Archive for March, 2009
Wedding Planning Timeline Checklist
Posted by: | CommentsCongratulations on your engagement. Now it's time to go to work and plan the wedding of your dreams. With a little preparation (and a sense of Humor!) there is no need to act like a bridezilla.
Here is a checklist to help you keep your sanity.
9-12 Months before the wedding
- Announce your engagement.
- Plan what type of wedding you want- formal, informal, day or evening, number of guests
- Choose a wedding date.
- Determine your budget- Discuss who is responsible for what expenses before making any plans. You should include your parents and future in-laws in this discussion. Remember to treat them with respect. Any money they provide is a gift!
- Make guest list - Don't forget to include your parents and future in-laws in this discussion.
- Speak to officiant- Priest, Minister, Rabbi, Justice of the Peace etc.
- Reserve your ceremony and Reception Sites.
6-9 Months Before Wedding
- Select Bridal Gown
- Choose your attendants- Maid/Matron of Honor, Best Man, Bridesmaids, Ushers, Flowergirls, and Ring Bearer
- Choose a Photographer
- Select bridesmaids dresses & accessories (Remember to be Kind and listen to their suggestions and concerns).
- Select a caterer (if needed)
- Hire a band or DJ
- Book your florist
4-5 Months Before Wedding
- Schedule fittings for yourself and attendants (don't forget your flower-girl)
- Reserve any rental items needed for ceremony and reception
- Finalize guest list
- Order Stationery - wedding invitations, thank you notes, and wedding programs
- Address invitations or hire a professional calligrapher
- Plan rehearsal dinner - set date, time and location. (This dinner is usually given by the grooms' parents.)
- Arrange for accommodations for out-of-town guests.
- Start planning honeymoon (Groom usually makes these arrangements after you BOTH decide where to go.) Don't forget to get any passports or travel documents you may need.
- Register for gifts.
- Purchase shoes and accessories (Remember to break your shoes in before the wedding)
2-3 Months Before Wedding
- Order wedding cake
- Order party favors
- Order all necessary decorations
- Book all transportation for wedding day (if necessary)
- Buy wedding rings
- Visit lawyer to write any necessary wills or prenuptial agreements
5-8 Weeks Before Wedding
- Purchase gifts for wedding attendants
- Mail invitations (A map to assist your guests in finding the ceremony and reception sites is a nice idea).
- Visit hairstylist to determine what style you want for your hair. (Hint: Never change haircolor or change your style right before your wedding. Any changes should be made at least 3-4 weeks in advance).
- Have a formal wedding portrait taken
- Send wedding announcements to newspapers (if necessary)
- Change name and address on driver's license, social security cards, insurance policies, and bank accounts
- Reserve wedding attire for groom, ushers, ring bearer (Usually done by the groom).
- Mail invitations to rehearsal dinner (if necessary)
- Obtain marriage license
- Get blood tests if necessary in your state
- Plan a bridesmaid luncheon
2-4 Weeks Before Wedding
- Confirm ceremony details with officiant
- Arrange final fittings for your gown and bridesmaids dresses
- Make final floral selections
- Finalize rehearsal dinner plans
- Confirm details with all service providers - It is a good idea to give them a written list of your wedding day timeline.
- Contact guests who have not yet responded to your invitation
- Pick up wedding rings
- Meet with your photographer to discuss special photos you want taken.
- Meet with your DJ or band to confirm the music you want played
- Remind all attendants (male & female) when to pick up their wedding attire.
- Purchase any special accessories or make-up you want your attendants to wear.
- Determine ceremony seating for any special guests (give the list to the ushers).
- Plan reception seating-write names on place cards.
Hold On....Your Almost Done! Last Week
- Pick up wedding attire
- Figure final guest count and notify cater
- Arrange for "get-a-way" car from the reception
- Review the schedule of events and last minute arrangements with all service providers.
- Confirm honeymoon reservations
- Pack for your honeymoon
Take a Breath.....It's Finally Here....Your Wedding Day!!!!
- Give rings to the best man and maid of honor (If no ring Bearer)
- Give the best man money to pay the officiant after the ceremony
- Relax and have fun!!! All your hard work and planning has paid off.
Jasmine Macdonald is a web designer of several wedding websites: http://www.fun.createswebsites.com, and http://windsor.weddingwindow.com.
You can visit her daily wedding blog at: http://funweddings.blogspot.com
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The Benefits Businesses Find Using GPS Fleet Tracking
Posted by: | CommentsGPS tracking in fleet vehicles is being used more often by businesses that deliver merchandise to their clients. It is an excellent deterrent against theft, however it has many other functions that businesses find beneficial.
Whether you have a large business or a small business, GPS tracking can assist you in many different ways. You do not have to own a worldwide shipping company to reap the rewards that GPS tracking, in fleet vehicles, can offer.
Knowing where your vehicles are is a very important factor in the delivery business. When you use GPS tracking in your fleet vehicles, you can better plan what shipments your delivery routes thereby increasing your company's productivity.
Tracking your trucks is a crucial part of your business. With GPS tracking, you can monitor exactly how much time the driver spends outside of the truck because the GPS will keep track of the exact location of the vehicle and how long it stays in one place. You will also know where it is at all times.
Planning routes is critical to any delivery business. With GPS, you can plan the shortest most effective routes to your clients. This not only allows you to make more deliveries by saving a lot of time, you are also able to save money on fuel charges by mapping the shortest routes.
Safety issues are a major concern for both business owners and law enforcement. GPS in a fleet vehicle is an excellent tool to use to keep track of mileage, maintenance, and state regulations for each of your fleet vehicles. By using GPS tracking in fleet vehicles, insurance companies may offer a lower rate to business owners.
Theft is always a major issue with delivery companies. There are some companies who deliver millions of dollars of merchandise on one truck. Should the worst happen, and the truck is stolen, GPS can pinpoint its exact location within minutes, giving law enforcement the chance to get to the scene before any damage can be done.
There are many reasons why a company should invest in GPS tracking for fleet vehicles. In today's society, it is necessary to protect your property the best you can.
If you think that the cost of installing GPS fleet tracking in your company vehicles is too high, there are a few things you need to take into consideration.
When you stop and think about the time, headaches and stress that a theft would cause, not to mention the cost involved in replacing a shipment and repairing a vehicle, and the lost revenue of having a vehicle off the road for an extended period of time, GPS fleet tracking does not sound like a bad idea.
It is a matter of weighing the good and the not so good, and with GPS Fleet tracking, the not so good part is so minimal that it is not worth mentioning.
GPS tracking in fleet vehicles can only produce great results. There is really no downside to it and the benefits are incredible.
Peter Geisheker is the CEO of The Geisheker Group marketing firm
Peter provides marketing services for GPS Tracking Systems, including GPS Fleet Tracking
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How to Select the Right Entertainment to Ensure That Your Next Special Event Rocks
Posted by: | CommentsChoosing the right kind of entertainment or combinations of entertainments for your event will pose a lot of amusing predicaments before you. If the budget is hefty the predicament grows as you are now presented with more choices. Should you hire a DJ to make the dance program a truly memorable one or should you arrange for poker games so that the guests enjoy every moment of wining and losing stakes? Or would the audience prefer soft blue songs? Would the comedy show be a hit if it is paired with fortune telling? Or should the fire eaters be allowed to take on the stage after the dances are over? Should the event be open with a magic show? These are the types of issues you will face when choosing the right entertainment for your event.
You should keep in mind the type of guests that will come to the special event. Will the entertainment items go down well with them? If it's a young and challenge loving audience they will love watching and participating in inflatable games where players will be pitted against each other to test the various skills of the competition. If there are kids accompanied by their parents they would revel in playing inflatable games. Kids would also enjoy the magic shows. Younger audiences would prefer the music to be hard and fast. A rap artist can capture their attention. Female guests would love the idea of a fortune teller, especially telling them about the future of their relationships.
Mature adults and seniors would prefer slow dance numbers and soulful music. The karaoke should play slow and soft numbers for them and the DJ should have knowledge of the songs. They would also like a game of poker. They will also love performances with the piano, violin, and saxophone. Brainy and intelligent people would appreciate the idea of a quiz show. And everybody would love the stand-up comedian if he is good enough. Again here there is a choice, whether to hire a top notch established comedian or try a rising stand-up comedian. Humorous motivational speakers are a hit in many events. They motivate and keep the audience in splits.
Some guests prefer belly dancing, snake charmers, waiters dressed in a particular way, a hypnotism show, look alikes/impersonators, etc. The sportive types wouldn't prefer sitting and watching. They would like to try their hands at various fun sports such as: human table football, gladiator pole joust, sitting on a mechanical rodeo bull etc. The best of all choices is: hire a celebrity to show up at your event and be assured that it's going to be a memorable one for everyone
You need to have a fair amount of knowledge of the composition of your guest list based on their age, gender, tastes, and preferences. Of course they are your employees and you can make a good guess of the entertainment items that they would like. Roughly the rules described above apply to the guests. The final choice however can be made depending on the type of budget you have.
The bottom line is: in all this the help rendered by special event companies would go a long way in making your event a rocking one. But your ideas are what matter most. A combination of the two would ensure that the guests remember the event for years to come or may be a lifetime for the amusing entertaining shows.
Celebration Authority-Clowning Around
Chicago Special Events, Chicago Party Rentals, Chicago Inflatables Rentals
Celebration Authority
220 South Shaddle
Mundelein, IL 60060
Tel: 847-566-3006
http://www.celebrationauthority.com
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Guitar Tablature – Learn To Play Silent Night
Posted by: | CommentsIn this guitar lesson you will see that you can easily learn to play melodies on your guitar with tab notation! I will show you how to read tablature and also how to play the Christmas song Silent Night.
First we will take a look at a guitar tablature staff:
1. ----------------
2. ----------------
3. ----------------
4. ----------------
5. ----------------
6. ----------------
In this tab staff we have six lines that represent the six strings on your guitar. The top line represents the first string. That is the thinnest string or the string with the highest pitch. It is called E.
When you look at a guitar tablature staff you will find numbers on it. These numbers tell you which frets to press down. Let's look at an example:
1. -----------
2. ---1---0---
3. -----------
4. -----------
5. -----------
6. -----------
The number one on the second line tells you to press down a finger on the first fret on the second string and play the note. This note is a C. The number O represents an open string. This means that you should play the second string without pressing down a finger. The note is called B.
Now it's time to play the first part of the melody with lyrics and corresponding guitar tab notation. We will play the song in the key of C-major:
Silent Night, silent night
1. --------------------------------------
2. --------------------------------------
3. ---0---2---0----------0---2---0-------
4. ---------------2------------------2---
5. --------------------------------------
6. --------------------------------------
If you want to use a professional approach for your left hand fingerings you can use your index finger to press down the first fret, the middle finger for the second fret and your ring finger for the third fret.
Time for the next guitar tabs:
All is calm, all is bright
1. ---------------------------
2. ---3---3---0---1---1-------
3. -----------------------0---
4. ---------------------------
5. ---------------------------
6. ---------------------------
The left hand fingerings I mentioned might be a little bit tricky when you first try it but if you are patient you will soon reap the benefits from this way of playing.
It will be easier to keep your left hand from moving too much which will make it much easier to play advanced melodies on your guitar and you will not have to look at the fretboard all the time to find your way around as your left hand fingers will take care of the assigned frets.
Here are the next part:
Round yon virgin Mother and Child
1. ---------------------------------------
2. -----------1---0-----------------------
3. ---2---2-----------2---0---2---0-------
4. -----------------------------------2---
5. ---------------------------------------
6. ---------------------------------------
The melody is repeated with the next lyrics:
Holy infant so tender and mild
1. ---------------------------------------
2. -----------1---0-----------------------
3. ---2---2-----------2---0---2---0-------
4. -----------------------------------2---
5. ---------------------------------------
6. ---------------------------------------
We have not taken the length of the notes into account in this guitar tablature notation. If you sing or hum the melody you will probably find out how to play the notes.
Here are the next line:
Sleep in heavenly peace
1. -----------1---------------0---
2. ---3---3-------3---0---1-------
3. -------------------------------
4. -------------------------------
5. -------------------------------
6. -------------------------------
...and the last tab:
Sleep in heavenly peace
1. -------------------------------
2. ---1---------------------------
3. -------0-------0---------------
4. -----------2-------3---0-------
5. ---------------------------3---
6. -------------------------------
Now you have learned to play guitar tablature and also one of the most popular Christmas songs! I would suggest that you practice one line at a time learning it by heart until you master the whole song.
Peter Edvinsson invites you to download your free guitar tablature at http://www.capotastomusic.com
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Roaring Twenties Wedding Reception
Posted by: | CommentsAre you a bride to be that totally walks to a different drum then everyone else? Not looking to do the traditional wedding ceremony and reception? Read on for what one creative bride did!
Ever feel like you should be back in the 70's? Perhaps the 80's? Maybe go so far as say you wish you were in the 20's? Well, you can be - if only for a day. Have a wedding that hops everyone into a time machine, and whirl back into the 20's where flappers and gangsters were the hip ones and no one had heard of today’s issues. What a fantastic escape you’ll be providing for your guests.
Walk into a ballroom, which can be a modern style, no need to make it too expensive. There can be a small stage to one side where a band can play, or perhaps there can be a jukebox. Black, red, blue, and white are thrown everywhere, but the lighting can be slightly dim. There can be images painted on the wall of a big time city, to give the party a feel of being outdoors – even if it is December in Upstate New York. The tables (how about black?) and chairs (how about red?) can be off against the walls, a few candles on top of each table, and the dance floor can be dead center. Although gangsters were notorious for running the cities, there was also a certain romance to this time period that is perfect to capitalize on.
From here there are two options that could be taken to keep this 1920's feel. Option one is to find a jukebox from the time period, and everyone can jam to the sounds played in the 1920's, from a “newfangled “ gadget that was growing to be popular during that time period. Or option two, you can hire a band to play big band music from the time period you are shooting for, in this case, the 20's, and Jazz might be more suitable to tie along with the gangster and flapper theme. Or option 3 hire a DJ to mix period music from the twenties with today’s dance tunes. Charleston versus Booty Dancing anyone?
Carry the gangster theme forward and you and your groom can be Bonnie and Clyde. Another option is for the bride to be decked out in a white flapper gown (See? You can still have the traditional wedding gown with a bit of “you” twist!) While the bridesmaids can be in the bride’s chosen color – how about they also have a bit of the flapper look with a shorter bridesmaid dress and long pearl necklaces. Hats perched to the side in the same color replaces the stiff up do. The groom can be in a white gangster suit and his men can be in black gangster suits. Instead of walking down the aisle to the typical wedding theme, perhaps an upbeat jazz tune can be played instead (things to consider, would you rather the music being played live? Or through a jukebox? Either will provide that 20’s feel to your guests.) The bride comes down the aisle, jazz music playing around her, her white flapper gown swishes with every step she takes, almost giving the illusion that she is dancing.
Food and wedding favors are a few other things to be considered. Caesar salad, and Cobb salad were growing in popularity, and items such as Baby Ruth, Betty Crocker, and Kool-Aid were entering into the mainstream. During this time wine, and other alcoholic beverages where quite popular, since they were also attempting to be banned. You know how you always want something you can’t have! But you don’t have to let Prohibition put a damper on your modern day party if you choose to serve alcohol at your reception – make it fun with a Bonnie & Clyde martini that you created just for your day. Soft drinks are also perfectly acceptable along with a nice punch. Shrimp cocktail, and build your own tacos could always be fun, but may be too laid back for what you have in mind. If you’d like a sit down dinner for the wedding, chicken is always a good alternative, in whatever form you think best and usually reasonably priced. Some unique wedding favors for the guests to take with could include be instant photos of themselves from Polaroid cameras placed throughout the reception to be inserted into the photo frame/place card holders you conveniently place at each place setting. Long fake pearls or small flapper purses for the women and luggage tags for the men. Or how about a fun candle favor – think Lucky Luciano or Al Capone and go with a ”Lucky In Love” candle set in black, red, and white – a great way to let your guests remember the fun they had at your unique wedding reception.
With a wedding as unique as this one would be, your guests are sure to fondly remember and talk about your wedding day for years to come!
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What Home Based Business to Choose
Posted by: | CommentsMost people have tried at least a couple different work-at-home programs only to be disappointed by the fact that these systems do not work as easy as the sales pitch made it seem. They usually sell you on the idea of making thousands of dollars a day doing absolutely nothing.
Well I'm here to tell you that besides winning the lottery there is no way to sit there, do nothing, and make a lot of money. The good news is that some of these systems will give you the tools to put your resources to work for you. What I mean is that some of these systems, which I'll get into in a minute, will show you what you have to do to make money. There is no silver bullet, you have to get the knowledge and then YOU have to make it happen. I know most people don't want to hear this but it's true. Any home based business is only going to generate what you put into it.
So first, what products actually work? To be honest, most of them give you some useful information that will work for you. But let's face it there are hundreds of products out there and it would take you hours to search them all. Therefore I'm going to tell you about three products that I have investigated.
1. Google Wealth Wizard 2 - Out of all the current systems the Google Wealth Wizard 2 is the easiest to get started and it provides the system that allows you to find your niche and make the most money possible. One of the nice things here is that you can get your own website and begin to use it to make money as soon as possible. Whether you are just getting started or have tried multiple systems in the past, the Google Wealth Wizard 2 can help you attain your financial goals.
2. Recession Rescue System - The Recession Rescue System was invented by top 3 internet marketing Gurus. This is another good system that will give you the tools to seek out and find easy ways to make money online. Like the Google Wealth Wizard, the Recession Rescue System also utilizes affiliate programs along with targeted advertising tactics to make serious money. This program is a little more than the Google Wealth Wizard but it also has a higher profit potential. If you've already tried multiple systems and are somewhat familiar with Internet marketing, this might be the product for you.
3. Recession Rescue System - Dave Gale's Automated Cash Formula is a little less money but can still give you the tools needed to make some money. What he does is show you different ways to make money and to keep making money. In other words he helps you to set up multiple income streams that will all help to make you money. For the money this system is very valuable.
Now as you can see all of these have a similar theme, which is use what is already on the internet and make money off of it. There are thousands of ways people can make money online and it is up to you to find which program works for you.
DJ
For more information and to view the products mentioned above visit us at
http://djsreviews.com
Thank You
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A Guitar Lesson to Help You Develop Your Vision
Posted by: | CommentsHave you ever done any of the following?
1. Made excuses for not practicing because you “didn’t have time”?
2. Practiced the same licks and exercises that you did last year?
3. Felt like you had hit a brick wall in your progress?
4. Felt unsure as to what to practice?
Unless your name is Steve Vai, chances are you’ve done at least one of the above!
They are all symptoms of having a lack of vision.
What do I mean by vision? Vision in
this context is having a clearly defined picture in your mind’s eye of how you would
like to play. It must be a crystal clear, exciting and inspiring picture!
Without an absolutely clear picture of what you would ideally like to sound like, you
will not know what you need to practice in order to realise that vision. You will also
probably lose the drive and motivation to practice daily for many years until you can
play like your vision. You may even start using the loser’s mantra which is “I don’t
have time to practice”.
Exercise One:
Think about how you would like to play in 10 years time. Close your eyes and try to
see yourself playing exactly how you would like to play. Write down what you see now.
Make sure that it is detailed. What techniques are you a master of?
What songs can you play? What bands are you in? How many students do you
teach? How does it feel when you play like you do?
Exercise Two:
Now write down what areas of your playing you will need to start
working on in order to reach your vision. What techniques do you need to start
practising? What chords do you need to learn? What music theory do you need to
start learning about? Do you need to start doing ear training? What books, teachers,
CDs and other tools will help you realise your vision? How much time every day do
you think you will need to practise in order to play like you want to play?
Exercise Three:
Spend 10 minutes a day for the next 30 days imagining yourself playing exactly
how you would like to play. Do this with your eyes shut. Don’t worry, it won’t make
you want to start eating tofu or go around the neighborhood hugging trees!
At the end of every time you do this, write down one small new detail about your
vision. By the end of 30 days you should be feeling so excited that you'll want to practice 24/7!
Copyright©2005 by Craig Bassett. All Rights Reserved.
Craig Bassett (The GuitarSolutionsExpert) is a professional guitarist, guitar tutor and author.
http://www.pentatonic-guitar-lessons.com
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