Are You Beating Up On Yourself About Debt?

When you hear the word "debt", whats the first thought or feeling that comes to you? For most people debt is "bad" or it becomes the "enemy" and is something that should be avoided like the plague.

Having debt does not make you a bad person. The more a situation is judged as being bad, the worse it gets. It's the judgement that you have around debt, that will keep you feeling "stuck". It's the judgement that brings out the anxiety, the fear, the stress, the knot in the stomach.

It's the old success principle: what you focus on expands. So what are you focusing on? Getting out of debt is an inside job first! What that means is taking 100% responsibility for your debts and admitting to yourself that you have an obligation, and knowing and believing that you will fulfill that obligation, by paying your creditors as quickly as possible.

No one wants to be stressed, or worry about living beyond their means. Most people are very uncomfortable talking about the subject of money and debt. And since the subject of money management is NOT normally taught in schools, where do we learn about it?

From our families, friends, co-workers etc, tv shows. These are people who mean well, and it's been my experience that they are usually passing along information that may be outdated, and no longer relevant for the times that we currently live in and may or may not apply to you and your life. It is THEIR opinions and beliefs.

Once again it doesn't make it a "good" or "bad" thing. The answer is to find a solution that "works" for you and your particular situation. Keep in mind, that once you decide to become debt free, it will become crystal clear that not everyone thinks that becoming debt free is a good idea.

Everyone from your local bank to your grocery store, want you to buy on credit. Realize that "credit" is a tool that can serve you, or NOT serve you. Here are some tips for becoming debt free.

1) Admit that you have debt, and are willing to become debt free. This is the most important step and is part of being 100% responsible, and being open to finding a solution. Without knowing where you are now, you are probably not going to be able to plot out a plan or map to where you want to go.

2) Don't add any more debt. This is all about changing habits, beliefs, and attitudes about buying on credit. Your attitudes about money/credit may have served you up to this point, and the good news is that you can now make new choices that support you. Remember "life" happens and there may be times when you may have to use credit. If this should happen DON'T beat yourself up. Just continue down your path of debt reduction and the ultimate goal of financial freedom.

3) Start to pay off the debt NOW. This seems like an obvious and simple step, and it's simple to do and also simple NOT to do. Afterall we are human beings, and change is not something that we are very comfortable with. Put all your debts on paper, so that you are clear about what you owe. One of the best strategies to debt reduction is the "something-something" principle. Focus on paying (1) creditor off at a time. This will keep your energy concentrated, and your debt reduction efforts will be more effective, than trying to pay off everyone at one time.

4) Take "extra" money and apply it toward your debt. Where can you get the "extra" money? Start to watch where you spend your money. For example: using coupons, or shopping at a warehouse club, can save you thousands of dollars over the course of a year. These savings can be used to pay down your debt quickly and effortlessly.

Keep in mind that your past doesn't equal your future. Look at your current financial situation as a "learning" experience, and an area that you are able to improve on....versus a place that you are judging yourself for a mistake. Many people just like you have been able to eliminate their debt. The good news is....so can you!!!!

©2004 All Rights Reserved

Customized Gift Baskets: The Perfect Gift for Everyone

The very best gift you could possibly give someone, anyone at all, can be custom designed. Design a gift for your close friends and family members that will be perfect for them. Any of your loved ones can be thrilled by receiving the gifts they want - all cradled in a basket of any shape or size.

There are virtually endless possibilities for designing completely different types of gift baskets. The highest quality gift baskets are sometimes perfect when designed by the professionals offering special gift basket-designing services. However, sometimes you have a certain someone who happens to be especially hard to shop for.

When you custom make your own gift baskets you can include all the things that your special someone loves and collect them into one perfect present. It may be difficult to decide what to put in the basket, but you can choose a personal, individualized, gift when you use the method of custom design for your loved ones.

The greatest gift ideas for an individual, personalized gift especially for friends or family members are YOUR ideas. You are the perfect one to decide the perfect gifts because who knows your loved ones better than you? You can brighten an office party with a general gift basket. You can take a gift basket and turn it into the perfect baby gift basket, sympathy gift basket, etc.

With hope, your gift baskets will be those that bring a sincere and surprised smile to your giftee's face. Of course, there are happy gifts and there are not-so-happy gifts. But if you choose a great personalized gift basket -- even someone in an unhappy condition will likely be cheered up.

Mumbai Property Prices - Up, Up And Away

Rising prices of Mumbai's real estate has always made news. This week politician and actor Vinod Khanna bought the country's most expensive 3-bedroom flat in Mumbai's Little Gibbs Road on Malabar Hills. This luxurious flat in Il Palazzo cost him Rs 30 crore.

Earlier, in January this year a property analysis had suggested that rental values in Bandra-Kurla complex and capital values for commercial property are highest for Nariman Point. These property hotspots were ranked in the top ten list of global order.

Sample this, capital rates for residential segment in Marine Drive ranges between Rs 12,000-20,000 per sq ft. Even the suburban areas like Jogeshwari, Malad and Borivali command property price of Rs 4,800-6,500 per sq ft for residential segment. This is by far the highest property rate all over India. Property prices in Delhi's posh areas like Model Town, Jor Bagh range of Rs 8,250 - 11,000 per sq ft.

One major reason for Mumbai's rising real-estate prices is that the city has acute space crisis. The city is linear in dimensions and tapers towards the sea. Thus, there is hardly any scope of expansion. The city can only stretch its borders in north and north-west, where Mumbai's extensions like Navi Mumbai have already taken shape. Other cities like Delhi, Bangalore are blessed in this regard since these cities can stretch their borders in all radial directions. Also, Mumbai is the country's financial capital. Hence all commercial establishments need a foot-hold in Mumbai. Hence, Nariman Point is one of the most expensive commercial locations in the world.

The capital value for posh commercial localities like Nariman Point, Churchgate and Prabha Devi range between Rs 10,000-20,000 per sq ft. In the rest of the city, commercial property commands values between Rs 3,500-5,000 per sq ft. The lease rates for commercial property in Grade A space (like Bandra West, Ballard Estate, Lower Parel) comes between Rs 200-350 per sq ft.

For more details on Mumbai Properties [http://www.magicbricks.com/property/city/p/p~p!ct~4320!/Mumbai.real-estate], log on to magicbricks.com

Clear Communication: The Benefits and How to Achieve Them

Communication is a complex and often difficult process for both the receiver and sender. Barriers on both sides of the process often deflect the real meaning of the message and inhibit clear, open, and rewarding communication. Research shows that a major portion of an organization's problems are caused by poor communication, while an even greater part of an organization's progress stems from good communication.

Everyone can gain from bettering their communication skills. Some benefits of improving communication skills are:

1. Improved productivity -- 2. better problem solving -- 3. fewer grievances -- 4. enhanced creativity and efficiency -- 5. better working relationships -- 6. greater personal satisfaction.

How can you achieve these benefits? First it is necessary to define the term communication. Communication is an exchange of information. It is a process of understanding on both the part of the receiver and the sender.

EMPATHY- Over the years, people have searched for some single, integrating principle at the root of communication success. Many believe it is empathy. Empathy is the habit of putting yourself in another person's shoes, getting "into their skin," understanding how they feel, seeing and experiencing a situation or problem as they see and experience it, and listening carefully to the other person's viewpoint. Empathy is a simple concept in the abstract, yet in practice difficult to achieve as a consistent habit. For those who can master and practice empathy, it is the key to understanding people and communicating effectively.

FEEDBACK- The power of "feedback" in all communication cannot be exaggerated. For the sender, this means making it a habit to encourage the receiver to verbally convey to the sender what the receiver has actually understood. If the sender discovers that the receiver has an understanding different from that one intended, the sender can try again. Without such feedback, the sender would not be aware that there is a misunderstanding and that it must be corrected. The receiver only needs to hold the attention of the sender long enough to "feed back" to him what the receiver has understood and to check for accuracy.

NONVERBAL SIGNALS- The importance and impact of nonverbal signals in communication is astounding. (By nonverbal signals we mean such elements as tone of voice, pitch, hesitation, facial expression, posture, etc.) Recent research shows that 90% of communication impact depends upon nonverbal signals and only 10% upon the words used.

More About Aviary Finches

Generally people today make oversight of thinking that finches are certainly little gulls, hence they'll work in smaller cages. This could not be more wrong. While many finches are rather little, they still need places to dwell.

There are many different types of finch aviaries. Finches are cheerful, curious birds and happy in a variety of shapes and styles of cages. Types of finch aviaries are categorized by their design, their function, and the materials used. There are three basic types: indoor, outdoor, and combination. They are available ready-made, in kits, or can be made from scratch.

Depending on the type of finch aviary, it may be less expensive to make a cage from scratch. Larger outdoor cages or combination cages are less expensive than a ready-made or kit aviary. Small, ready-made, and kit aviaries may be less expensive to purchase.

Large scale ready-made finch aviaries are easier to set up, but they often come in standard sizes and shapes. For bird owners who need specific accommodations for their space, the aviary will have to be made from scratch. It is also possible to hire a builder to make an aviary, but this is also an expensive option.

Ready-made finch aviaries are typically made of wire and are rectangular. There are also domed cages which have a curved ceiling. Although some come with perches, additional accessories usually must be purchased. Smaller finch aviaries, designed for one or two pairs of finches, may also have a removable lower tray for cleaning. Larger cages may also have a built-in stand with wheels so that the aviaries can be moved.

For starters, when selecting a cage, look at the biggest you can afford, then maybe double it. It will be a home. Overcome a small cage price tag. When we doubled or tripled cage size for our birds, improved behavior was immediate. A few cubic feet separate a birdcage home from just a mere confine.

Silk or plastic plants. Place these items up high and in out-of-the-way places, where birds cannot perch above and soil them. You may want to consider decorating portion of the outside of the aviary with plants (real or silk), since they cannot be soiled but will still give the aviary a more natural, "living" look and may provide some cover and privacy for the birds. When selecting fake greenery, remember that smooth plastic leaves will be easier to clean than cloth leaves.

Design the aviary such that all parts of the aviary are easily accessible for cleaning. If the aviary will not be a walk-in aviary, make sure that all parts of the aviary are accessible via the door.

Place the food/water dispensers in a location that is easily accessible. Designing a special door down low used to swap food/water in and out may be useful, although it is probably not necessary as long as your aviary is not overcrowded since the birds are not likely to try to escape unless provoked. However, such a door may be a nice convenience if you ever need to have someone else maintain your aviary for a few days. They will probably feel more secure opening a small door than a full-sized one. Alternatively, install a shade in front of the door that can be pulled down when the food/water needs to be changed. Be sure to leave the area above the food and water free of perches so that they will not become soiled from above. Or, install a feeding station with an easy-to-clean shield above it.

Squash Advice for Junior Squash Equipment

Technical & tactical development of a kid degrades with adult equipment!

Recommendations:

Recommendations are ordered. Start at the top and move down the list according to the kid's level and size. Racquets, balls and eyewear should be kids appropriate!

3 & 4 year olds:

Racquets: Hand Racquets: The closer the racquet head is to the hand, the easier it is to make contact with the ball. Hand racquets are the best way to get started and superior over conventional junior racquets. In addition, with hand racquets, there is no grip to worry about, so the wrist is more stable, so the shots are more accurate. Best to use with foam balls.

Junior Paddle Racquet: The closer the racquet head is to the hand, the easier it is to make contact with the ball.

Balls: -Beach Balls: Use the smallest ones you can find, because they are very light, they are very slow and ideal for hitting the ball along the floor. -Foam Balls: We would start with the largest foam balls as they are heavier than small ones which let's kids control the ball better, important at this very young age. -Dunlop Mini Squash Ball: The smaller squash foam ball is lighter than tennis foam balls. Due to its lightness, it is easier to keep a rally going on the second or third bounce as the ball doesn't travel very far.

5 & 6 year olds:

Racquets: -Racquetball Racquets: The large racquet head that is close to the hand plus the lightness are ideal to start rallying. -Speedminton Racquets: The racquet head is close to the hand and the racquet is light. The racquet head is smaller though than the racquetball racquet, contact is more difficult. -Dunlop Junior Squash Racquet: Racquet head is close to hand and the racquet is light. The racquet head is smaller though than the racquetball racquet, contact is more difficult.

Balls: -Dunlop Mini Squash Ball. Due to its lightness it is easier to keep a rally going on the second or third bounce as the ball doesn't travel very far. The lightness of the ball also teaches kids to use a very relaxed swing as the ball doesn't travel very far without a fast swing. Low Compression Tennis Balls have an ideal rebound height of the floor for hits to learn a relaxed swing. -Blue Dot Squash Balls: Only use real squash balls if kids are able to rally with them for at least 5 shots in a row.

7 & 8 year olds:

Racquets: -Junior Squash Racquets: Almost all junior squash racquets have about the same length (except the Black Knight junior racquet). We recommend junior squash racquets for 7 year olds. Don't be in a hurry to get too big a racquet. -Black Knight junior squash racquet: This is the longest junior squash racquet and the ideal step up after using a regular size Junior Racquet like the Dunlop junior squash.

Racquet Balls: -Dunlop mini squash ball: great for newbies to squash, the slow bounce lets kids have long rallies and time enough to place the ball. -Blue Dot Squash Balls: Ideal for kids who already played. I would discourage you from using the yellow dot squash ball as kids don't learn a well-rounded game with a double yellow dot squash ball that barely bounces.

9 & 10 year olds:

Racquets: Black Knight junior squash racquet: Keep using this one until the kid is tall enough to use a regular, light, adult size racquet. Don't be in a hurry to get an adult size racquet. The kids using the Black Knight junior racquet at this age have superior stroke mechanics compared to kids using adult size racquets. Or you can use any other junior racquet that has the same length as the Black Knight junior squash racquet.

Balls: -Blue Dot Squash Balls: Don't be in a hurry to switch to the yellow dot squash balls. If the kids are not swinging at the ball with the yellow dot squash ball but merely lifting the ball to keep it in play, stay with the blue dot ball. -Dunlop Progress Squash Ball: The Progress ball is 6% larger, heavier and most important, has 20% longer hang-time than the Pro Squash Ball (ball drops 20% later). This gives kids more time to hit and get to the ball. I am not a big fan of the Dunlop Max beginners squash ball as it is too heavy.

11 & 12 year olds:

Racquets: Have kids use light (no more than ~ 135g) and head light adult racquets

13 & older:

Racquets: Any adult racquets, however we would stay away from very heavy, head weighted racquets. Good swing speed is better learned with light racquets.

Important for coaching is to teach the kids in a way that let's them reach their full potential long-term if they choose to do so. Using inappropriate equipment and focusing on short-term results will only limit your kids. The kids appropriate equipment makes it easier to develop the technique of an advanced adult game. Tactics can be learned and implemented faster because of the modified kid's rules. Keep your kids play with the recommended equipment (& rules) for the mentioned 1-2 years and discourage them from using regular adult size equipment (& rules) until they're ready. It is important to use all appropriate equipment depending on ages together. Only using kid's squash racquets with regular double yellow dot squash balls and adult squash rules has minimal benefit and will impede their development. The kids need to use the appropriate racquet and ball and play with the appropriate rules for their age! The kids tactics change dramatically if they play with an adult racquet and low bouncing balls at a young age. The kids squash stroke mechanics would also evolve into something quite different than the proper squash stroke mechanics needed for adult squash game. They would play a different game more like super size squash. Kid's equipment needs to be scaled to their growth and maturity stages. If kids play squash with kids appropriate equipment and rules, they are way more likely to develop a squash game that is much closer to an adult game. A kid who can barely lift the racquet in time will not develop great volley skills and tactics that come with it. Kids need to develop footwork patterns that top players use. They should be taught the tactical strategies and shots that top players use as early as possible. With regular equipment and rules this is impossible. Kids learn very quickly and very naturally and are capable of a high level of proficiency at a very young age. Don't ignore quality and only improve quantity. Kids are not better players because they can keep a rally going 10x longer. Pushing the ball against the front wall with poor technique will limit a player's future potential dramatically. Using kids appropriate equipment and rules speeds up the development of everything, technique, movement around the court, tactics and even mental skills.

Technical Advantages

Swing acceleration: Kids appropriate equipment allows kids to accelerate the racquet through the impact zone. The "whipping" action is a critical skill to learn in today's game where the strokes get shorter and flatter (if the racquet is too heavy, especially if head-weighted, kids don't have enough strength to accelerate => the swing will decelerate and becomes more like blocking => no attacking action possible). Swing path: Kids will develop a larger variety of swing path as well as better control for various trajectories (up, down,level). With a heavy(especially head heavy) racquet, kids mostly only swing from low to high with a pulling action rather than acceleration. Swing rhythm: Better swing rhythm. Squash balls don't bounce much, even the blue dot squash ball has a low bounce and can be a difficult ball to hit and maintain a rally(swing is rushed). The appropriate balls depending on age will increase the time available to hit the ball and learn a rhythm. Adults playing squash will heat up the ball and make it bouncier while playing, kids are not strong enough. E.g. the junior ball allows them to make contact with the ball at a kids appropriate, more comfortable height. Swing power source: Appropriate use of good body rotation from the ground up. With heavy racquets, kids will use too much body rotation (which also limits their technical development). Swing control: The grip is the most important aspect to control the racquet through the swing. It is easier to hold the racquet with a cocked wrist and maintain a firm enough wrist on impact that the racquet doesn't turn around. Maintaining stability is a critical skill for advanced technique. With an adult racquet kids have a harder time to keep the racquet face open as a closed grip requires less strength. The lighter junior squash balls further help at a younger age to maintain a firm enough wrist as the impact shock of the ball is minimized. The use of the very low-compression ball or foam ball make it is easier for children to hit the ball at the right height and increases the likelihood that they will hold the racquet with a comfortable grip. Encourage children to hit the ball around waist height and to the side of the body. Use a variety of ball composition, compression, and size, conducive to the physical size and visual development stage of the kid. This not only makes it easier for kids to rally but also improve faster by adapting to different balls all the time, adaptation being an ever more critical part in outperforming and theme in developing young athletes.

Tactical advantages:

Time: With kids' appropriate racquets and balls, the ball speed is slower and give kids more time to keep a rally going and think about where to place shots. Kids should learn as early as possible to place the ball at an advantageous place rather than just retrieving it. More time available also allows them to develop a larger variety of shots. Court size: Kids on a squash court have far more ground to cover than an adult. As a result, they tend to hit high shots which allows them to recover back to the T and chase shots down. The style of play becomes very defensive and it is difficult to develop a rhythm. With adjusted rules and appropriate equipment, kids can play a more appropriate game concerning court-size to be covered and speed to be played at. This will allow them to incorporate a varied game and develop their own style. Shot selection: Good volley development using adult equipment and courts is also unlikely. Adult racquets are too heavy to left in time to do much with the ball and the volley becomes just a block only. An unrealistic development with the coach basically feeding a slow ball to the kid doesn't transfer to actual net play. Varying the ball is extremely difficult with a heavy racquet, barely bouncing squash balls and full court rules. If kids can barely hold the racquet with a firm enough wrist, spins, drops, angles and last minute changes of direction are difficult to say the least. Kids appropriate equipment allows the kids to develop both an attacking and defensive game full of variety, rather than just a defensive "keep the ball in play" style of play. Playing just consistent is not good enough in today's game. Kids need to learn to take advantage of an opening and attack in a myriad of ways.

Rally ability advantages

Typically, with adult equipment and rules, coaches need to feed kids since they can't do these things with each other. There is a poor transfer from doing the skill in a feeding situation to a game-play situation. Just like the new holistic, game-based coaching used in the ASB rainbow games, kids will be able to rally sooner by themselves by using kids racquets, balls and rules. If they rally together, each kid will hit the ball more times in a shared lesson than they do during an individual lesson. The majority of the hitting is between the two kids, not between the kids and coach. The extra repetition speeds up the learning process. By pairing kids together, the coach gets to tackle some of the mental issues that arise, such as losing temper, giving up, and choking. The pressures that cause these negative behavior traits hardly ever happen when a coach plays with a kid - they only come up when kids play against each other. If kids are able to rally among themselves, it allows the coach to watch the kids action in more detail (because he doesn't have to pay any attention to hitting the ball), giving the coach a better chance of identifying the true cause of a technical or tactical error. Because of this, the coach can get to the route of a problem far quicker. Once the problem has been identified, it also allows the coach to jump in with one of the kids while the other one watches - to demonstrate what to look for.

Less Injuries

The final technical advantage is injury reduction. The physical demands of the game on junior players has increased over the last decade. The speed of the game and the technique required to hit the ball harder with a shorter and shorter swing are being utilized by younger and younger players. This can be very hard on a developing body. The constant swinging of adult squash racquets especially if playing with double yellow dot balls, which barely bounces, over the greater distances of the adult sized court, creates unnecessary wear and tear on young bodies.

Summary

Ensure children have the best development path possible by using kid's appropriate equipment. The improper equipment may result in younger players learning motor patterns that need to be overhauled later, causing a plateau in development that they may not recover from.

Super size Squash

Imagine being half your size with half your strength and age 7, playing super-size squash on a regular squash court with regular squash rules. Your squash racquet touches the ground when you hold it down at your side and you can only comfortably lift it with 2 hands. The regular double yellow dot squash ball most commonly sold barely bouncing. How difficult and motivating would it be to play "super size squash"? It would be challenging to say the least. Good coaches wouldn't teach "Super size squash". Success would be limited, transfer skills to an adult game would be poor, tactics and technique developed would be inappropriate. Consider the size and strength of the kids! All major sports adjust kid's equipment. So should you for kids learning squash.