Real World Alternatives to College

It seems nowadays that college is almost necessary to a successful future. But college is not for everyone. Some people just really do not feel that a college is the right path for them. Though a secondary education is becoming much more common, there are several alternatives to college.

Certain people are much more hands on than others. While sitting in a classroom and being lectured on a topic or procedure may work for some, it is less than adequate for others. For those that prefer the hands on approach, learning a trade is a good route to take. Many jobs, like construction or technology companies, offer apprenticeships. People can spend a few years learning everything they need to know, while putting it into practice simultaneously.

The military is a common option for people who do not wish to attend college. Joining the military gives people the chance to serve their country while learning important discipline skills and earning and decent salary. The military is especially good for those with families because they offer great benefits.

Volunteer work is yet another alternative to a college education. Though the Peace Corps usually requires a college degree from their applicants, there are other similar programs, such as AmeriCorps, which do not. These programs give 17-24-year-olds the opportunity to make a difference in hundreds of communities throughout the United States. The Student Conservation Association also offers several programs to help get jobs and internships for adults 18 and older throughout the country.

Even though more people than ever are seeking a higher level of education, it is not always necessary for a successful future. There are many people who still choose to pass up the college experience and get their life started more quickly. For those who decide that it is simply not for them, there are numerous alternatives to college education.

Source: EzineArticles.com

My Partner Cheated! Is it the End?

In any committed relationship, if a partner cheats it can seem like the end of that relationship. Promises will have been made, trust will have been established, and it can all seem like it has all been thrown away on a whim. I will be looking at ways of establishing whether cheating has to mean the end of a relationship, or whether there is anything worth salvaging.

Cheating strikes at the heart of any relationship. If you find that your partner has shared that level of physical intimacy with someone else, it begs the question; what other possibly more private things have they shared. It is worth remembering that sharing secrets is often considered more of a betrayal than physical intimacy in the long run. This sense of a closed and private world having been broken into is what drives most people to end their relationship if they find they have been cheated on.

It is worth though, taking a deep breath before you do anything permanent. Think of the time you have spent building what you have; do you want to throw it all away in a fit of temper? You might find, that once you have had time to weigh this one indiscretion against all you have built, that you do not want to throw the relationship away.

No matter how betrayed you feel, it is worth sitting down with your partner and trying to discover the reason that they felt they needed to cheat. It is important that the onus is kept on the person who cheated to explain their action. Often I have spoken with people whose partner cheated and they have become convinced that it is their fault. This is never the case.

In my opinion, if someone cheats on his or her partner, it is a sign that the relationship is over. It is possible to re-build; some couples are undoubtedly stronger for it. In my experience though it is almost impossible to re-build trust once it has been broken.

http://www.dearfriend.co.uk is the place where you can ask a question and the world can answer. Sometimes friends or family give bad advice, they are too close to the situation or you think your question within your close group is best left unasked.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Do Dogs Feel the Cold?

I get asked this question all the time, and it never ceases to amaze me that there is the need to ask it. Yes dogs do feel the cold.

But they have fur coats I hear you say. How many nature shows have you seen showing arctic wolves cowering under leafless shrubbery battling against all the odds to keep warm. They have beautiful thick coats; surely they should look warm and toasty.

This argument about animals in their natural state doesn't hold. Didn't we used to walk around naked as well? It didn't take us long to work out that covering our bodies in the skins of dead animals made life much more bearable.

A simple rule of thumb is this: If it's too cold for you, it's too cold for your dog.

This misconceived belief that dogs can withstand cold temperatures just because they have fur is a little tired. Some large dog breeds are well equipped for the winter months and love to be outdoors while others like small breed dogs are more sensitive and have no tolerance for the cold. Even a quick moment outside to do its business is all it takes for their little paws to freeze up and leave them shivering. Certain breeds are more susceptible than others; Whippets, Grey Hounds, Poodles, Chihuahuas and other toy breeds and short-coated breeds often suffer in the colder months. Older arthritic dogs and sick dogs really feel the cold and need extra attention when it cools down.

So the next time you see your dog huddled in the corner, digging into the sofa cushions, or putting the brakes on and looking at you in total disbelief when you suggest a quick walk in the freezing wind, consider the fact that, yes, they may be feeling the cold. If this is the case then check that their bedding is warm enough and get the poor dog something to wear. Some dogs love wearing coats and being dressed-up, for others, it's something they'll learn to tolerate. There are many options available from a basic dog coat that covers the back and sides to a more bulky-knit sweater that provides warmth and also covers the belly for a more comfortable fit. Whatever your budget or taste, there is no reason for your dog to go cold.

DOGS and the CITY excels in providing the best of imported and locally available pet products for small and large dogs. We have selected the highest quality pet beds, dog clothing, dog collars and dog bowls. We carry an extensive range of dog toys and pet carrier bags as well as the healthiest of organic dog treats. Order online for delivery in Australia and New Zealand.

Being a dedicated supporter of animal rights and welfare you will find that DOGS and the CITY sells everything but the dog as it is our firm belief that animals do not belong in shops.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Working Moms - Stop Putting it Off

Fact: the cost in time of putting things off is far higher than simply getting them done.

The more you keep adding to your to do list, the more you feel overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done, the more that you get stressed by it all. It doesn't take a scientist to know that isn't ideal!

There tends to be four reasons why we put things off.

1. Complacency - thinking it'll only take us a few minutes to do, so it can wait
2. Avoiding Discomfort - believing the task will cause us to experience a negative emotion
3. Fear of Failure - believing we're likely to fail in the task, so why bother starting it
4. Action Illusion - we're very busy "around" the task doing lots of "stuff", but none of it is meaningful or actually getting the job done

And here are some ways of overcoming these barriers and just getting it done!

1. Complacency - if you really believe it'll only take minutes to do, pick a time within the next 48 hours when you're going to get it done and do it.

2. Avoiding discomfort - the more you think about the negative feelings, the bigger and more severe they'll feel. If it involves someone else (you're scared of hurting their feelings) write down what you want to say, how you want to say it and the outcome you're looking for. This won't take away all the discomfort, but it'll certainly minimize it. If it's something you just don't like doing, set yourself a super fast time limit for getting it done and go for it. Racing through it faster will also keep discomfort to a minimum.

3. Fear of failure - if it's something you've done before and you failed last time, look at the reasons why you failed and build in some ways of avoiding those. If you haven't tackled this before but are still afraid of failing, find someone who has managed it successfully, or research what you need to do in order to increase your chances of success. Then allocate a time within the next three days to get the job done and strike while the iron is hot.

4. Action Illusion - look at all the busyness and actions you've taken in this area but have failed to move forward on. What are at least three things you could stop doing and one thing you could start doing, which would increase your actual action, rather than your illusion of action? Go do them!

Source: EzineArticles.com

Great Charlie Chaplin Movies

Most of us know that Charlie Chaplin was one of the greats of film history. However, given the sheer number of films that he starred in, many of us do not know where to begin in following this great filmmaker's career. In this article, I discuss five great Charlie Chaplin movies that you can start with.

The Kid (1921): The Kid was Charlie Chaplin's first feature-length movie, and was one of the most popular films on 1921. It is a unique film, because until then all films were either dramas or comedies, and no one could figure out which category to place this movie in. The film is about Charlie Chaplin's character, the Little Tramp, and how he befriends a young boy. The film is a mix of comedy and social commentary and should not be missed.

City Lights (1931): City Lights is perhaps the best known of all of Charlie Chaplin's movies. It is about his Little Tramp, who befriends a drunken millionaire. So long as the millionaire is drunk, he loves the Little Tramp, but he forgets all about him once he becomes sober. This leads to the Tramp going to prison for apparently stealing money that was actually given to him by the drunken millionaire. The Little Tramp doesn't want the money for himself, though, but for the woman that he loves.

Modern Times (1936): Modern Times is Charlie Chaplin's harsh critique of modern industrial labor. It is also extremely funny. The Little Tramp moves from job to job, trying desperately to make a living. Along the way, he performs heroic acts and is arrested. The film deals with anti-Communist oppression and even drug abuse.

The Great Dictator (1940): Charlie Chaplin famously decided to deliberately end the career of the Little Tramp in the film The Great Dictator. With silent films on the decline since the development of the "talkie", there didn't seem to be any room for Chaplin's silent clown. So, he decided to play the double role of a Jewish Barber and Adenoid Hynkel (a parody of Adolf Hitler), and decided to have the Little Tramp talk. The film is considered to be one of his best films, and Chaplin kept his word and did not return to the Little Tramp again.

Monsieur Verdoux (1947): Many people don't know about Chaplin's roles after the war, but one of the most interesting was the dark comedy, Monsieur Verdoux. In that film, he plays a murderous banker who will do anything for money. The film represents the opposite side of Chaplin's social commentary. Rather than show the oppressed working class, he instead plays the role of the ruthless bankers.

Charlie Chaplin movies are a wonder mixture of drama, comedy and social commentary. They can be both hilarious and sad. I hope this list will help get you started in enjoying his work.

Source: EzineArticles.com

Green Home Projects - Redo Your Home With Eco-Friendly Products

Are you contemplating home projects like new floors, wall painting, new appliances, bathroom fixtures, or maybe even a new roof? Then you may wish to consider using "green" home products or "eco-friendly" products and help the environment as well as your pocket. My husband and I have a huge list of home projects that need to be done on our old home. We are going to discuss our projects below and in the articles to follow. Here is what we plan to do in the future...

A New Roof -- In the Meantime Fix the Leaks!

We have been slowly covering our old tar and gravel roof with Lanco White Seal. It has been an amazing process. The Lanco White Seal is white, therefore we are reaping an huge reduction in energy costs during the hot summer months. In addition, the roofing seal is allowing us breathing room so we can save for a new eco-friendly roof like a "cool roof."

Wall Painting:

We have several rooms in our home that have not been painted for over 21 years! We finally painted one room using No VOC paint from Home Depot. We love it - it is not stinky! We plan to paint all the rooms and halls in the future with this type of paint (No VOC), researching the best deals and quality before we buy.

Redo All the Flooring:

Our wish is to redo the whole house's flooring all at once using a "green" flooring product. We would love to use bamboo flooring, yet have been researching cork flooring and even natural linoleum. Then there is also the possibility of recycled flooring. This is a big project that will cost a lot of money, so we will be saving and researching our options.

Water Filtration:

My husband does not want to drink our city's tap water that contains fluoride. I would prefer to drink water that has a higher PH content than what our tap water offers. We buy our water now and feel it is a huge cost as well as impact on the environment (although we do add the jugs to the recycle bin). So, a new water filtration system for our kitchen sink is really all we need. It would need to filter out impurities, fluoride and increase the PH, which is not too tall of an order. For our shower, we have been using a shower water filter unit which works fine. Although, we would like to add a water saver to it.

Even more Redo It Green Home Projects:

The above represents the "big" projects. We have a lot more on our list like buying energy saving appliances, new "green" lighting, tankless water heater system, energy saving windows and doors, and the list goes on. Yet, we did not mention the biggest home project on our list above...

Solar Panels and Wind Turbine

A dream of ours is to become "off the grid" -- maybe even have the electric company pay us for a change. This would require solar panels and possibly a wind turbine added to our home. A huge project as well expense. We have to make sure we research all the possibilities and choose the best that will work for our home, climate and space.

Do you have a list of home projects? We hope you too will consider going "green" whenever possible. We know many people hesitate using green eco-friendly products because the expense seems much higher. So far, in our limited experience with these products, we have found that although the price is initially higher, we save money in the long run.

Source: EzineArticles.com