Smile

Smile right now! Regardless of what is going on in your life I want you to smile. Smile big. Smile goofy. Smile a smile that spreads from your lips to your entire face and eyes, even your neck, shoulders, and scalp. Just smile!

Let me talk to you about choices for a moment. Each moment we have a choice about how we feel. Most often, we are caught up in the events of the moment, and forget we have that choice. Whenever we remember, however, we can shift gears with a simple physical action: a smile.

Our emotional state at any given moment is a result of our brain’s chemistry. If you’ll forgive the term, a “heady” combination of hormones and neural chemicals result in the particular ‘flavor’ of our brain soup. Our brain spices are different when angry than when sad, or ecstatic. Based on this idea that each emotion creates, or results (causation is not an issue in this article) in a particular chemical balance in our brains, it is pretty obvious that we can not entertain two opposing emotions at the same time. Just as your stove top chowder can’t be ‘too salty’ and ‘not salty enough’ at the same time, so your brain can’t be chemically spiced as ‘sad’ and ‘happy’ at the same time.

So…in those moments of lucidity when you become aware of who controls your brain’s spice cabinet, here is what I suggest—always season your brain, and your day, with a smile.

Let me suggest an experiment you can do right now. Just as you are sitting there now and reading this: Recall a less than glorious experience. As you recall this experience, notice how your brain and body begin to feel correspondingly poorly. Don’t let yourself feel too bad. Feel just bad enough to notice a change in your brain soup.

As soon as you notice a poor feeling, smile. Stop smiling. Smile bigger. Stop smiling. Smile even bigger. Stop smiling. Smile your biggest goofiest smile. Now, try to stop smiling. Hard to stop smiling, isn’t it?

Smiles seem to be one of those physical postures or actions that are ‘hard-wired’ to a particular emotional state. You simply can not feel sad while smiling. Try it.

Smiling is only one easy physical gesture that is hard-wired to an emotional state. Frowns are as well, but why fiddle around with negative states? Instead, let us consider some other posture or activities that are naturally connected to positive, or enjoyable emotional states.

Here is a good one…try feeling depressed while standing up straight. Hold your head high, breath high into your chest, and try to feel depressed or sad. Most people can not do it. Knowledge of such postural effects on emotions is deeply engrained into our language. Think of such phrases as "Hold your head high” or “chin up” as encouraging phrases offered to suffering friends.

Many people can’t feel bad when simply looking up with their eyes. Try it. Try to recall a sad or depressing thought while aiming your eyes high.

Use your body to flavor your ‘brain soup’. You’ll like the positive flavor.

This is another helpful tip from Richard Lefever and the brain weavers at Quit! Check us out at “ quitsmokingoregon. com.”

Expectations for trading or investing returns

Clearly, anyone who trades does so with the expectation of making profits. We take risks to gain rewards. The question each trader must answer, however, is what kind of return he or she expects to make? This is a very important consideration, as it speaks directly to what kind of trading will take place, what market or markets are best suited to the purpose, and the kinds of risks required.

Let s start with a very simple example. Suppose a trader would like to make 10% per year on a very consistent basis with little variance. There are any number of options available. If interest rates are sufficiently high, the trader could simply put the money in a fixed income instrument like a CD or a bond of some kind and take relatively little risk. Should interest rates not be sufficient, the trader could use one or more of any number of other markets (stocks, commodities, currencies, etc.) with varying risk profiles and structures to find one or more (perhaps in combination) which suits the need. The trader may not even have to make many actual transactions each year to accomplish the objective.

A trader looking for 100% returns each year would have a very different situation. This individual will not be looking at the cash fixed income market, but could do so via the leverage offered in the futures market. Similarly, other leverage based markets are more likely candidates than cash ones, perhaps including equities. The trader will almost certainly require greater market exposure to achieve the goal, and most likely will have to execute a larger number of transactions than in the previous scenario.

As you can see, your goal dictates the methods by which you achieve it. The end certainly dictates the means to a great degree.

There is one other consideration in this particular assessment, though, and it is one which harks back to the earlier discussion of willingness to lose. Trading systems have what are commonly referred to as drawdowns. A drawdown is the distance (measured in % or account/portfolio value terms) from an equity peak to the lowest point immediately following it. For example, say a trader’s portfolio rose from $10,000 to $15,000, fell to $12,000, then rose to $20,000. The drop from the $15,000 peak to the $12,000 trough would be considered a drawdown, in this case of $3000 or 20%.

Each trader must determine how large a drawdown (in this case generally thought of in percentage terms) he or she is willing to accept. It is very much a risk/reward decision. On one extreme are trading systems with very, very small drawdowns, but also with low returns (low risk – low reward). On the other extreme are the trading systems with large returns, but similarly large drawdowns (high risk – high reward). Of course, every trader’s dream is a system with high returns and small drawdowns. The reality of trading, however, is often less pleasantly somewhere in between.

The question might be asked what it matters if high returns in the objective. It is quite simple. The more the account value falls, the bigger the return required to make that loss back up. That means time. Large drawdowns tend to mean long periods between equity peaks. The combination of sharp drops in equity value and lengthy time spans making the money back can potentially be emotionally destabilizing, leading to the trader abandoning the system at exactly the wrong time. In short, the trader must be able to accept, without concern, the draw-downs expected to occur in the system being used.

It is also important to match one's expectations up with one's trading timeframe. It was noted earlier that in some cases more frequent trading can be required to achieve the risk/return profile sought. If the expectations and timeframe conflict, a resolution must be found, and it must be the questions from this expectations assesment which have to be reconsidered, since the time frames determined in the previous one are probably not very flexible (especially going from longer-term trading to shorter-term participation).

Estate planning and insurance concerns when you divorce

If you are getting a divorce from your spouse, you have a lot of planning to do. You will need to name your own beneficiaries, organize your divided assets, and set up your individual estate.

It is important that you meet with a qualified attorney to discuss the specifics of planning your estate to ensure that your wishes are carried out as you desire. You need to be well versed in the most strategic methods of dividing your joint estate so that you do not end up paying all of the taxes while he or she enjoys the benefits of your assets.

I have outlined some important information for you to be aware of when planning your estate after your divorce. Please keep in mind that divorces lend themselves to new structures for individuals. You will want to meet with a qualified attorney to discuss how to best protect your new estate.

Assigning Your Beneficiary

During your marriage, chances are your spouse was the sole or major beneficiary of your estate. After your divorce, it is important that you designate a new beneficiary on all of your documents and for all of your accounts.

The federal law called ERISA pre-empts state laws that automatically remove an ex-spouse as the beneficiary of retirement plans. Therefore, it’s important that you remove the ex-spouse as the beneficiary unless you wish for him or her to remain as your designated beneficiary.

Please note: Once you re-name your beneficiary, it is possible that your ex-spouse will still retain the rights to part of your retirement benefits that you accrued during the time of your marriage. I recommend consulting with a qualified estate planning attorney to determine just how much of your benefits and estate will be designated to your ex-spouse after your divorce.

Dividing Your Assets

During the course of your divorce, you and your ex-spouse determine how your joint estate will be divided. Take a minute to review a few assets that you will need to divide: 1) appreciated assets, such as mutual funds, and stocks; 2) real estate, including investments, repairs, insurances and mortgages; 3) personal property, such as jewelry, artwork and clothes; 4) retirement plans, such as qualified plans and IRA’s; and 5) your home, which can be divided in different ways to meet both parties’ financial needs.

Establishing a Trust

Many people will create a Trust to ensure that a designated Trustee will have control over funds after death. There are three Trusts that you can explore when planning your estate:

1. The Revocable Living Trust helps you avoid probate by allowing your Trustee to distribute your assets according to the instructions that you have outlined.

2. The Children’s Trust allows you to designate funds that your child will use later in his life to pay for his education, home, etc.

3. The Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust, otherwise known as “ILIT”, allows you to distribute the death benefit estate tax-free when and how you want, even long after you’re gone.

Divorce is never easy. It’s typically a very long and arduous process as both parties work to get their portions of the shared assets. If you’re going through a divorce it is important to speak with a qualified attorney who can walk you through all of the tax and asset considerations that you need to be aware of to ensure that you receive the best possible settlement.

Orange bowl tickets are for more than just a football game

Orange Bowl tickets offer football fans and travelers several options. Not only is the Orange Bowl one of the premier college bowl games every January, but the game itself is located in one of the most exotic travel destinations in the United States - Miami and South Florida. Fans and families alike have worked their vacation and/or travel plans around this game, and a look at its history and other attractions will explain why the Orange Bowl is always worth the effort to see.

Game History

The first Orange Bowl was played in 1935, when Bucknell defeated Miami 26-0. For 33 years, the Orange Bowl was basically an “at-large” bowl game, in that the bowl committee chose the best two teams it could attract. However, the Orange Bowl started its history of tie-ins in 1968 when it began to host the champion of the former Big 8 Conference every season.

This tie-in remained in place until the late-1990’s, when two things happened that change the landscape of the participants. The first was the formation of the Big 12 Conference, as the Big 8 basically added four teams from Texas after the now-defunct Southwestern Conference folded. This may or may not have had a direct effect on the teams invited, but another event in 1998 led to a shift in the game’s participants.

In 1998, the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) was formed, and this changed the alignment for all of the “major” bowl games - the Orange Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, the Fiesta Bowl and ultimately the Rose Bowl. A system was put in place to manufacture an on-field championship game between the two top-ranked teams every season, and each of the four new “BCS Bowls” agreed to host the new national championship game on a rotating basis. Therefore, every four years, Orange Bowl tickets give fans the chance to watch the national championship decided on the field. As of now, when the Orange Bowl is not hosting the “big” game, they will host the ACC champion after that conference’s recent additions.

Overall Event

The Orange Bowl is much more than a football game. In fact, the game itself is a culmination of a week-long celebration in Miami. There are parades, parties, receptions, and even a high-profile college basketball tournament called the Orange Bowl Classic. This year’s tournament will feature national champion Florida, and the games are played in town.

Not to mention, there is an event even within the game itself that’s as famous as the football battles that take place - the Orange Bowl halftime show is perhaps the most famous halftime performance in all of sports, and every year presents a new and intriguing theme with stars of music, sports and film making appearances. There are many attendees who are at the game specifically for the halftime show.

Overall, the Orange Bowl is a legendary event. The games are always battles between two highly-ranked teams, and several national championships have been decided in Miami. However, Orange Bowl tickets also give fans the chance to see much more than college football under the Florida sun in January.

Sailing through card smacking regulations

Entertainment through cardboard and then later plastic cards soared up since the beginning of the Seventeenth Century and until the late Nineteenth Century. During the twentieth century, its popularity diminished somewhat but then it picked up again during the twenty-first century. In the following article, we will go over some of the more simple and complex games invented and about the degree of learning needed to pick these up.

Simple Games to Learn

1) Go Fish:

Go Fish is the simplest of all games to learn. Each player is dealt 5 cards. A player may ask any player if they have a certain number. An example would be “Do u have any fives?” if the player asked has any fives he must give them all to the player who asked for them. The person asking for a card must have at least one in their hand. A person may only ask for a card if they posses one in their hand. If the person questioned does not have the card the asker must draw a card from the deck. If they draw the desired card they get to go again, if not their turn is up and the next person goes. The object of go fish is to get rid of all your cards first.

2) Spit:

Spit is a game that has always reminded me of high speed Solitaire. The object is to get rid of all your cards as fast as you can. They way you do this is to split a deck of cards in half each player without looking at the cards sets up 6 piles the first pile has 5 cards with the top card turned face up to the last pile that has only 1 card face up.

The 6th pile remains face down and u may not look at those cards either. Each player using then flips over the top card on that pile and place it in the middle of the table, and then only using one hand as fast as you can u must place the cards in order. So if one of the cards is a 5 you can place a 4 or a 6 on top. The player who puts down all his cards first wins. When both players can not put down any cards another card gets flipped over from both players 6th pile.

3) Colour Scramble:

The colours are the issue in this pushover entertainment. Ranked so: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs, the object is to win over all the individual cards of one of the suits. You can do this by simply asking the player next to you. The trick in this game is to pick the one colour that you want, while others try and block your play. While one could us advance strategy, it is not required.

4) Tossing Cards:

Another game for children, Tossing Cards causes a bundle of laughter and joy with each round you play. The method of playing is elementary. Place a hat or a bucket at a distance and divide all the cards. Then, start tossing a card into the bucket by turns. After each round, move the bucket further and further. Every time someone misses, they must perform an action agreed on by the rest of the players.

List of Most Difficult Games to Learn

1) Mandrake:

With extensive rules intertwined and conditioned to match different circumstances, Mandrake requires intense concentration as well as a highly tuned strategic outlook. All the cards are handed out, and the person with the 2 of Clubs starts. So far it is simple, but now it gets complex. The next player can either place an ace or a three, but these must be either of a different colour or if of the same colour then it must be accompanied by a trump card determined only for that round. The others can use this card or override it by crossing it with two Kings or a Queen and a Jack. There are many more rules, too many too mention here, so just pass over this game if anyone ever suggest teaching it to you.

2) Dragon Poker:

Dragon Poker is not totally unlike poker. Any of the different variations of poker can be used as the base for the game, but the general rules are very different. There are no official rules for dragon poker, they must be thought up and written down by the group of people you are playing with, and it is the duty of each player to memorize the rules, if you forget a rule it goes against you and if someone else does not remember a rule that can hurt you, do not worry you do not have to remind them. The best games have the most rules. An example of a rule can be if the date ends in an odd number and the dealer is wearing a shirt that the color of the shits spelling is an even number, then each player must pay the dealer 100 dollars. This rule can only be used once and whoever is the first to call out the rule during their deal gets it.

3) Rummy:

Who does not know of, has heard of, or has not played this one? But, do you remember how long it took you to get the hang of it? I tried teaching this to a group of Russian players who had never heard of this game. They found it very difficult. The specific numbering and criss-cross options render this a true match for the brains.

Visitors guide to baltimore maryland usa

With a population rapidly approaching 700,000, Baltimore is the biggest city in Maryland and covers an area of more than 80 square miles / 210 square kilometers. Close to Washington DC, Baltimore lies on America's eastern coast and contains an important port, complete with large harbor.

Many of the main sights and attractions in the city can be found around the central downtown district, which is divided into a number of notable areas, such as the city center, the Inner Harbor, Camden Yards and also the West Side. Throughout this area you will find a large selection of shops, restaurants, bars and important structures. Also, the Fells Point area, close to the Inner Harbor, is known for its vibrant and animated nightlife and entertainment venues.

Baltimore Tourism:

There are plenty of places worth a visit in the Baltimore area and top attractions include many notable landmarks, historical buildings, appealing museums and a number of art galleries, which contain works by many famous artists. Must-see sights in the city include the National Aquarium, the Basilica of the Assumption, Robert East Lee Memorial Park, the Maryland Zoo African safari experience, the Star Spangled Banner Flag House and also the city's most famous sight, the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine.

Museums in Baltimore are also plentiful and top museum attractions include the extensive Baltimore Museum of Art, the B&O Railroad Museum, the baseball-related Babe Ruth Museum, and the Maryland Science Center, complete with IMAX theater and planetarium. Annual festivals in Baltimore include the Baltimore Blues Festival - held in Paterson Park each May, July's Artscape along the Mount Royal Avenue, the popular Taste of Baltimore festival in October, and December's festive Washington Monument Lighting Ceremony.

Baltimore Hotels:

Baltimore and its surrounding districts feature a range of fine hotels at all levels. For budget accommodation, looks for motels along nearby Interstates and close to the airport. Reasonably priced accommodation is available in the city center, together with a number of top, five-star hotels, with luxury facilities. Waterside hotels around the Inner Harbor area are amongst those most desirable, although the Mount Vernon area is becoming an equally appealing place to stay. Historic hotels are plentiful in the Fells Point area, together with affordable family-run bed and breakfasts.

Baltimore Shopping:

For the best selection of shops in the city, head to the Harborplace area, which contains over 200 shops, including a number of independent outlets and fashion boutiques. Also, the nearby Village of Cross Keys is home to an array of appealing small shops and specialty stores. For antiques, take a trip to Howard Street, where you will find a cluster of notable antique stores, which have become known as the city's 'Antique Row'. Baltimore also features a number of large and modern shopping malls, such as Security Square and Owing Mills. The regular Lexington Market is another major shopping draw card and has been established for more than 150 years, with an enormous selection of market traders.

Baltimore Restaurants:

With its scenic coastal location, it is hardly surprising that Baltimore restaurants specialize in seafood and all things fishy. Much of the local produce comes from the nearby Chesapeake Bay and many of the city's restaurants serve steamed crab, amongst other local dishes. For lively dining in Baltimore, look no further than the restaurants around Mount Vernon and Fells Point, while for more exclusive establishments, the restaurants along Charles Street are some of the most highly regarded in the city.

Baltimore Transport:

A number of public transportation options are on offer in the Baltimore area, such as buses, trains and popular trams. Many visitors to the city find that hiring a car is the most convenient way to travel around, being particularly useful for day trips and excursions to nearby towns and cities, such as Annapolis and Washington DC.

Situated just 10 miles / 16 km from the city, Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is the state's main airport and caters for large numbers of passengers each day. A range of ground transportation is available at the airport, including taxis, shuttles and trains.

Hypnosis and the benefit of deep breathing

Essentially, the word hypnosis is just another word for relaxation. Yes hypnosis is brought on by suggestion, but it’s that deep state of relaxation that qualifies hypnosis. I sometimes use the term creative relaxation. When I say that, I’m referring to the fact that it’s the use of hypnosis that I call therapy. I’ve always defined hypnosis as just what it is, an altered state of awareness through deep relaxation.

Some people define relaxing as just taking time to read through a magazine or have a cup of tea. But really just changing activities is not relaxation. When you reach a state of total relaxation through hypnosis, you will see the difference. And it’s in this totally relaxed state that you can bring some balance back into your life. Some people call it recharging their batteries or use any other metaphoric term, but it all means the same thing.

Real, deep, relaxation used daily or regularly has a terrific effect on all our internal systems, far beyond what a coffee break can do.

As to the question of whether sleep is equivalent to relaxation, most of us know from experience that it is not. Experts even state that hypnosis, or deep relaxation, is actually more beneficial to the overall well-being than merely sleeping nightly. We know that sleep can be disturbed by stressful energies and that we can wake up feeling even less rested, less energized, than when we went to sleep. However a deliberately executed session in hypnosis, or relaxation, has you concentrating very pointedly on just that, relaxing. You lie very still, and you let only positive energy consume you. Essentially, when you practice self-hypnosis, you control the result by guiding the entire session. All hypnosis is based on total relaxation. This is certainly more beneficial than just going to sleep because you are tired.

Power naps are useful in recharging as well, and addressing fatigue, but during deep relaxation or hypnosis, you are also creating the opportunity to reduce or alleviate a particular ailment through concentration. Sleep, whilst absolutely necessary, doesn’t allow this opportunity. If you spend ten or twenty minutes a day or several times a week, practicing self hypnosis, you are sure in a few short weeks to feel a difference in your life, to feel more balanced, and more relaxed, and more in tune physically, emotionally, and in every other way.

There are probably hundred of ways you can achieve a deep state of relaxation, but they have one common element, which is deep breathing. It is a natural human occurrence that when you exhale, your body relaxes. This is a known fact, and a biological certainty. That’s why it’s the first thing that a medical professional will ask a patient to do when he wants his patient to relax.

In any type of emergency or panic situation, the victim is always instructed to take deep breaths. This is intended to calm, or relax the individual.

The more deeply you inhale, the more you will exhale, and therefore the more you will relax. So when we want to induce hypnosis, deep breathing is the first suggestion we make, typically because it starts to bring on relaxation. And when the person starts to relax and regulate their breathing, they will become gradually more relaxed.

We know also that when we sleep, our breathing slows and settles into a quiet, deep rhythm. We seek to achieve the same thing in hypnotic induction, to slow the breathing rhythm, because slowing our breathing slows down our system, and helps to bring about a shift in awareness. We achieve this state by slowing a person’s breathing naturally and comfortably.

Starting an induction with a few deep breaths immediately creates a shift, and sends the message to the person that now it’s time to relax. When you add concentration to the equation, you have a terrific recipe for hypnotic induction. Because concentrating on your breathing helps you become more aware of your internal experience. A person’s breathing pattern can often be a telling sign for a hypnotist that a subject has achieved a deep state of relaxation, and slipped into a state of hypnosis.

In my hypnotherapy sessions I don’t impose any set technique to deep breathing. Whatever a person’s natural breathing method is what they should continue to do. There seems to be a typical pattern of breathing in through the nose, while exhaling out the mouth. If that’s the comfortable breathing technique fro someone, that’s perfect. If it’s in and out through the nose, that’s also fine. Whatever you are used to or whatever comes naturally.

You can practice this on your own, at any time. Just concentrate on taking a few deep breaths, and you will feel your shoulders drop, and your heart rate will settle. This is relaxation and the basis of hypnosis.