Liquid Pools That Shimmer

Majestic ripples. Waves of time spreading outwards. Timeless and hidden soothing the mind.

Blues And Greens

Wayward and alone. Agreed solidarity. Bold and beautiful. Creative and alive.

A View of Paradise.

Tropical pools. Bamboo trees. Rocks and waterfalls. The sun blazing high above.

Northern Lake

Misty mountain top. Lake of dreams. Enter the green valley and become one with nature.

Tree of Life

Never ask why. Fate surely has other plans for you when a mystic light is shining on you.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Self-Motivation Fundamentals (Part Two)


Understanding how self motivation can help you succeed in all your endeavors and help you follow through with completing your ideas and goals that you have set to accomplish in your life.


Throughout our entire lives we are motivated by everyone around us. When we are young, we are motivated by our parents and teachers. We learn about words of wisdom and applied knowledge to help give us a solid platform to work on and grow with our own experience in life. We begin to learn about ourselves, our strengths, our weaknesses, and discover our own abilities. As we get older, we begin to admire and respect certain people that have made an impact in our lives. For some this could easily be your parents, teachers, mentors, and then the shift will focus on highly profiled individuals such as famous celebrities, religious figures, certain government elected officials, and successful entrepreneurs.


Having the ability to motivate yourself when others around you do not is crucial for your own success to continue. These moments of doubt, despair, and lack of faith can strike any moment and at any time. There are many naysayer’s out there, and jealous individuals, who will try to stomp on your parade, and your own success. Look at these encounters, as small steppingstones and obstacles, and ignore them, and push aside their sad commentary as you go boldly forward to the goals that you have set for yourself in life. They are not on the same path that you are traveling on and they are not your friends. Friends on the other hand are great allies, eagerly pointing out your skills, achievements, and praise you when you’ve done well.

The best way to motivate oneself is to discover your skills and abilities. What are your interests and what are your likes and dislikes? You can easily assess your own characteristics of personality and discover what type of person you are. It is true that certain people are born with a splash of character, but most people know and agree that character comes from gained knowledge, time-tested experience, and observation which lead to an amount of insurmountable wisdom, mixed with your own personal characteristic traits about how you view life and your place in it. Your personality alone can greatly determine how successful you are going to be in motivating yourself.


Discovering what your interests are, experience, long-term goals, and understanding the key strengths of your personality can help motivate you even in the darkest of times. Self-motivation is what keeps us going and is a must-have tool for entrepreneurs who want to be successful, organized, savvy, and strive for excellence. Determining your skills, strengths, room for improvements, and really tapping into your creative side can greatly fuel your motivation level, and guide you to the optimum platform to release your ideas and sets all your goals in motion.


The road to self-motivation starts with you and keeps you on your desired path to reach your final destination, which is the creation of your goal, dream job, artistic endeavor, finishing that novel, building that house, saving and investing your hard earned cash, tuition for college, helping the needy, the poor and the sick, imparting wisdom and knowledge to others, to reaching as far as the moon, anything is possible, and most importantly to yourself and your own entrepreneurship of life in general. Having self-motivation is very much like having faith in your own abilities to see your creation fully accomplished. It is said that motivation and faith can create a paradise where there was once a desert, and that is surprisingly true. Self-motivation is a push that keeps you focused and faithful to your desired goal.

 Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning: Theory, Research, and Applications
Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior (Perspectives in Social Psychology)
Motivation to Move! Hypnosis Exercise Motivation
Exercise Fitness & Motivation


T.S.Garp © Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved.

The Self-Motivation Fundamentals (Part One)


Self-motivation can greatly increase all aspects of your life, including business and personal endeavors that all successful entrepreneurs and goal seekers need to realize desired dreams and business related profitable outcomes.

Entrepreneurs know in order to have success in their dream business is to have self-motivation and a strong desire to make that dream a reality. Self-motivation can be a highly satisfying and emotional push when the desired goal is the creation and completion of specific task that you have sent to complete; especially if the goal in completion involves a very specific personal one. But more often than not many people lack self-motivation when setting certain goals that they want to complete in their life. Usually most people’s intentions are good and constructive as they list every necessary task that needs to be completed for their self assigned goal is to reach realization.


This kind of assessment is beneficial and saves time. Writing down a “to do list” is a good exercise and a solid reminder of certain accomplishments that need to be done in order to reach the final goal. Some people fail to even get this far and fall into a state of entropy and are unable to tap into their “getup and go” attitude and move forward with their plans for their own success. As you map out your plan for your own future endeavors and get a clear look at the feasibility of making your goal or dream a reality. This written reminder, as a plan of action will give you a basis to visualize on, and a clearer idea of how to go about it in the real world sense.


Everyone needs a plan, a rough idea, and a direction on which way to go. Even business entrepreneurs must have a business plan and basic idea of what they are trying to accomplish. Scientists are motivated by the questions of why, what, and how does that work, and why does it work that way? Doctors are motivated to find a cure for their ailing patients. Artists are motivated by nature and the wonder of life all around us. Writers and philosophers are motivated by trying to understand and capture the essence of life itself poetically expressing it down on paper. Whether your idea is to make music or create a new company, you need to assess your knowledge of that particular subject and know that you have what it takes to create that and make it work.


You should take a good look at your idea and your plan. Is this idea new? Has this idea been on the back burner for a long time? Is this idea a benefit to you and to others? Is this idea realistically feasible? What is driving you and indeed fully motivating you to completing this goal or idea? What are your full intentions with this idea? What are the benefits of this idea? How much will it cost and how long will it take to complete? What exactly will you be getting out of this idea? First look for the “need” principle. Does the need meet the demand?


This assessment for self-motivation can either work for personal use or for business entrepreneurship. Basically, does your original plan fulfill the need for yourself and/or for others who might benefit from this finish goal; in business terms is this endeavor profitable. Answering these questions can give you a clear understanding about what really motivates you in your life and plans for your future.

The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life
Who am I? The 16 Basic Desires that Motivate Our Actions and Define Our Personalities
Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation
100 Ways To Motivate Yourself: Change Your Life Forever


T.S.Garp © Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved.

Maple-Roasted Chicken with Vegetables


Here is a wonderful dish for autumn I ran across a few weeks ago that I like to share with you. This recipe is very easy to do and is remarkably tasty. The ingredients are perfect for the fall season, with colors and taste to match, giving you that warm, satisfying, feeling during the coming colder months ahead.

Ingredients:

1 ½ pounds chicken thighs and/or drumsticks

Poultry seasoning, to taste

Salt and pepper, to taste

(Optional seasoning): Add a pinch of Curry power, Garlic powder,

2 cups carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

½ cup of chicken broth

¾ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons (or to taste) fresh thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes

Directions:

Arrange the chicken in an 8 x 13-inch baking dish or slightly larger if needed. Sprinkle with the poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Place the sweet potatoes, carrots and onion in the dish. Drizzle the entire dish with maple syrup and olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme, and toss to coat.

Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. (Whenever I cook with this type of recipe I usually use a roasting pan with the cover, and add more vegetables than the recipe calls for, and I raise the temperature and add to the baking time.) Remove the foil, stir and cook for about 15 minutes longer or until the chicken is golden brown and a meat thermometer registers 165°F. (If you want more tender chicken than add a little water and cover the chicken tightly and cook longer until the meat is falling off the bone.) Let stand, covered with foil, for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.

101 Autumn Recipes
Autumn: Recipes Inspired by Nature's Bounty (Williams-Sonoma Seasonal Celebration)
Quick & Easy Autumn Recipes: More than 200 Yummy, Family-Friendly Recipes for Fall...Most in 30 Minutes or Less!
500 Seasonal Recipes: Making the Most of Fresh Produce Through Spring, Summer, Autumn & Winter

T.S.Garp © Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year 2011!!!


Happy New Year!!! Peace & Love & Light!!!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie


Cheesecake is one of my favorite dishes to make and it can be made in a variety of different ways. Here is a great recipe for pumpkin cheesecake. This cheesecake recipe can also be used for both butternut squash and sweet potato instead of pumpkin. Any season is good for cheesecake, especially during the holidays.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (Optional: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves)

2 eggs

One can (15 ounce) pumpkin (Optional: butternut squash or sweet potato)

1 Keebler, Ready Crust, Graham Pie Crust

Directions:

In large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy or by hand. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until combined after each addition. Stir in pumpkin. Pour into crust. Place crust on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool for 1 hour on wire rack or countertop. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Garnish as desired with any topping you prefer. Store in refrigerator and makes 10 servings.



T.S.Garp © Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved.

Cranberry Sauce for the Holidays


Here is a great home-style recipe for holiday cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and can be used for any season. Once you try cranberry sauce made this way you will never go back to store bought or canned again. This recipe is fairly easy to do and is extraordinarily tasty. The fresh ingredients are all natural and beneficial bursting with flavor and color.

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh cranberries

1 ½ cups of water

1 cup of orange juice

2 cups white sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur, (Optional: Brandy)

5 whole cloves (Optional: Clove powder)

½ teaspoon cinnamon, (Optional: 3 cinnamon sticks)

½ teaspoon ginger

Directions:

In a medium pan over medium heat combined water, orange juice, sugar and lemon juice. Add fresh cranberries, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. (Note: If using whole cloves and cinnamon sticks wrap them in a spice bag. Place in the water with cranberries.) Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until cranberries have popped. Remove from heat, stir in the liquor, and allow cooling as cranberry sauce thickens. Chill in refrigerator for 8 hours, or overnight, before serving.



T.S.Garp © Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Gadgets That Fight Germs


Here are some cool and smart gadgets that help combat germs and bacteria.

The Zapi Toothbrush Sanitizer uses germicidal UV light to eliminate 99.9% of germs and bacteria on your toothbrush and works in minutes. Simply insert your favorite tooth brush, press the button, and Zapi goes to work instantly, a flashing light tells you it’s working and will automatically turn itself off when done. Zapi comes with a free toothbrush and is compatible with other manual and electric toothbrushes. Zapi comes in many designs and multiple colors for a style that suits you. Once Zapi has safely made your tooth brush germ-free simply store it safely inside the Zapi sanitizer receptacle for the next time you brush. Zapi UV Toothbrush Sanitizer, White


Zapi has been endorsed by celebrities and highly featured in the media like Time, CNN, Today Show, In Style, The Ellen Degeneres Show, ELLE magazine and made Oprah Winfrey’s Best Pick for the Holidays “O“ magazine. The Zapi toothbrush sanitizers are recommended by Texas doctors. The Zapi toothbrush sanitizer is made by Violight and can be purchased on their website like Amazon.com or for your local store such as Wal-Mart. The Zapi cost about $29 for a single one or prices range up higher for two or more starting at $50. Violight.com Zapi Pop Hi-Ya Toothbrush Sanitizer


UV cell phone sanitizer is design by Violight and utilizes their award-winning UV germicidal light technology to eliminate 99% of germs and bacteria. Mobile phones are highly susceptible to bacteria and germs accumulating over long periods of time and make for a virtual breeding ground for E. coli, strip, and many other germs. What makes Violight’s cell phone sanitizer so great is the fact that you can use it to sanitize other devices such as MP3 players, PDA’s, Bluetooth headsets, and earbuds. The UV sanitizer cleans in minutes and is perfect for the home or office and makes for a distinctive and useful gift or tool for removal of harmful germs and bacteria. The cost is about $50. Violight.com Violight UV Cellphone Sanitizer, 14-Ounce 


Rabbit air purifier promises to destroy airborne foreign allergens from the interior of your home and create a clean, fresh environment that is virtually germ-free. Purifier MinusA2 SPA-780A is ultra quiet HEPA Air Purifier that is slim, stylish design, and stands alone or mounted on the wall easily. The purifier comes with custom filters that could you be used for Germ Defense, Toxic Absorber, Allergies, and Odor Removal. Indoor air is drawn through the filters at 360 degrees around the front panel and clean air is expelled from the back of the unit in an upward direction towards the room. Rabbit Air MinusA2 (model SPA-780A covers 815 sq. ft.) Ultra-Quiet Air Purifier - Sylish, Efficient and Energy Star® Certified, Wall-Mountable, White, Odor Remover

The unit also includes a six stage purification system and an activated carbon filter to fight off odors. The purifier can cover a residential home about 800 square feet, weighs almost 20 pounds, relatively small size at 20H x 21.4W, and comes with a five-year warranty and technical support. Retail: $900 Buy it now for $550at their web site or outlet stores. Rabbitair.com


Violight VIO200 Travel Toothbrush Sanitizer
VIOlight VS100 Toothbrush Sanitizer and Storage System
VIO Light UV Cell Phone Sanitizer for iPhone 4 DROID X

T.S.Garp © Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved.

Consumer Electronics for the Online Shopper


A short list of online stores for the coolest consumer electronics and gadgets around.

Crutchfield is a company specializing in consumer electronics such video and audio equipment. This particular online outlet store is a great resource of consumer electronics from GPS, Car Audio, Car Video, TV’s, Home Theater Systems, Blu-ray, Games, Cameras, Camcorder, iPods, and Portables. Perfect for the holidays season with free shipping on orders over $50. Crutchfield.com

Frys already has a great retail consumer electronic store in your local area or city, but Frys.com has exceptional deals and discounts when you make online purchases at their website. You can safely shop online and discover anything you need for consumer electronics with Frys. From PC computers, Apple computers, Notebooks, E-books, Hard Drives, Memory, Flash Drives, Electronic Components, Phones, Audio, Video, Cameras, Office Supplies, Software, Games, Music, Movies, Books, Science & Toys, Health & Beauty, and Appliances. Frys has great technical support and shipping free deals on select items. Frys.com


Easy Shopping-Electronics. If your looking for a consumer electronics online store at discount prices than you should check out this site. Boasting a variety of products at affordable prices, they claim to have everything you’re looking for, which include: Unlocked Mobile Phones, GPS Navigation & Trackers, Home and Car Audio Video, DVD, MP3 & MP4 Players, Digital Cameras & Camcorders, Computer Accessories, Digital Picture Frames, Health & Lifestyle plus Security & Surveillance Cameras, Systems for home & business. Easyshopping-electronics.com

Sony Style has everything made from the Sony Corp. that include popular items like Laptops, Desktops, Software & Media, Camcorders & Compact Digital Cameras, Televisions, Blu-ray Disc & DVD players, Sony Internet TV, Home Theater Systems, Audio Components, Hi-Fi Mini & Micro Systems, PlayStation 3& PS2, Games, Accessories, Headphones, Walkman MP3 &Audio players, Dash & Docking Stations, Clocks & Radios, Car Audio, Voice Recorder & Mics, Reader Digital Books, and Sony Ericsson Phones. Sony Style offers premium PC service and extended service plans, payments are made easy with Sony Financing, Sony Card, and Gift Cards. Sony Style has weekly deals and a great outlet online store for discounts on refurbishes products. Whatever you need in electronics, you can find it at Sonystyle.com


Tiger Direct is a direct online and catalog retailer of computers and consumer electronics. Great deals and bargains can be found on this online store. Tiger Direct is a great source for computer parts and has everything you need to build your own computer complete with upgrades. Speaking from experience as the author of this article I can highly recommend shopping at TD for satisfaction, service, and competitive prices in electronic products.

Everything electronic can be found at Tiger Direct, from Audio, Bluetooth, Cables, Cameras, Cellular Phones, Computers, Computer parts, CPUs (Processors), Digital Picture Frames, External Hard Drives, Flash Memories, Gaming, GPS navigation, Hard Drives, Home Theater, Ink & Toners, Laptops/Notebooks, HDTV/LCD TVs/Plasma, RAM, Monitors, Motherboards, MP3 accessories, Office Supplies, Printers, Scanners, Software, Sound Cards, Surveillance, USB Flash Drives, Video Cards, and Wireless Networking, just to name a few items to be found on their site. Whatever you need in the name of electronics can definitely found it at Tiger Direct and it is highly recommended by returning customers are being a one-stop store for deals and electronic equipment. Tigerdirect.com


Think Geek is an online merchandise store that caters to computer enthusiasts and everything considered “geeky”. Think Geek is an American online retailer with merchandise that includes geek toys, gadgets, and home and office computers, T-shirts, mugs, thumb drives, keyboards, speakers, headsets and clothes. They also include a variety of unusual computer peripherals, office toys, caffeinated drinks, and candy, electronic and scientific gadgets that sparked the imagination. Thinkgeek.com

Best Buy is a retail store and has a great online store. Their merchandise includes Home Theater Systems, HDTV’s, Projectors & Screens, Blu-ray & DVD players, Digital TV Converters, iPods & MP3 players, Headphones, Speakers, Satellite Radio, Musical Instruments, Stands, Mounts, Furniture, Mobile Phones, iPads, Music, PSP, Wii , Camcorders & Digital Cameras, Memory Cards, WebCams, Photo Printers, Laptop Computers, Printers & Scanners & Fax Machines, Ink & Toner, Geek Squad, e-Readers, Netbooks, Software & Games, GPS navigation, Car Audio, Radar Detectors, Marine Electronics, Home & Appliances. Best Buy has weekly deals and free shipping on selected items, as well as an Outlet Center for more discounts at reduce prices. Bestbuy.com

SmartFinder Key Finder Locator - Never Lose Your Keys, Wallet, Remote Control Again!
Panasonic TC-L22X2 22-Inch 720p LCD HDTV with iPod Dock
SanDisk Sansa Fuze 4 GB Video MP3 Player (Black)
Garmin nüvi 1350/1350T 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Traffic


T.S.Garp © Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Christmas Themes


Top Christmas Tree Theme Ideas. How to choose the best themes and decorations for your house for Christmas.

Decorating a room and choosing the right Christmas theme is the fist step. Department stores have many themes to pick from and are a great place for inspiration for your own design. Decorations are fun to do for the entire family during the Christmas holiday.

How to select the proper Christmas tree and matching decorations? To ensure the best arrangement choose a theme that you want to express for Christmas, something warm and inviting for friends and family, displays that are festive and show a jovial spirit of the Christmas holidays. A Christmas tree theme ought to tell your personality, interest, creativity, and traditions. Christmas themes can range from the traditional Christmas designs to modern-magical, visually eye-catching, lights and sounds themes.


Here are some ideas to work with and help get you started:

1. Choose the tree. Artificial Christmas trees are good and can be reused year after year. Trees come in many colors. Red, blue, green, white, and pink. Some can be flocked, topiary, tinsel, and tabletop trees. Real Christmas trees are renewable, grown on tree farms, and new seedlings are replanted. Most importantly, choose a Christmas tree that is the right size for your room.


2. Color theme, red and green, gold and green, silver and blue, white with any color, gold and red, silver and white silver, red and pink, remember that any color combination should reflect your overall theme.


3. Christmas themes. Themes should synchronized with chosen decorations. Angel themes, Santa themes, musical themes, ribbons-garlands themes, snowflakes and icicles, candy themes, sparkling-tinsel themes, stuffed animals and teddy bears themes, Victorian, French, Dutch themes.


4. Ornaments. You can match your Christmas lights and ornaments with your color theme. Collectable ornaments of glass balls, reindeer, nutcracker, sports, cartoon characters, pictures of family and friends, birds, elves, snowmen, and religious.


5. Christmas lights. From multicolor lights to white, you will need an extension cord, and correct size and placement upon Christmas tree for a harmonious display.


6. The Christmas mantel. Sparkling up the mantel is a great place to set the holiday spirit of Christmas by adding a touch of glamour. Combining silver candles and white can make a dramatic theme. Various sizes and heights of candles and stands, live plants, and similar color and themes. You can design modern and traditional themes here. Christmas stockings also make a good choice, and can be personalized and can hold all sorts of goodies over the fireplace. Christmas bells and garlands also make perfect staging for a great looking mantel for the holiday season.


7. The banister and doorways or mantels can be use to for decorating with aromatic, natural layers of fresh eucalyptus branches or pine, fills the room with a fresh, clean scent. Smartly placed cinnamon-scented pine cones add a spicy, pleasant holiday fragrance to the rooms for guest. Glass ornaments, gold berries, and a tall, sculptural reindeer can add holiday cheer and elegance to any room in the house.



Welcome family and friends to your home by ostentatiously displaying a holiday wreath for the front door. Wreaths come in many designs and themes. Choose one that shows your individuality and festive nature. With the proper Christmas accessories such as color, garlands, wreaths, lights, and ornaments, you decorate the entire home, any room into a lovely Christmas theme. Decorating both interior and exterior doesn’t have to be complex. Malls and stores have plenty of theme packs and Christmas accessories and staff to help make it easy. Decorating is fun and will be last a lasing Christmas memory for all to enjoy for the holiday season.

Christmas Decorating: How to make and decorate your own festive cards, baubles, wreaths, candles, stockings, crackers and tree decorations
How To Decorate a Christmas Tree: Cheap and Easy Ways to Decorate your Christmas Tree!
A Homemade Christmas: Creative Ideas for an Earth-Friendly, Frugal, Festive Holiday
Christmas: Make It Sparkle--225 Simple Crafts, Food & Decorating Ideas for Your Holiday Home
Cookie Craft Christmas: Dozens of Decorating Ideas for a Sweet Holiday


T.S.Garp © Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Winter


A poem about the winter season and the joys of the holidays.


The chill comes as the winter sun raises to meet the day

The birds come out to play

~

Small tiny snow flakes fall through the air

The trees give up their leaves without care

~

The land is covered in a sea of white

Frigid feelings of cold winter nights

~

Christmas view dancing in the cool moonlight

Luminous icicles majestically sparkling

~

Smells of cooking,

Wine drinking,

~

Sitting by the fireplace fast sleeping

Family and friends gather in the den

~

Singing of joy and magic from faithful hearts

A reminiscence of the glory and sacrifice He impart

~

Sharing elation of gifts and sounds

Winter has arrived in this infinite snow-white town


T.S.Garp © Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved.

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