What DIY Music Artists Can Do to Advance Their Career and Get the Support of Music Professionals

How does an artist move forward in the music business without the support of business professionals backing their career? How does an artist get noticed by the business professionals and get them to promote the artist's music? Whether your objective is to have a personal manager, a booking agent, a publicist or be signed to a record label, there is only one way to do it. And that is doing it all yourself first. Taking care of all the business behind your career so that if, and when, the business professional comes on board, they use your progress and can take it to the next level.

This means- you are your own manager, booking agent, record label, distributor, marketing director, publicist, street team and more. Do each to the best of your ability. When you invest your time and money into your career, you learn the ropes of the music business and get a better perspective and appreciation for the work the professionals do. In addition, when you invest in yourself, it inspires others to invest in you as well. Think of yourself as an octopus. One central body, but multiple arms all working at the same time.

The first arm of your business will be THE MUSIC. This is the part of your business that is the least business-like, but the most critical to moving forward as a business. Talent & Songs are what drive this business. Work on musicianship, songwriting, and production. Write and record great songs. The quality of your sound should be able to compete with commercial tracks on the Billboard charts. Figure out how to classify your genre and write a clear description of your musical style.

The second arm is MANAGEMENT. This is where you truly use the business side of your brain. Get outside of your music (and your ego) and try to evaluate your music and its ability to compete in the music industry. Evaluation and career planning need to take place. There are multiple books and online articles on Artist Management. Start by getting career do's and don'ts and direction by looking at acts that have come before you and have achieved the success you would like to get. What did they do that you can emulate? Then determine who your fans are and how you will reach them. Attend workshops on the music business and read online articles to get more career advice. Managers love to work with an artist who was previously self-managed. The artist can make business decisions, and will appreciate and respect the manager's tutelage.

The third is the RECORD LABEL/ DISTRIBUTION arm. If you have songs and product, you want to get it out to the public, to as many people as possible. It is never wise for an artist to wait to get signed to do this, as labels take notice now when you, Mr. Independent, are making a buzz selling a large number of albums. Plus you can start making some money from your music. Sell your CDs on your website, from a local store who will take you on consignment, to all your friends and family, at your live shows, etc...Think about where you buy music, and then get your music to those places. Distribution? Thanks to the Internet you can have worldwide distribution. Get that CD up on CDBaby, and be sure to select Digital Distribution. Yes, you, Mr. Local Guy, will soon be getting song sales in faraway places like Bangladesh!

The fourth arm is BOOKING/TOURING. Most artists I know want a booking agent. It's a hard job, which includes obtaining a talent agency license, so there are not an abundance of agents waiting to sign a new act that has no obvious fan base and touring history. You will need to secure your own bookings. Your goal is to book yourself at shows so you can share your music, build your fan base, and make money from your music. Again, the best way to learn how to do this is to find books and online articles that tell you step-by-step how to get bookings at clubs, festivals, and national tours. Strengthen your "sales pitch" about not only what a great live show you have, but mainly how you plan to get a large audience to come see your show. Once you have consistent shows and fans are coming out steadily, you're much more attractive to a booking agent to begin working with you. You will be so happy to give up that job, and the agent will be happy to take on the mayhem. A win-win.

The last octopus arm is the MARKETING arm. Whether you are working with no budget, a small budget or unlimited resources, you can begin your marketing campaign as soon as you have either 1) a live show or 2) an album. Your goal is to reach your target audience, and to use effective ways to excite them about what you are promoting. Make a list of where your audience is, and ways to reach them. Think outside the box, get creative! What is your story- what makes you unique- why should people care about you or your music? Answer those and you can start to promote. No money? Use the internet to spread the word, make flyers and distribute them yourself, put on a free show, reach out to music reviewers for CD reviews and newspaper & magazine writers for stories and reviews. Small budget: consider advertisement or printing merchandise to sell while touring. Getting a publicist interested in working with you is possible after you have identified yourself as a "newsworthy" act. Having an interesting story, being a tremendous talent, having a buzz....will get a buzz in their ear and make them take notice in you.
Many artists feel unsure of how to work the music business alone. They will, unfortunately, wait on moving forward in hopes a music professional will come along and steer them, promote them and support them. But the music industry of today is a truly DIY industry. The number of independent acts releasing material daily far outweighs the number of qualified music professionals in the business. It is best for the artist to get started in all the above areas, hopefully inspiring enthusiastic fans to become the artists street team and after some progress inspiring music professionals to get involved. While the artist gets business savvy and builds their momentum, they also put themselves in a more powerful position for negotiating with the music professionals/ companies. Not only will the artist have launched their career, but when a music professional joins forces with the artist, the career can really truly thrive.

Painting Pumpkins for Halloween

Halloween is a festival that all children and adults look forward to. Children love dressing up as ghosts, witches, Draculas in fact, anything their imagination permits. Then carrying their lanterns made of pumpkin, they start collecting money while singing songs. So this is where you can lend your expertise by starting a service of painting various fantastic images on pumpkins, and selling them.

Families usually carve a frightening or comical face on the pumpkin, to be placed on their doorsteps. So instead of having pumpkins carved with the same faces, you could offer some variety by painting something different on pumpkins. All you need is some imagination and you are bound to come up with different designs. It is of no use charging too much for this service, as you will not get any customers then. Instead, charge something reasonable; between $3 - $30; depending on the size of the pumpkin and the amount of work put in carving it.

The carving of the jack-o-lantern is not that difficult. The first thing that has to be done is to have its top and stem carved off wherein the interior is removed to leave a hollow shell. Then the section of a side is carved out to create an attractive face, or any other required design. It is always better to get a whole set of tools to start your job of painting pumpkins. This is because with differing tools, it is possible to make thicker and thinner cuts on the pumpkin, which can create realistic designs. To give better effects to the jack-o-lantern, it would be better to have them painted appropriate colors. For children's sake, it is better to use non-toxic paint pot strips for painting purposes. Once you paint the pumpkin the pumpkin will look a whole more spookier or comical; whichever way you want it!

Instead of catering only to families, you could also consider catering to farm markets and other retailers needing a jack-o-lantern. With this more people will know your skills, and you get greater business. Of course adding some discount to the bulk orders will attract more customers to you! Whatever orders you get, it is important that you take photos of your carving to create a portfolio of the work you can do. This is even more important for those exquisite pieces you do! This way, prospective customers will be aware of the kind of work you can do, and can decide on the best design.

The best time to start this business would of course be around Halloween. It would be better to print a few flyers to distribute, so that people your services. You could distribute these flyers in the neighborhood and perhaps the local mall. If you want to work on a larger scale, may also have a page on the Internet, this service pumpkin painting. Add some photos on the website so that the rider to be aware, your creativity and imagination. Once you pick up a guest, you can be assured that their word of mouthprovide enough advertisement for your business!

How to Attract Employees to Your Company

If you're running a company or starting one up, you know that you need good employees. These people have to be intelligent, reliable, and polite to your customers. They have to know how to do the job and work independently.
 
They also have to stick around, because hiring new people costs money and high turnover rates can eventually bankrupt a business. That's especially true if the business is small and already doesn't have a lot of income. Finding these people, though, can a bit 'a problem because not all companies to hire workers they want and stay there for a long time are good. Is not so much seen in white collar work, blue collar businesses really struggle, but with this problem.

Many see these companies as a springboard time work, or do something 'now' until you find something better, go elsewhere to finish their education, etc. This attitude can really make it difficult for thesebusinesses to be successful and to attract good employees who want to work and who want to remain with the company for a long time.
 
If you're trying to attract employees to your company the first thing that you need to do is be honest about the job. People aren't going to stay if they don't like the job, especially if they were mislead about what it actually entailed. Nothing will annoy an employee faster than finding that his or her job is something much different than what was advertised. Most won't stay long once that's happened to them.

Even if the job isn't glamorous someone out there will be willing to do it long-term, you just have to find that person by advertising honestly for the job and not settling for the first person who applies if they don't seem like the right fit for the job. It may be difficult to find someone for a job that not a lot of people want to do, so don't get discouraged if you don't get a lot of applications when you first post the job. Wait for the right person, and he or she will stay on.

Romantic Comedies - Yes or No?

A guy meets a girl. After getting through some life obstacles together, they fall in love. The two separate, only to realize, that they are a perfect match. The guy and girl reunite, and they lived happily ever after.

This is the basic formula in romantic comedies. It has been told over and over again, endlessly recycled by the movie industry. Some variations in the storyline is made from time to time to keep the audience entertained. Sometimes, the variations were quite major, some of them crossed the border, and they were moved to the other genres. Few movies even created their own genres. But, is it really necessary that a movie must meet a certain standards so it could be categorized as a romantic comedy?

Everyone have their own criteria of what can be called a romantic comedy. Some thought, if it's romantic and has its funny moments, then it is a rom-com. Others thought, if the core of the story is not the 'boy meets girl' scenario, then it is not.

Most of the times, we let the movie makers decide it for us. But, a romantic movie that can spark up a laugh is not always romantic comedy for them. For example, if someone thinks that Fight Club (1999) is a rom-com, can you accept it? Of course, when you're thinking Project Mayhem, there's really nothing romantic about it. What you can accept though, is the attraction between The Narrator (Edward Norton) and Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter). Watching skyscrapers tumbling one after another together is not exactly an ideal date, but there is clearly romance between them. And some people do think that the movie, and the weird relationship, is funny. After all, she met him at a very strange time in his life.

Romantic comedies could came in a lot of forms. They could even be hidden in movies we considered macho. There's Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson in Spider-Man (2002). There's Han Solo and Princess Leia in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Or John Smith and Jane Smith in Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005). These movies are never considered romantic comedies, but we have to admit, without the chemistry between the couples, it will never be the movie we know today. It would be a lot less of it.

The key to identifying movies we could consider a romantic comedy, is to analyze the relationship between the couple. If the romance is only used to spice things up in a movie, then it's probably not. If you could erase the whole romantic scene from the movie, and it makes no difference whatsoever, then the movie clearly has no talent for being one. But, if the romance portion of the movie defines the characters and supports the main storyline, then a rom-com might be lurking on your screen.

What we think about a movie, defines the movie. The movie makers might have a different opinion, but, they can't force the audience to categorize a movie solely because they said so. Ultimately, it's the audience who decides whether the movie they watched was a romantic comedy or not.

So, what can we do after getting a new definition of romantic comedies? Maybe we can incorporate this new set of rules in our everyday lives. And then, we can start a debate with our girlfriends and wives about which 'romantic comedy' movie we should watch on date night. It should be fun.

The Cotswolds Through the Year

Having visited The Cotswolds during most months of the year and having never been disappointed, other than realising that I might have missed something really good a few weeks earlier or later, I thought there might be value in researching and outlining just a few of the calendar events which the area boasts. This is by no means a definitive list, but rather just a flavour of what might be on offer. Certainly there could be great value in carrying out a little research prior to choosing your destination. Such is the nature of The Cotswolds, that most places have their own website. If you are able to trawl round, then that could be of great benefit; should you not have access to the internet, then you will find Tourist Information Centres and your local library may be of help.

Below are just a few events on a month by month basis, several of which I can vouch for:

February sees the early festival season begin with the 'Cheltenham Folk Festival', which is normally lively and well attended. Those who enjoy some fresh air will find the 'Snowdrop Sea' at Rococo Gardens, Painswick both spellbinding and optimistic.

March finds the city of Bath hosting their annual Shakespeare Festival, with theatre, dance, comedy and music; and what a great opportunity to visit one of the world's most gracious and elegant cities.

April sees the Shakespeare Birthday Celebration at Stratford-upon-Avon; a weekend festival with strolling players, musicians, Folk and Morris dancing, concerts, a Royal Shakespeare Company birthday performance, and even a grand charity ball.

May ushers in some elements of 'silly season' with the famed 'Cheese Rolling' down Cooper's Hill in Gloucester, which mayhem has to be seen to be believed; not for the faint hearted, which is why I prefer to be a spectator. The Cheltenham International Jazz Festival features excellent worldwide contemporary jazz. The Badminton Horse Trials near Bath present the definitive 3 day event of cross country, dressage and show jumping. The Brampton Day of Dance sees Morris dancers parading through the village, whilst Chipping Campden hosts the infamous 'Olympick Games'. Here you will see a plethora of old sports to include obstacle races, tug-of-war and the excruciating 'shin-kicking', together with torch lit parade, fun, frolics and entertainment; the following day sees 'The Scuttlebrook Wake' with yet more fun and shenanigans. The International Textile Festival is staged in Stroud, whilst Tetbury hosts the 'Wool Sack Races' and Street Fair; a truly spectacular day and mightily exhausting for the brave competitors. The Wychwood Music Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse is a notable weekend festival. There's 'Well Dressing' at Bisley and the Blenheim Palace Jousting Tournament at Woodstock. Tewkesbury Food and Drink Festival is a must for all gourmets in the beautiful Abbey vineyards.

June sees the Bath International Music Festival and Fringe festival. Blenheim Flower Show is an essential for keen gardeners and onlookers, whilst Burford Dragon Parade sees some early history celebrations. 'Wood Weekend' at Cogges Manor Farm Museum features traditional crafts through the ages, whilst there's Shakespeare in the Park at Blenheim (Woodstock).

July finds Longborough Festival Opera at Moreton-in-Marsh, and the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford is the world's biggest military air show. Cheltenham International Festival of Music and Fringe is not to be missed; likewise the Gloucester Blues and Heritage Festival.

August sees the Living Heritage Oxfordshire Craft Fair at Blenheim Palace, The Gatcombe Horse Trials at the Princess Royal's home near Tetbury, and the unmissable 'Water Games' at Bourton-on-the-Water.

September and there's a traditional folk event at the 'Painswick Ancient Clypping' and literary celebrations at the Jane Austen Festival at Bath.

October welcomes 'The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival' - a 10 day affair of readings and performances.
November sees Christmas markets and festivals at Bath Abbey and at Warwick Castle.

December and year's end sees concerts and carols in Bath at The Abbey and The Pump Room. There's a Victorian Christmas Evening at Bourton-on-the-Water, and a 'Christmas At Blenheim Palace', which is totally enchanting.

Well, I hope the above have served to whet the appetite. Some further research will show these to be merely the tip of the iceberg in terms of the host of eclectic not to be missed events which make The Cotswolds such a remarkable treasure trove.

I'll see you there, won't I?

The Old Heroes Of The Wild West Were Really Terrorists

Those heroes of the Wild West as portrayed by John Wayne and others on the big screen over the years, where in reality very far from heroes. If they were around today they would probably be branded as terrorists and then exterminated by the law enforcement agencies they purportedly represented. The home of the true gambling hero was this rough world of cattle herding dominated by the saloon and the gambling den.

Cheap novelists such as Ned Buntline whose dime publications became popular across the land romanticized this world of rough justice [http://www.gamblingheros.com] and mayhem. Buffalo Bill got together a whole bunch of these people, many of whom had come believe their descriptions in the “penny dreadfuls” and created a “Wild West Show” that he took on tour. His real name was William Frederick Cody and he was nicknamed, Buffalo Bill because of the dubious accolade of having managed to kill 4,3000 buffalo in a mere 18 months.
Wild Bill Hickock, the quirky legendary marksman insisted on wearing 2 pistols even when asleep. Ironically he was killed during a poker game in Deadwood City. When he was shot by a publicity seeker whilst he was holding what has come to be known as the “dead man’s hand” in poker, aces and eights.

Calamity Jane was a far cry from the character Doris Day portrayed. Martha Jane Canary was an ex-Pony Express rider whose shooting was good enough for Buffalo Bill to include her in his show. In reality it was amazing she could hit any target with a pistol, as she was a chronic alcoholic and inveterate gambler. Belle Starr was not really very different either. Her most famous poker line was “a pair of six shooters beats a pair of sixes any day!” I don’t think any of us can argue with the logic behind that! She had a child by Cole Younger, married outlaw Jim Reed and after his death teamed up with an Indian named Sam who aided her in her very successful horse stealing business based out of Dallas.

What about Blly the Kid? Like many of his contemporaries he spent most of his time underage drinking in saloons and gambling parlors and had killed 21 men before he caught a bullet himself at the tender age of 21. Pity how all of this punctures the romanticized balloon on the noble Wild West, the last frontier. But then if people had known the truth Hollywood would have had huge problems of coming up with those ‘westerns” that portrayed a world of honor and opportunity many of which have achieved cult status as movies. In reality, however, this was another “spin job” as nothing could be further from the truth!

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Doris - Ode to a Grandmother

My Nan was a bit of an old bag when it came to socializing. You could spend the best part of an afternoon sorting out a great outfit to wear to a family christening and you could be sure she would criticize it at some point in the afternoon. She would sit on the sofa in her best ensemble, some ghastly multi colored relic left over from the Blitz, being waited upon some poor undeserving junior niece or nephew, like Pontius Pilate waiting for the soap to appear.

Her hat, a poor man's copy of something the Queen Mother might have been buried in, would be jammed on her head with all the finesse of a German Stormtrooper, the frontal flowers carrying the pale yellow, unmistakable traces of nicotine streaks, which characterized her entire wardrobe. Apart from the nicotine stains her clothes were surprisingly chic, her shoes were always clean and in good repair, her handbags always matched her shoes and her hair nets always matched her hats.

The eyes would travel up and down the outfit, taking in every detail. Usually they would come to rest on some tiny defect, a slightly wrinkled hemline or a droopy lapel, and linger there, waiting to see if the wearer was going to give in and crack under the scrutiny.

Invariably Nan would be unable to resist a caustic remark about where the outfit came from, how much it cost, whether there were any other unfortunate wearers likely to show up at the same function and whether their version might look better on them than mine did on me.

Nan's last effort at being charming had a lasting effect on various members of the family and the result was that not many showed up at her funeral only a year or so later. I think this was great shame as she was a true pioneer of free speech, even if it did cost her the affections of her grandchildren and most of the members of her local Bingo club. Hard to imagine this horrifying old biddy had once been the toast of London and enjoyed the attentions of a small battalion of admirers.

She was born just before the end of the first World War. In her day she had an adventurous spirit. She began her working career at the age of twelve when she became a nursery nurse to two young well to do children in a London suburb, where she stayed until she was in her twenties. Her early training served her all her life and she was always able to diagnose childlike disorders and calm a screaming baby. The family were very fond of her and purchased for her a highly fashionable and expensive wardrobe, the very latest styles complete with matching accessories.

Doris had a high old time rocking about in the family Bentley complete with chauffeur and was encouraged to frequent only the best places in company with the children. She learned to eat and drink well, adopting the best deportment and manners and generally became one of the family, leaving only when the children went away to boarding school. During her time with them she enjoyed all the treats on offer as the family sidekick, including a ride in a hot air balloon and a wing-walking lesson when a team of display flyers pitched up on the local airfield. In those days for a young lady to even consider such a stunt was completely off the wall of propriety and she must have endured a lot of criticism before finally arriving at the airfield for her afternoon of aerobatics.

All through her life she was a magnet for disaster, some of it comical and some not quite so amusing. She got married and had three children and a full quota of grandchildren but was prejudiced toward most of them. The only members of the pack she had any time for were the children of her daughter, my mother, whom she believed raised her children to match Nan's exacting standards and therefore deserved recognition. The rest of my cousins were turned away from her door when they showed up to visit on Sunday afternoons, such a shame that she missed out on so many affectionate relationships. My cousin Gary, though, visited because he knew it annoyed her to have to answer the door for the hundredth time and turn him away each time. He did not change and he grew up to be an annoying person in all things, but he is another story.

Nan's husband left her for another woman when my mother was twelve, and although he lived only a few miles away with his new love, he and Nan never saw each other again, not even to accidentally bump into each other, not even once.

Nan was a keen gambler and was the chairperson of the local whist club, a member of the Bingo club and was on every possible committee as the main raffle organizer. Unfortunately she always purchased a ticket and was seen to win too many times for comfort and this was the reason she fell out with the organizers of the village whist drive. The recriminations that were bandied about had far reaching repercussions for years afterward and poor old Nan never forgot, forgave, nor failed to mention repeatedly, the details to the parties involved, at every opportunity.

Being a pragmatic sort of person by nature though, she moved on, and made the best of things and for the most part, enjoyed her life, especially when she managed to wangle an invitation for herself to spend Christmas or summer with us, wherever we were living at the time, which was varied because we moved around a lot, as my father's work took him to far flung corners of the world.

Nan would arrive by turbo charged broomstick wherever we were, and set up in a corner of the drawing room where she would expound her opinions on the lives of each and every one of us, usually liberally sprinkled with what she saw as constructive criticism.

For a time when I was only a tiny child, we lived in a caravan through the summer holidays, while my Dad was lecturing on Management throughout the West Country. Nan came with us and they were the happiest times I remember. She and my mother decided to empty the portaloo one morning, carrying it between them down a grassy slope from where the caravan was parked.

Predictably, Nan stepped in a hole and the entire contents of the portal emptied into her shoes. She laughed all the way back to the caravan. I never remember her being glum in those days, only much later, and now that I am grown up I understand why. She was having an affair, apparently one of several, with a married man in the village. He had promised her to leave his wife that summer and so she was full of hope. I learned later on that my mother had put a stop to it all and sent the man packing, and poor Nan never saw him again. He ran away, and so left the wife and Nan, and it seems such a waste really. When I was much older I reflected upon how hard it must have been for her to return to her lonely house after the summer holidays, to a village where she had become a bit of a scandal, without the support of her family or the man she loved.

That same summer I remember Nan having to visit a clump of bushes in the woods as she had consumed a full pint of sweet cider in the village pub where we were staying. Just as she was about to squat lower, my mother screamed and Nan froze, balanced an eighth of an inch above a man trap, its iron jaws nano-seconds from her bottom. We ran back to our field as fast as our legs would go and I remember being horribly stung by nettles in our hurry.

Eventually Dad was offered an overseas posting and holidays with Nan became a tradition of the past, as she came to live with us for the first two years of our life overseas. She did try to adapt to her new lifestyle but her heart was not in it and we knew that one day she would decide to return home, but in the meantime our lives were colored by her opinions and little prejudices.

Bringing boyfriends home was, for me, an ordeal of embarrassment. My friends all had, it seemed to me with my selfish fifteen year old outlook, highly glamorous grandmothers, with grey but elegant hairstyles, long hair turned into French pleats or dainty little combs gracing the temples of an elaborate chignon. Spotless pastel colored twin sets, ropes of pearls and pale nail polish, and the scent of gardenias.

Nan, on the other hand, had a tight frizzy perm which was colored yellow at the front (see paragraph 2), a fag hanging out of the corner of her mouth, and a way of sitting in her chair with her legs touching each arm, which displayed her pink brushed cotton bloomers for all to see. Not a pretty sight I can tell you. She loathed foreign food of any description, especially rice eaten as an accompaniment to a main course. In her opinion rice belonged in a pudding she said, and she said it each time rice was served, even if it was served nine times a day, which in Singapore it frequently was.

Our tour in Hong Kong some years later was enriched by the purchase of a sailing yacht, which we took out every weekend, starting out from our mooring at the fashionable Hong Kong Yacht Club. Imagine my horror one Saturday morning while socializing with my trendy friends on the deck of my father's boat, when I spied Nan determinedly marching down the decking armed with her knitting basket, clip-on sunglasses and an ominous-looking picnic hamper guaranteed to contain no trace of boiled rice. It took ten minutes for her to dispatch all four of my pals back to the clubhouse and establish herself as guest of honor for the duration.

We dropped anchor at one of the islands in the afternoon to eat our picnic and enjoy the sunshine. Nan decided to go ashore in the dinghy accompanied by my father, looking like thunder. The trip ashore went okay; it was trying to get her back into the boat that caused mayhem. She grabbed the ladder of the boat, leaving her feet in the dinghy, her body arched at 45 degrees - fatal, as any respectable sailor will tell you. Well, she fell into the sea between the boat and the dinghy and poor old Dad was obliged to dive in and rescue her, coughing and spluttering and accusing everyone of attempting to kill her. (Which was nonsense, because if anyone was going to kill her, it would have been my brother and me, a long time before this...?)

By the time my father had reached the peak of his career we were living in Indonesia. Nan came to see us from time to time and occasionally we went to UK on home leave for several weeks at a time but by now she was getting on in years. Nan openly disliked all her grandchildren now, who had grown up and were all living within a mile or two of her front door. Gary, my mischievous cousin, had offended her forever when he sent her a Christmas present, which consisted of a series of boxes, decreasing in size and grandeur, all gaily wrapped, at least ten of them. The final box was only a tiny jewel box and Nan, an avid collector of Gaudy Baubles, was filled with excitement as to the contents. Inside was a miniature plastic chicken, a relic from a Christmas cracker of the previous year. Gary was criticised throughout the family for pulling such a mean trick on a dear old lady (yeah, right...) and Nan never spoke to him again. Ever.

My daughter came along in 1987 and Nan launched herself into the business of being a Great Grandmother like Winston Churchill directing a War Committee. Nan was strict and traditional when it came to babies. She was notorious for advising Boots the Chemist in her High Street that they were a blot on the landscape of child care, by continuing to stock pacifiers, which were a by product of Satan himself in her opinion, and a sure sign of a Bad Mother, not to mention certain Disfigurement of the Gums for the Child. I never bought my baby a dummy, as we called them, I was too frightened of Nan. At nine thirty each morning for the first three months of my daughter's life, Nan rang me to ask why I was not out walking the baby. And I was not to pick her up until she had cried for ten minutes, Unless I Wanted to Spoil The Child, I was warned darkly.

My daughter was two before I really understood the legacy Nan had left me. My child was healthy, happy, would eat anything, drink anything, try anything, climb anything and was free of just about all nasty diseases both emotional and physical. Her early babyhood was set in a routine designed by Nan and I will always be grateful to her for that.

When Nan was 84, she got the surprise of her life one day, when the postman delivered papers from her estranged husband Jack, asking her for a divorce! She trotted happily off to the solicitors and signed the papers, and her divorce came through a few months later, but she dined out for a long time on the fame of being the oldest person in her village to get divorced.

Strangely, Jack committed suicide the following year, nobody could find out why. Nan was buying stamps one morning in the post office, when a funeral cortege went slowly by, and upon examining the floral tributes, she realized the funeral was Jacks. The shock sent her to her knees and she had to be helped onto a bench near the bus stop, until she felt able to walk home. She swore to her dying day that he was her only love, in spite of the several dozen affairs she was reputed to have thoroughly enjoyed, and his passing affected her deeply. She cheered herself up by buying herself a color television and lived on to be nearly 86.

Austin Ghost Tours

Austin is steeped in history, from the days of the Republic of Texas, through the establishment of Austin as the Capitol of the State of Texas. Downtown Austin is full of old, historic buildings, many of which are said to be haunted by a multitude of ghosts. Austin Ghost Tours has meticulously researched the history behind each legend, and has created walking tours based on the colorful and sometimes frightening stories of Austin's past.

Originally created as an offshoot of Austin Promenade Tours, a historic walking tour with a less ghoulish focus, Austin Ghost Tours has been giving people goosebumps for well over a decade. Their popularity increases every year, as does their offerings. They have recently begin offering online tours to those who can't join the walking tours - but the spine-tingling feeling of walking with the spirits is best experienced in person.

One of Austin's most "incredibly haunted" spots is the historic Driskill Hotel. Located on the corner of Sixth and Brazos, it has been the crown jewel of downtown Austin since it opened on December 20, 1886. Some say that the spirit of Colonel Driskill remains in the building he was so proud of, evidenced by mysterious puffs of cigar smoke. Staff have reported sensing a child bouncing the ball down the grand staircase leading from the mezzanine down to the lobby and giggling - perhaps the ghost of the four-year-old daughter of a US Senator who was playing unattended with a ball when she slipped and fell to her death on the marble floor at the bottom of the stairs. These and many other ghostly legends are part of the Driskill's vibrant history.

The Driskill figures greatly into two of the tours offered - the Ghosts of the Capitol Tour, which includes the Driskill, as well as the Capitol itself, and the Governor's Mansion. The Ghosts of the Warehouse District Tour features some of the oldest buildings in the city, including the site of series of gruesome murders in 1885. These two tours are 90 minutes each, and both end at the magnificent Driskill.

One of the most popular tours is the Sixth Street Pub Crawl. Sixth Street, although a vibrant and extremely modern entertainment district, is full of ancient building with their fair share of ghosts, murder and mayhem. Enjoy Austin's historic taverns while learning about its haunted past on this unique tour. The Sixth Street Tour has proven to be all the rage for bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Other tours include one dedicated to the chilling story of the "Servant Girl Annihilator," a brutal serial killer who predated Jack the Ripper, and terrorized female servants in 1884. Halloween is a perfect night for ghost stories, and Austin Ghost Tours celebrates with one of their best tours - a jam-packed combination tour that includes the best of each. Tickets go early for this one, so book in advance.

Austin Ghost Tours conducts their spooky events rain or shine, and since they are walking tours, participants should dress accordingly, including wearing appropriate shoes.

Mumbai Travel Guide

Many books have been written, many tales told and songs composed on Mumbai, a city that pauses for breath, but never sleeps! Located on the western coast of India, Mumbai has a lot to offer as a colorful travel destination. Life for every 'Mumbaikar' is on a fast pace. From the glitz and glamour of Bollywood to the magnificent shopping malls in and around Colaba causeway, from the dhobiwallahs or the laundry cleaners to The Tea Centre at Churchgate, from the Marine Drive to the fashion Street, Mumbai has anything and everything you can ask for to enjoy a dream holiday! Mumbai Travel Guide will take you in and around the city on your vacation this time!

Abundance set against deprivation! Vibrancy juxtaposed against economic squalor! A city of plentiful opportunities; people from all across the country come to live the Mumbai dream! Here you will find sprawling shopping complexes boasting of nothing but the best brands, hordes of people teeming up on the beach at Chowpatty for a delicious treat of Bhelpuri. This is the place where you can still spot red double-decker buses attempting to make a conspicuous headway during traffic jams. Last but not the least; Mumbai is home to the Film city or the more renowned Bollywood. It is an idea which has taken shape over years by the cinema buffs, flocking to this place to catch a glimpse of their favorite star.

In spite of adopting modern elements fast, Mumbai has retained its traditional fervor. Several places in Mumbai exude a Victorian charm, reminding you of the life and times of the colonial industrial city of the 19th century. Located by the Arabian Sea, Mumbai is a city of the youth's rain drenched fantasies. With several streets crisscrossing, the finest nightlife destinations and a number of traditional bazaars, Mumbai is a hotspot for tourists and travelers.

With a population of over 16,400,000, Mumbai is home to several ethnic groups speaking Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Kashmiri, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu and Kannada amongst others.

You must gather tourist information on the city prior to your visit. The travel guide on the city gives you a fair idea about the best time to visit. You can plan your trip to the city especially during the months of September and April, when the weather remains cool. Rain gods are unkind during the period from June to September, when the situation becomes complete mayhem!

Sightseeing is an essential part of your Mumbai tour. Keep some time in your hands as there are plenty of sightseeing spots you must watch. You cannot afford to miss any. The Marine Drive, the Prince of Wales Museum, The Victoria Terminus, Chowpatty Beach, the Gateway of India, the Haji Ali Mosque, the Malabar Hill and the Mumbai Zoo form a part of the quintessential Mumbai experience!

Home to a host of bazaars alongside glitzy shopping malls, Mumbai is a dream for every shopaholic. Bhuleshwar Market, Chor Bazaar, Crawford Market, Fashion Street Market and Uttar Pradesh Handicrafts Museum are some of the popular shopping destinations.

Mumbai boasts of the most vibrant nightlife of the country. The Clubbing community and the party hoppers throng the newly established brand Hard Rock Café and Firangi Paani. You will simply love it!

Accommodation should not at all be a cause for concern. A range of 5 star to mid range hotels are scattered all over Mumbai. Well connected by buses, trains and airplanes, Mumbai can be conveniently reached from any part of the country. Head for Mumbai and live an incomparable experience!

Nice Travel Guide

Nice is another city of France that is the quintessential example of beautiful landscapes and mesmerizing scenic views. The best part about Nice is that everyone has something to look forward to, be it senior citizens or the youth. This city has something to offer to anyone and everyone who takes the time to visit it.

Awe-inspiring Scenery

To get the finest view of the splendid landscapes of Nice, the best vantage point is the heights of Boron. Panoramic view of the city from this point is simply breathtaking. The abandoned old fort and the neighboring villa Sir Elton John also give one of the most impressive and irresistible views with which visitors get infatuated at once. The famous cactus garden and the majestic Villa ile de France are just one of numerous places from where you can get a flawless outlook of this glorious city.

Beautiful Beaches

If you somehow can get access to the private beaches then avail that option at all costs. If you are like any usual traveler with nothing more than a few dollars to spare for the purpose, avoid wasting time at the public beaches because neither do they provide relaxation nor comfort. In fact, the stones can only succeed in being an unpleasant experience for you. However, if you have developed an irrepressible desire to swim on the blue waters, then you can go ahead if you can tolerate the few stones under your feet.

Museums and Art Galleries

If you have been blessed with an ardor for places with historical knowledge or gifted with an ability of loving anything relating to history, then you will surely have a romantic liaison with these museums. Nice boasts of a good deal of museums. Nice is also a little high on aesthetic sense which is why it is the proud owner of a number of art galleries of international repute. A few of these museums and art galleries are Museum of Asian art, Parc Phoenix, Musee Chagall, Musee Matisse and Musee et Site Archeologiques de Cimiez.

Shopping

The primarily important shopping street of Nice is also the abode of two majorly significant entertainment stores. The main shopping street is called av Jean Medecin and almost all the designer label garments are available here, and advantageously, a little cheaper than the rates offered all over Europe. Galleries Lafayette offers every single thing that a customer can have the audacity to demand.

Conveyance

You can choose whatever option is financially feasible and suitable for you according to your own individual preference. If you are in the mood to take pleasure from the water then go for boat. If you want to view the beautiful roads and greenery then you can select any road option you are comfortable with. Inter-city conveyance is mainly dependant on public transport such as trains. But, you also have the choice of opting for a car or taxi if you want to avoid the mayhem caused in public transports. If you are a zealous walker You can also use the opportunity to walk and a look at the beauty around you. If for any reason, you feel like doing sports, you can pay for the alternative motion.

A word of advice

Nice is the ideal city for romance, friendship and relationships. If you just want to relax, share a good time with your spouse, take a break from work or just thinking about your past, Nice is the original destination for you with its beautiful view and very nicescenery.

Travelling Through the Culture of Munich

The first thing you notice is the wide fields of green, stretching out across the horizon like a grand quilt. And the history, too. Yes, all the learned about moments in history loom large, attack the senses, embellish all previous misconceptions, and tell you that you're here, now, sharking in over the gothic churches, ominous-looking buildings and moments in time brought to life only in film and books.

Landing in Munich's Franz Josef Strauss Airport is not entirely different from landing in Cork Airport, or any other than is surrounded by fields on such a vast scale. Flanked by pretty lawns marked with swaying trees that stand like eternal soldiers, the terminal stretches out for what seems like an eternity.

The evening sun is intense; locals, accustomed to the heat, fleet through the deserted hinterland of the baggage's bay, whilst strangers trudge like wounded animals, waving newspapers across their faces, cheeks puffed out. There is a peculiar beauty entwined in the dead airport - with its immaculate floors, its utter timelessness and chaotic signs of neon glow, it formulates a misshapen branch of reality, an idea suspended in time. J.G Ballard, the recently-departed Sci-Fi novelist, wrote endlessly of the invisible secrets of the abandoned airport. One feels his finger was firmly on the spot.

The S-Bahn to Hauptbahnhof takes about forty minutes. Outside, as the train trudged slowly, industrial parks appeared frequently, their grotesque steel structures glistening impressively in the dying light of the evening. Each town-name is a tongue-twister for those of us used to the simplicity of our native tongues. Yet despite the intricacies of pronunciation, traveling on the S-Bahn brings about no confusion.

Stereo-types, ridiculously exaggerated, are nearly always brought to use when traveling abroad. However, in most circumstances, they hold a grain of truth, even in its most minute proportions. The Germans are, as often claimed, undeniably efficient. Train-estimations are met with infinite precision- there are no delays, tickets are stubbed beforehand - there is no need for conductors. One quickly finds that everything soon seeps into a comfort-zone; things fall into place like one could only desire them to.

Arriving in a destination in the early hours is often an oddity; a rarefied attack on the senses. Cloaked in the darkness of the night, the panorama of a city lies shrouded in mystery, until morn and the first glimmer of light. Viewed through a hotel-window, Munich's skyline lies jagged, even, at times, seeming misplaced, but always endearing. The gothic cathedrals, penis-shaped business skyscrapers, and flowing rivers are an odd concoction but somehow work well. Indeed, one quickly learns that oddities in the eyes of those new to the city are all part of normalcy to it's natives.

Feeling distinctly alien in your first day in a new country is a prerequisite of travel. Along the wide pavements on the outskirts of Munich's city centre, frantic cyclists zoom by in their hundreds, fleeing around corners and out of sight like chased cats. For the minuscule walker, dealing with such a reality is often cruel, met often with harsh stares, wagging fingers and -worst of all - the jingling of a bell. It's an intimidating sight for the foot-traveler, who must, at all times, be on guard and highly aware of the crazed bell-ringers of Munich.

Around Marienplatz, Munich city's central-location, tourists gather in wild groups, hunched over with heavy-backpacks full of local souvenirs, whilst local pigeons peck wildly at their feet. A young American woman, robust and loud, holds a placard advertising free-walking-tours. Like mice, those in ear-shot flee toward her, cameras at the ready, smiles splattered on their faces. Despite the annoying woman-guide - for she is - a free tour is a free tour. Some listen intently, others hover on the outskirts of the group, unsure. Upon announcing that the walking tour- taking in the grand sights of Munich city - will take three hours, everyone streams away as though a canister of tear-gas has been flung into the heart of the crowd. Three hours is three hours, after all.

St Peter's church stands in gothic splendor, its grand arches and pointed steeple veering towards the heavens, leering over the heart of Marienplatz. Down below, the eyes of those gathered directly below hover incessantly, waiting for it to either take off towards the sky, or for it to crumble, or just for it to stay there where it's perched, beautifully pristine and intimidating.

The real excitement happens on the hour. As the minutes flitter out in their fifties, large groups gather in larger groups waiting for the:00 to hit. As it does, the bells of St. Peter's clang to the high-heavens, their chimes wailing into the Munich air; all the while, eyes are darting and mouths are yawping, when a clatter and hum sounds from the vast perches stationed high above, followed by a collection of well-suited statues who slide out with a boom, and disappear before the last bell clangs and the last clap is clapped. And then everyone follows suit and disappears. Though make no mistake, they will return in fifty nine minutes once more.

Sucking back a beer in Munich is fucking a Chinese prostitute in Amsterdam- it's taking a blurry snap-shot of the Big-Ben from London Bridge, eating dog in Korea, puckering up to the Blarney stone whilst your fat friend holds your recently-purchased Aran sweater from Blarney. It's an apparent must, and is on offer everywhere, and is consumed profusely, for it's cheap and plentiful. Large clusters of boisterous English-men are to be found ordering gallons of local beer in the many bars located around the city. However, despite the endless consummation, serenity never destructs as night creeps in. Pavements stay vomit-free, faces and limbs remain in-tact and attached; nothing descends into the unparalleled madness the streets of the town's of Ireland have become accustomed to. Such culture and peace amongst people would be the perfect gift to bring home.

As the days drift by in a new country, one becomes more daring - they venture that bit further beyond the boundaries of the city, leave the map behind in the hotel-room, and perhaps, if one has truly become embedded within the culture of the city, even chance a conversation with a local. One ventures and explores.

The omnipresent bus-tours of the city zoom away and back on the hour. Upon jumping aboard, one is supplied with a crackling set of earphones, whose narrator will whisper your way through the city, averting your eyes to the city's many chic boutiques of style, its horrific past, and the its pretty fountains and lane-ways where rose-petals trip and wanderers wander towards the grand selection of famous beer-gardens.

Munich's Academy of Music, a fine, building of grand gray, now lies where the former headquarters of the Nazi party once stood. Indeed Nazism, that eternal thorn in the side of German culture and history, appears to have left no traces. It isn't forgotten - nor shall it ever be - yet it is spoken of only in vague terms, as one would speak of an uncle who once murdered a child, or a dream best forgotten. Its mark is a mark of shame, like a scar so horrid one wishes to conceal it for eternity.

There is, however, a subtle reminder of the stark devastation traversed across humanity as a result of Nazi tyranny. Located in the square of the victims of national socialism, a marble shaft stands idle, topped by an imprisoned eternal flame, fluttering and flickering day and night, year after year, for those perished by means of fascism.

Elsewhere, beer-gardens spread across the land, here, there, just about anywhere. Some, idle off beaten-tracks, sit pretty in their quaintness, decorated with begonias of red and yellow and neatly-crafted endearing furniture. Others house as many as 5,000 merry patrons, though, like many arenas of such a grand scale, somehow aren't quite as pretty as their little siblings. And then we're done; our whispering friend offers his good-bye, and with time running out - for what are holidays, but a clock constantly running out - we're left wanting more. And luckily there is, Plenty more.

The Deutches Museum, the world's central hub of showcased technology and science, is located a half-mile from the heart of the city, down a dusty, quiet road, on a tidy little island on the river Isar. For a meager EUR8, one gains entry to a splendid collection of gems. In the entrance room, ancient ships with tattooed sails, held aloft by decrepit masts, rise towards the ceiling. Such a bizarre sight - boats inside a building, lined together as though stuck in a traffic jam at the end of time - would be at home in a Dali painting. In a side-room, missiles lie astride one another, their sheer power and ability to destruct creating scenes of mayhem in the minds of those passing through the soundless room where they are stationed.

In another room we find a sleazy giant snake, its belly dissected in half for those looking on but not saying anything, to stare in awe and terror at the nation's first U-Boat. It is, perhaps, the museum's most terrifying sight, yet stands beautiful, alone and aloof. No one adheres to the "No Touching" signs dotted around its self - the urge to touch, to make sure it's really there, is too much for everyone.

Out of the water, we take for the skies; the museum grand foyer acts as an unused air-wing. Suspended from the heavens, planes dangle above those looking up. Fighter jets with crude logos,; commercial jets; paratrooper planes and beastly war-birds fight for the arena's airspace. The crowd in awe is plentiful, but no one speaks. The images reflect the mood - everything is damningly surreal. A dream-scenario of juxtaposition.

From the skies, the universe is our only goal yet to achieve. And yes, those good old Germans cater for that, too. The top-floor is dedicated to the most surreal of all journeys - into the cosmic unknown. Mannequins in space-suits are suspended lifelessly in mid-air to backdrops of stars; we step aboard a replica of a steel-box that was shot out beyond the perimeters of our world. But one feature - lit up in a minute glass box- beats everything this arena of wonder has offered: a fragment of the moon. One squints their eye, gets closer, and sets themselves upon it. And there it is,-small, looking like just any other stone, yet quite possibly the most unique item for us humans to behold - a token from another world.

And then, it's time to leave. And the clock has finally run out - and like the whispering guide, it, too, is now time for us to say our goodbyes. Leaving the museum, one thinks about its location and the cancerous past it has to live with. Munich is the city where the most tyrannic of parties established themselves. It is a city with a permanent tattoo embedded within its psyche, where, although buildings can be destroyed, images in the mind cannot. There will always be a repulsion towards Germany's past - it can not be forgotten. Yet, it moves on. It prospers, and, above all, it serves as a city of wonder to those who come to visit. It is a city of good people, in a country of good people. And it's a city where, like all the other magical places one visits, people wish it stood still in time, in order for their enjoyment not to run out.

Accounts of journeying are often littered with a litany of cliché. Talk of stones being split by the sun, Irish-bars and endless comparisons to home are about as useful as reading a book review in the Sun. The beauty of travel lies within its mystery - and how you, as the observer, experienced it all. Munich is an experience - for not only are the horrors of the world lurking, but also the infinite beauty of it, too. And that's exactly the way it should be.

Music For Young Children

Music is a great way for children to express themselves artistically. All across the country, there are music lovers advocating to bring music back into schools, especially those belonging to impoverished neighborhoods. Music has been a tool for decades to keep young kids out of trouble and out of the streets. It provides an outlet for their creativity and provides them with a hobby other what is provided for them on the streets. On the other hand, we see more affluent schools enriched with music and art in their everyday lives. This is how all schools should be.

Violins can play an important part in the life of a child. It takes dedication and patience to learn the violin, which are both virtuous traits that can help him or her later in life and in school. Often violin lessons are accompanied by performances, which are a great self-esteem booster for kids. Parents are encouraged to attend and support their children in their musical efforts. Children can even perform for their family and friends at home. This encourages them to continue striving for success in their musical abilities.

Drums are also great instruments for young ones to pick up. Drums, in any fashion, are a really exiting toy for both babies and toddlers. It is the easiest instrument to begin using as all it takes is some banging with hands or sticks. Drums come in various materials and shapes. You can find plastic drums in stores or purchase an authentic tribal one for a great sound. Little ones are encouraged to express themselves early on in life when given a drum, or a makeshift one made from a pot or a bucket.

Be creative with your instruments. Smaller kids really don't care if they have the real thing or not, they just want to make noise and have fun! Allow them to connect to their right side of brain that houses creativity. Studies show that children who are well-balanced in their creativity and intelligence do better in school. So if you have a little one or mentor youth, enroll them in some music classes or provide them with musical instruments yourself. It doesn't have to be anything formal, just use your imagination and embrace the power of music for a child.

What to Do This Year to Celebrate Mardi Gras

This year to celebrate Mardi Gras, send out a few free e-cards. Free e-cards are quickly becoming the favored choice over paper cards to celebrate events.

Celebrated on the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the penitence of Lent, Carnival is a time to let loose of all inhibitions and relax, often in a drunken, rowdy manner, if the annual spectacle of Mardi Gras is any kind of indication.

The celebration of the last day before Lent dates back to at least the Middle Ages, when men of noble lineage or accomplishment were knighted and formal banquets took place to honor the occasion.

Mardi Gras, which means 'Fat Tuesday' in French as an alternate name for Shrove Tuesday, was established in New Orleans while the city was under French control, and was maintained as a major festival even when the territory was relinquished into Spanish hands, as well as after the Louisiana Purchase was signed and the state of Louisiana officially joined the Union.

Characterized by costumes, bright decorations, and general merriment, often induced by the consumption of alcohol, the celebration came close to being banned several times during the 19th century, but the formation of a social organization (krewe) by six men and the resulting Carnival Parade on the evening of Mardi Gras in 1857 rejuvenated and restructured the mayhem.

Though the festivities were halted for the duration of the Civil War, they resumed in full force upon its conclusion.

New krewes have been formed continuously since the first parade and are added as space allows annually. The parades in New Orleans now begin up to three weeks before Mardi Gras, with the Carnival season officially starting on the January 6th, the Feast of Epiphany.

The French Quarter of the city is the heart of the celebration, which concludes promptly at midnight on Mardi Gras, with the police asking revelers to scatter, and the massive clean up getting under way.

The krewe system was originally a hierarchical method that showcased the elite of the Carnival, and usually New Orleans society.

However, in the latter part of the 20th century, the exclusivity of the krewes was tempered by the formation of new, more democratic krewes, for which no credentials were required.

Though debutante balls and other high society events marking the holiday are still prominent, they are no longer the only way to participate in the excitement.

A trip to New Orleans during Carnival season is highly recommended if you wish to see everything first-hand, but if that is too long a way from home, try setting up a Carnival parade in your city, or neighborhood.

You need to organize some participants, get plenty of festive decorations, and start thinking of the most outrageous costumes, not to mention get the permission and cooperation of local authorities. If that is hard to come by, throwing a Carnival-themed party is another great way of sharing the thrill of Mardi Gras.

If you are planning to be in New Orleans for the holiday, get the latest parade schedules and other relevant information in advance. Also get details about how to throw the most authentic Mardi Gras party wherever you are going to spend the Carnival.

Millions of free e-cards are sent each year, join in this year and send a free e-card of your own.

The Best Vacation Beaches Along Florida's Gulf Coast

Florida's Gulf coast is known for its miles of sugar-white beaches, championship golf courses, fishing, and endless musings (amusement parks, museums, and aquariums). One of the things that makes the coast such a great place to vacation is its great beaches.

Orange Beach

Orange Beach is located along the tip of Northwest Florida, along Alabama's famous Emerald Coast. One of the greatest parts of Orange Beach is its 30-miles of continuous white sandy beaches and emerald shaded waters. When not at the beach, you will probably find yourself at either the golf course or aboard one of the many saltwater deep sea and back bay fishing boat excursions.

Known as the home of Red Snapper fishing, Orange Beach has one of the largest fishing boat fleets in the US. Both half-day and full-day excursions can be purchased, but you'll have to pay attention to the time of year, as fishing is seasonal. If watching fish, rather than catching them is more to your liking, the Blue Dolphin Cruises is a great way to see dolphins while in their natural habitat.

Orange Beach also has several world-class, 4/5-star, championship golf courses.

Fort Walton Beach

Summer or winter, Fort Walton is always gearing up for some sort of celebration. In June, the Billy Bowlegs Festival kicks off with a four-day celebration of pirates and mayhem. In February, The Fort brings Mardi Gras to the Gulf with the Okaloosa Island annual Mardi Gras Celebration and Ball. The celebration includes the traditional New Orleans parade, food, beads, bauble heads, and costume.

Okaloosa Island, a barrier island separating Fort Walton from the Gulf, makes a nice day trip when vacationing at the Fort. The beach community offers 24 miles of sand and surf, charter fishing tours, and the Gulfarium marine park, which is the countries second oldest sea life exhibit and dolphin/sea lion entertainment extravaganza.

Fort Walton is also known for its 1,080 holes of championship quality golf courses.

Panama City Beach

Panama City does its best to entertain all age groups, and it does this no better than with its famous, award-winning, pristine beaches. Known as the second best beach in all of the Florida, Panama City does not limit itself to just its sandy white beaches and crystal clear waters. It is also known for its pirate ship tours, turbo engine speed boats, golf courses, and water parks.

Three noteworthy attractions of Panama City Beach are the Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise, Ripley's Believe It or Not museum, and Shipwreck Island water park. The Sea Dragon Pirate Cruise is a two hour journey across the Gulf on a life-like pirate ship, while Ripley's Believe It or Not, located on its own massive shipwreck, features the most bizarre collection of oddities and illusions you'll ever see.

Shipwreck Island is Panama City's premier water park, featuring slides, wave pool, and a lazy river.

Christmas Celebration - Mobile Phones and Their Relationship

Let us see how a combination of phones and Christmas celebration are interrelated. There is no dearth of options as far as gifts are concerned. And, if the occasion is of some festival then it becomes necessary that you choose the best gifts for you and for your near and dear ones. These days, gifting gadgets has become a common trend. This is because now buying one latest gadget is no more a big deal. Online gadget stores come up with great offers so that you can buy them on less prices. Going with the tradition, many mobile phone retailers are also offering some really nice deals through websites. On the occasion of festivals, many of them have come up with Christmas offers. You may find LG mobile phones and Motorola Phones with Christmas offers. These phones are manufactured with state-of-the-art technology and now they are also coming with great offers. It can be said that this is the right time to purchase these gadgets.
Keeping the Christmas in mind, the mobile phone retailers have launched innovative gift ideas along with their products. If you buy phones from online stores then it is likely that you will get lucrative Christmas offers. All major phone manufacturers like LG, Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Motorola are arriving with awesome mobile handsets. Some of the LG mobile phones that can be bought along with Christmas offers are the LG KU990 Viewty, KE970 Shine, KG271, KG195 and some others. These are mobile phones with loads of specifications. Mobile retailers in collaboration with LG have prepared themselves to make you happy with free gifts and amazing deals. All you need to do is to search for the LG mobile handsets with Christmas offers and you don't need to go to the retail shops for that. Just start your PC and choose the one that you want with nice offers on the websites. Mobile phone selling websites are loaded with a colourful range of Christmas offers.
Such offers make the purchasing deals more lucrative. You have the options of all styles of handsets. You can buy clamshells to candy bars and sliders to swivels and simple ones also. All kinds of mobile phones are available with attractive free gifts as Christmas offers. You can also choose latest and fascinating Motorola Mobile Phones with Christmas offers, like the Motorola RAZR 2. You have enough choices at your hand and in this way, you can make the most of the Christmas time. Handset manufacturers have already announced their future plans on the special Christmas offers and these plans have nothing but happiness to offer you. Online shops have brilliant gift ideas.
Free gifts like the iPods, Xbox, Sony PSP, phone accessories etc. are offered with the LG Mobile Phones on the occasion of Christmas. Christmas offers also include discounted line rental, free texts and free talk times. It can be said that perfect deal is waiting for you. If you wanted to change your mobile phone or if you want to gift the latest one to your family and friends then do it at the Christmas time. Because then you will have the latest gadgets and also lucrative offer and fancy gifts. In fact, this is the way a festival should be and this is the relationship of mobile phone, celebration and Christmas.

Reference : www.thaisabuy.com

Christmas Gifts For Her - Fascinating Gifts For Your Lady

With the coming of Christmas, people are busy in hunting gifts for their dear ones. If you are planning to amuse your daughter then consider the Christmas gifts for her. The Christmas gifts for her are meant for mother, sister, and daughter, beloved or boss. The gift collection is exquisite and creative.

There are numerous gifts that are sure to make an everlasting impression. Christmas gifts for her offer a wide range of both unique and traditional gifts. The unique gifts are innovative and splendid. You can find gifts that are adventurous, inspirational and fun-oriented. For example: Mini Mayhem Adventure, London Helicopter Sightseeing Tour, Helicopter Flying Lesson 30 minutes, Floating Experience, cookery experiences etc. The gifts are sure to make an impression of love and affection and swing the participant with joy.

You can easily find symbolic gifts that can make her feel really above this terrestrial earth. The Name a Star is an ideal gift for a lady. This gift box let you personalize a star that twinkle in the night sky. The name a star gift box is presented in a beautiful pack that contains- welcome letter, an explanation of the gift, star naming instructions, unique information about the star, stars and astronomy booklet, presentation certificate, personalization pen, presented in a luxury metal gift tin. Additionally, the recipient will be provided an ornate certificate detailing your star name and star naming details. Thus, such personalized gifts are perfect to add zest in this festival season. Christmas gifts for her are a collection of such marvelous gifts.

Market gives you a limited scope whereas the online offers you the provision to shop at competitive and wide range of products. From home with your family members you can shop and get the materials delivered at your doorsteps. So, treat the lady you admire in a unique way on this Christmas with majestic collection of Christmas gifts for her.

Lords of Chaos - The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground Book Review

I bought this book a few months ago and managed to finish it a few days after buying it. It was an intense but a good read altogether although the approach, the style of writing is quite academic, necessary, from my point of view, for a book which chronicled the world's most notorious music since the formation of the hexachord system by Guido of Arezzo, which spurred the unearthing of the satanic chords (diabolus in musica) way back in the 18th century, to be taken seriously. The music they call Black Metal. It requires a tune so that people will take the book seriously.

I have been listening to this kind of tune since primary school and the one accountable for introducing me to this music was not any of my friends or older relatives, but a local Malaysian tabloid. Untarnished still in my hazy remembrance, I was quite captivated by this diabolical music through an article in that particular tabloid that did a 2-page special report on the subject, complete with cool pictures and band logos. They even listed all these so called satanic rock bands for my trouble-free reference. And that was in 1995 if my memory serves me correctly.

I was very inquisitive and very much the curious cat. It was like a giant whirlpool sucking me in and there were no ways for me to escape these enthralling madness of sorrow, supremacy and extreme aggressiveness. I got to try this, I said to myself. It took me no more than 5 second to convert myself from a nerd into a metal and hard-rock-listening Nerd. Only a nerd, but a different kind of nerd. I did not buy more later next week for me, my first record. Talk about the ultra influential. I have a loyal fan and avid listener ever since. I am happy and satisfied, and my life was never the same again.

Enough about my history and metal can check out this book. Since the orientation of the book is quite academic, has been read, fairly deep, rush and most of the time, quite exhaustingas the authors of the study on its extension to the musician and his miniature circuit are extended. These include foreigners who have been directly involved with the satanic scene. Thus giving the reader more elaborative facts from different perspectives and angles to be distinguished.

Although there are several general issues referred to and discussed by the authors, I see that was the reason for publishing this book, more use of the knowledge of Norwegian Black Metalscene, the birthplace of what was known to be as the second wave of Black Metal (Mayhem, Burzum, Dark Throne, Immortal, Emperor, Enslaved are all Norwegian bands). A chunk of pages was dedicated to its early inception, the power struggle, suicide, the murders and the church burnings, which all in fact happened in Norway. In case you do not know, Black Metal was once Norway's main export. Black metal bands being nominated in the Norwegian Grammy is quite normal there. I would like to see that kind of openness here.

Two of the most important individuals, highly influential to the early inception of Satanic Black Metal in Norway, Oysten Aarseth aka Euronymous and Varg Vikernes aka Count Grishnackh, were heavily dealt with in one of its chapters. Besides touching on the history or the early development of the Black Metal sound, the book also features interviews with who's who from the scene (the infamous members of the Inner Circle. the Black Metal Mafia as the Norwegian press called it) and quite elaborative on the music's influence through out the world.

It is a good read, highly recommended to those who really want to dig deep into the music judging the music by its cover, since Malaysia had (still having) her fair share of controversy (known worldwide, even Ian Christe mentioned the conservativeness of Malaysia in his book, Sound of the Beast. Maybe we do live on trees) with regard to this highly intolerable form of entertainment (yes, entertainment. Intolerable but still entertainment).

Lovely Laos

I have been in Laos less than 24 hours and already i am in love with this place...It truly is, as my guidebook said, "a breath of fresh air". Perhaps it is just escaping the madness and mayhem that is Bangkok but I think regardless of where I've come from I'd find this place magical...

I'm in Vienteinne, the capitol of Laos. It lays in the central south of the country, about 20 minutes from the border of Thailand, in order to arrive here - you must cross "Friendship Bridge" which I find so appropriate, being that these people are so incredibly welcoming and friendly...did I mention this place is also cheap as chips?? well, it is. That is a nice welcome as well (given that I have pretty much blown my budget out of the water).

The city is lush and green because it is on the Mekong River, and as I write the sun is beginning to set, casting that dusky haze over everything, making it that much more beautiful. There are loads of vendors across the street, all busying about in their pointy straw hats selling fruit, fishes, and other asian delicacies whose names I cannot spell or pronounce. This city was once colonized by the French and, like Siem Reap and Phnom Phenh in Cambodia, the influence is not hard to find. Tiny French bistros line the riverfront complete with outdoor "cafe style" seating...much of the architecture includes French style facades and those adorable balconies that are so, so... jene ce pais...men ride around on bicycles with carts full of baguettes attached to them, and if that wasn't enough - there is even an Arch de Triumph here as well! I am already in love with the place. Bangkok can definately wear a person thin...

I arrived on an overnight bus from Bangkok - yes, that is approximately 15 hours of travel by bus. Unfortunately for literary licenses sake, there were no goats, chickens, or even locals aboard - it was strait "farang" (tourists) complete with air-con and semi reclining seats. Nothing interesting there. Upon arrival, I hired a "tuk tuk" driver which is a standard mode of transportation here. They are basically motorbikes that have been "souped up" with bigger engines and are attached to a 2 wheel cart with a little roof and open sides and back, which is where up to 4 passengers sit. They are fun as hell to drive around them - but frightening at the same time, as they seem able to go at mock speeds and weave through traffic (Bangkok is traffic HELL, thankfully there is none here).

I was exhausted, to say the least, but I decided to give the town a whirl anyway. I started down the little streets, strolling up one and down another until I had to find respite from the heat - which, by the way, was just short of unbearable. I sat down to have a drink and put my nose in my guidebook looking for things to do. What tickled my fancy?? An herbal steam bath...yes, that is right, ironic as it sounds that is what I opted for (it sounded so appealing and just so Laos). So I started on my way.

This place was so adorable. It was a wooden stilted building that was open on all sides. Various sizes of hanging plants lined the edges and the slight derelict condition of the place made it all the more charming. Upon ascending the stairs, there is a room where there are wooden cabinets to put your things as well as cushioned benches and a table where detoxifying tea is being served to the mileu of dripping individuals fresh out of the room. To the left is the modest steam room (the only walled-in room) and the entire front area contains 6 beds where you can get a traditional massage. I thew on my sarong and went in...

The room was not as aromatic as I expected, but fragrant still and very small (fit 4-5). Hot coals at our feet generate the steam and a slight smell of lemongrass is in the air. It is lovely and somehow refreshing, even on a record hot day. I went back downstairs and doused myself with the bucket shower provided (Sarong and all), had a cup of tea and left. Sigh. Then I had a beautiful complex - body massage (1 hour - $ 3 ... I'm not kidding) from a girl who could not be more than 13.

After my stint in the sauna detoxification, I came across three monks who were very curious about me, where I come from, where I was ... etc., and talked with them about 1 / 2 hour. I was a bit 'caught off guard since it opened, as they are usually fairly discreet, and I was very careful to try toremember all the things NOT to do, namely: touch them. A woman touching a monk in any way shape or form is tantamount to dirtying his purity. They wanted to look at my necklace, and all of us were careful not to accidently make contact. Finally, I took some pictures of them, and tried to excuse myself.

Then they hit on me.

Yep, 3 monks actually hit on me. It was hysterical. They told me it was "woman's day" - that I was beautiful, and could they be my husband? I chuckled and just waved goodbye, not sure what kind of karma I acquired for unknowingly seducing 3 monks.

Anyway - that was my day and I feel like a million bucks. I am so, so, incredibly happy to be here, and I just cannot wait for what lies ahead.

For now, I'll settle for the sunset over the Mekong.

Bristol Airport - Facts & Figures

Or BRS Bristol Airport began as an ambitious club flyer in 1927 by several men. Since then he has come a long way to being one of the fastest growing airports in the world in the United Kingdom.

Everything at the airport has seen a sharp rise of the right of the passenger terminal on the need for accommodation Bristol. Here are some quick facts about the airport, has become a success:

· From the airport, flights to 112 destinations in 29 countries on board.

·Direct flights are scheduled more than 12 major cities.

• In 2008 alone, 6.2 million passengers on board flights BRS, compared to 5.9% in 2007.

• A total of 13 airlines operate scheduled services to BRS. From these, only EasyJet offers 39 routes in 13 countries.

• After the CAA (1999-2008), SAB is the fastest growing airport in the United Kingdom during the last decade. The annual growth rate was linked to 13.1%. As such, the need for BristolAirport accommodation has also seen growth.

• In 2008, foreign residents 14% of all traffic on BRS ie 869 000 together.

Light 13% of the total number of passengers traveling on business there. This provided another big boost for the housing industry Bristol Airport.

· BRS is on 176 acres and employs 2,900 people.

* 10% of passengers use public transport to reach BRS airport.

· About 2,900 people are employed by the business for 50 BRSdifferent companies

• Some of the services offered at the airport include money exchange machine, bars, cafes, duty free shop, VIP lounge, gift shop, tourist help desk, travel agencies, car rental, a website to search for Bristol Airport Accommodation, Baby / Parent Room, Business Center and is handicapped accessible.

BRS-What does the future hold?

· E 'provided that the number of passengers will reach 10 million passengers a year by 2020. As such, the Bristol Airport AccommodationThe industry is making great progress.

• The size of the terminal will be 20,000 m² to 47,000 m² with the use of an extension in both directions East and West increased.

• The field will be increased from the current 14,000 m2 to 21,000 m2. There is also a new multi-level car park built.

• The number of check-in counters will increase from 67 currently 48th in the future too, there are 12 channels of security, instead of the seventh

·It is expected that about 20% of energy from renewable sources, built to extract. These include the heat generation from biomass and wind power.

The world is ending soon - 2012 is the film, the panic?

Due November 13, 2009 yes, the film 2012 is already the subject of conversation much cooler water. Do you think the film to cause panic?

Based on the conclusion of the Mayan calendar ends December 20, 2012, the film tries to predict a catastrophic event. Obviously, there is an event that image in Hollywood. But how much chaos can a movie with?

This reminds me of the Passion of Christ. Many thought that the film would have raised a lot of emotion and cause a lotWoe. After a few feathers were ruffled, but failed.

However, many are beginning to say that 2012 level could cause a panic similar to the Y2K fiasco several years ago. Food rations, anyone?

Of course, the Maya have never seen the light of day in thousands of years, but somehow all get credibility in the world. They could be right? My money is anyway. However, this does not stop everybody to add two more cents. As the last moments of 1999, I think the world isTalk about this time until 1 January 2013.

As far as the movie goes, you know that there is great chaos and the impact of the proposed special. E 'director Roland Emmerich is good for the destruction of a city in Godzilla, known blasting countless attractions in Independence Day and, ultimately, tackle climate change in The Day After Tomorrow.

I expect 2012 to his style, which is followed by means to be a great ride. Unlike the previous films, this one has a sense of possibleRealism at all. None of us expect giant lizards tearing through the city, but a film made in the near future based on forecasts of fascinating.

True or not, at least you get to enjoy a great movie. While the panic of the population, we have to wait and see.