required to take steps that will ultimately lead to accomplishment. Look at your list. What actions will you need to take to reach your goals? Write those steps down on your pad of paper.
You now know what steps are required to achieve your goals.
Remember that steps are not huge, but small. Daily steps toward your goals will bring you to the accomplishment of your goals.
Armed with your list of goals and the steps required to achieve them, you can now start each day as a challenge to accomplish those goals. But wait, there is something else you need to be aware of.
"Where did my day go?"
Have you ever reached the end of the day exhausted and asked yourself that question? You look at your goals and realize that you did not accomplish one step toward them.
"Time Wasters" are everywhere. Time wasters have their own agenda: to stop you from achieving your goals. Do not let them win. To achieve your goals you must learn to recognize your "time wasters".
Keep a log for every hour of your day for an entire month. Write everything down that you do. It is easier if you break your day up into fifteen-minute increments. Do this for one month and you will be able to identify your "time wasters". Use the information to learn how to better use your time. The better you get at effectively using your time, the better you will become at achieving your goals.
Success doesn’t happen to the uninvolved. Success happens to those who are persistent in reaching their goals. Review your goals & time management daily and modify them as needed.
You should never be without goals. Dream and make goals to reach those dreams. Keep your goals before you. Continue to add goals to you life. Your passion will keep you focused as you accomplish each step toward your goals. Dare to be successful.
A story from Grimm’s Fairy Tales. [No, this is not the famous tale of the princess Snow White and the seven dwarfs, made famous by the Disney movie.] This is a tale of two sisters…
there was a poor widow who lived in a lonely cottage. In front of the cottage was a garden wherein stood two rose-trees, one of which bore white and the other red roses. She had two children who were like the two rose-trees, and one was called Snow-white, and the other Rose-red. They were as good and happy, as busy and cheerful as ever two children in the world were, only Snow-white was more quiet and gentle than Rose- red. Rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields seeking flowers and catching butterflies; but Snow-white sat at home with her mother, and helped her with her house-work, or read to her when there was nothing to do…
Read more in Snow-white and Rose-red: A Story
The Master of the Harvest walked by the side of his cornfields in the springtime. A frown was on his face, for there had been no rain for several weeks, and the earth was hard from the parching of the east winds. The young wheat had not been able to spring up.
So as he looked over the long ridges that stretched in rows before him, he was vexed and began to grumble and say:–
“The harvest will be backward, and all things will go wrong.'’
Then he frowned more and more, and uttered complaints against Heaven because there was no rain; against the earth because it was so dry; against the corn because it had not sprung up.
And the Master’s discontent was whispered all over the field, and along the ridges where the corn-seed lay. And the poor little seeds murmured:–
“How cruel to complain! Are we not doing our best? Have we let one drop of moisture pass by unused? Are we not striving every day to be ready for the hour of breaking forth? Are we idle? How cruel to complain!'’
But of all this the Master of the Harvest heard nothing, so the gloom did not pass from his face. Going to his comfortable home he repeated to his wife the dark words, that the drought would ruin the harvest, for the corn was not yet sprung up…
Read more in The Master of the Harvest
