Bathroom Decor - What You Should Know About Bathroom Showers

When it comes to remodeling the bathroom, one of the first items of interest usually concerns upgrading the shower to match a growing trend or add a different look to this commonly visited room in the house. As you approach the planning phase of remodeling the shower portion of your bathroom, the two most important factors to pay attention to include how much you can afford to spend on the project, as well as the space you have available for your intentions.

Since there are numerous bathroom shower designs and ideas to consider, it is suggested that you browse a couple of home improvement magazines. This will help to set your creative flair in motion, as you never know what will cause inspiration regarding this project. Another important part of planning bathroom-shower remodeling is to record accurate measurements, as this makes the difference in appropriately displaying your vision. It is also suggested to plan the placement of your new bathroom shower where plumbing already exists, as this can become a costly readjustment.

The features you are interested in for your new bathroom shower play an important role in making a final decision. It is recommended to create a list of characteristics and functions that you most desire. For example, do you want more than one jet or is there a need for a massaging jet showerhead? What sort of bathroom shower flooring and wall accompaniments will match your new shower? Do you want a shower that is also connected to a bathtub?

Bathroom Shower Remodeling Ideas

Depending on your budget, the new bathroom shower that replaces your old selection could deliver high-quality luxury that is similar to spa treatments. Offering a tower corner enclosure with eight jets, the Kohler BodySpa delivers a hydro-massage system that permits personalized settings. The angled jets cover all of the desired parts of the body, which provide a rejuvenating shower and massage at the same time.

To capture a bit of elegance, you should consider surrounding a walk-in shower with attractive marble flooring and a fireplace situated nearby. If you want to enjoy relaxation in the comforts of your own home, browse steam shower selections that transport you into a new dimension of calm.

Even the showerheads you install can elevate the experience you undergo when taking a shower. Some of the selections on the market that have been making waves with the public include hand-held showers with chromatherapy, as well as showerheads that offer low-flow rain qualities. An impressive design to mull over when remodeling the bathroom is to create a whole new environment with your shower, as you select modern frameless glass, stainless steel, and stone enclosures.

If you are not interested in revamping your entire shower, perhaps the installation of eye-catching additions to your previous arrangement will do. For instance, a spiral shower rod can become the envy of family and friends. Overall, the market is filled with plenty of upgrades that can make the bathroom your new favorite place to settle into.

Forget The Hype!

So you`re new to the internet, and want to learn everything you can about internet marketing. Or at least the essential basics, and you want a place to go to find the answers to all of your questions?

I hate to tell you this, and I`m really sorry, but as far as I know, there IS no one-stop source to learning the essential marketing skills, apart from school maybe, but I will TRY to answer some questions you may have from my own experience:

Let`s see, I started out with absolutely NO computer knowledge at all. Went to chatrooms, talked with people, got me some contacts, then one day I got a junkmail full of hype (that I believed...hehehe) and promptly started joining affiliate programs. I joined this one, that one and the other one, all full of promises that I`d be mega-rich within a few months. Being a newbie, I swallowed it all. Hook, line and sinker. None of it ever panned out right though.

I lost some money, not huge amounts, but more than I`d care to remember, so I started with the free stuff. I didn`t have any knowledge on building downlines and stuff, so that didn`t work neither. Then I started helping people I referred to various things, and things looked slightly better. It was all free stuff that didn`t make me any real money, but it gave me traffic to other free sites I was promoting, I got downlines, and I got contacts, so I knew it was working.

After that, I kinda concentrated on helping everybody I came across, to the point where that was ALL I was doing, and funnily enough, I loved it. Still didn`t make me money, but it made me feel great.

That`s how my ezine came about. I wanted to help people as much as possible, teach them to steer clear of hype, stick dilligently to one thing, and build a good downline in it, whilst showing them how to help each other. You`ll find that any articles I`ve written to date(05/15/03) cover these things.

I will say that there are a couple of "skills" needed for anybody wanting to be an online marketer.

Firstly, you need a touch of "blindness" so you don`t even LOOK at all the hype, because if it LOOKS too good to be true, then it more than likely is.

You need deep concentration, and dedication, to help you stick with one thing, and you need to be able to work really hard at getting that one thing to work.

You also need a lock and key on your wallet. It`s real easy to buy into this that and the other program, and before you know it, you`ve used a LOT more money than you can afford to lose. There`s always a risk that any money you use, could be lost forever, so always keep that in mind.

As for computer jargon, I`ve been online for 4 years, and I`m STILL learning. Actually, I`m only just now starting to learn HTML so that I can publish my ezine without having to rely way too much on my programmer, who by the way, is the greatest teacher on earth. There`s a page here full of "jargon" and links to more info, I find it pretty useful: http://www.imagescape.com/helpweb/history/define.html

When it comes to suggesting a starting point, that`s a real hard one. I think I`d say chatrooms personally. Without my programmer, and my other friends that I`ve met in chatrooms, I wouldn`t be where I am today. So I`d say THE most important thing when it comes to marketing is your contacts. Get as many contacts as you can, and learn from their mistakes.

Also, subscribe to a few ezines that really cover the "newbie" things. Read everything you can that`s relative to what you want to do. You`ll suffer from information overload, there`s no doubt about that, but some of the stuff WILL stick in your head, and you can start learning from there.

If you find the ezine isn`t giving you the information you need, un-subscribe and move on to the next one. There`s hundreds of thousands of them out there to choose from, just don`t subscribe to too many at once, or you`ll be so inundated with mail that you`ll end up not reading any of them at all.

In closing: Read, read, read, and read some more. Take all promises of "instant wealth" with a pound of salt. (A pinch isn`t enough). Question everything that seems to "over-promise". Learn as much as you can before starting out, be prepared, and remember: There are no stupid questions, just stupid answers ;-)

Your Circle Of Influence

As human beings, our lives are shaped and influenced by a myriad of factors, and relationships is at the top of the list. Think about how much of "who you are today" was influenced by a specific parent, sibling, relative, teacher, coach, neighbor, author, speaker, boss, co-worker, spouse or friend. Values, habits, behavior, knowledge, skills, passions, hobbies, tastes and attitudes are typically learned through association with others.

Yet, as influential as relationships are, most people haven't consciously chosen their greatest "circle of influence". Fortunately or unfortunately, some people are born automatically in our lives. Some come through marriages. Geography plays a role. Where you work and what you do for a living is a factor. Even friendships develop through circumstances. Through this consortium is a variety of individuals that make up our "circle of influence". Some are negative, others simply neutral by-standers, and often we are blessed with enriching associations that positively impact our lives.

Years ago at a Jim Rohn seminar, I heard this statement.

"We become the combined average of the FIVE people we associate with most."

Look at your own life and see how true this statement is. The five people you associate with most likely reflect your bank account, health, career choices, self-esteem, habits (good and bad), interests, quality of conversation, values and goals. When you compare yourself to them, are you setting the standard, keeping the status quo or the pulling the average down? Do you LOVE spending time with the people in your life or do tolerate the experience? Or is it somewhere in between?

At the time, I took inventory in my own life and wrote down the names of the individuals I was spending the most time with. Then, I asked the hard question, "What are the people in my life doing to me?"

People are either pulling you up, pulling you down, or keeping you comfortably in neutral.

For me back then, I realized that "upgrading" my circle of influence was in my best interest. I made a list of 10 people that I would like to spend more time with, and made the conscious decision to spend more time with those individuals I admired, respected and wanted to be most like. Simultaneously, I limited or eliminated my time with those who weren't really adding much to my life aside from companionship, gossiping and partying it up.

It's fun to look back and see that several of the people I admired and respected most, have indeed become good friends that now consider me their equal.

More than the conscious decision to go "friend" or "mentor" hunting is the AWARENESS about your circle of influence. Just being present to the impact someone has on your state of being is powerful.

Check in with your own life. Who are the five people you associate with most? Who are the ten people you associate with most? Write it down. For simplicity, determine which of the following categories describe those in your circle of influence. While everyone can dance in each of these modes at time, notice which one or two are the overriding.

1. Energy Draining - These are the people who deplete or drain your energy. They complain, whine, criticize, blame, use sarcasm, condemn, gossip and otherwise focus on the bleaker view of life. They are pessimistic. When you spend time with them, you notice the heaviness of their presence, and instantly feel better when you walk away. These people may be coming to you with their stories and challenges, seeking your support and input. These people aren't about bringing you joy and happiness, or adding anything but a dark perspective on life.

SUGGESTIONS: I personally like to limit my time with people who fall in this category. However, these people are great mirrors for embracing your shadow or dark side. Byron Katie's work on "Loving What Is" is particularly useful here.

QUESTION: What if my family is Energy Draining? I encourage everyone to love your family members for who they are to the very best of your ability. And, again Katie's work on "Loving What Is" is useful. While you may consciously choose to limit your time with them, learning to love them unconditionally is often the greater gift with these individuals.

2. Energy Comforting - These people are likely your friends, peers or possibly family members. They are a lot like you, and share similar values and interests. You enjoy being with them, and feel better by being around them. We all love having people in our lives that bring comfort, acknowledgment, sharing and understanding. The pitfall or trap to beware of here is the word "comfort". This group is likely to keep you anchored to bad habits, disempowering stories and limiting beliefs that may hold you back. Part of how you relate with each other may be through sharing similar problems and challenges. The relationship may feel less engaging without a problem to discuss or solve, so problems continue to emerge and cycle. If one of you leaps too far ahead, the relationship may be threatened. While you may share dreams and goals with each other, there is a tendency to stay "comfortable" with no one moving too far ahead. Keeping the status quo is the name of the game.

SUGGESTIONS: Enjoy and cultivate these relationships. Become more aware of relating through sharing problems and stories. Focus more on sharing what you desire and appreciate in life."

3. Energy Empowering - This group of people may also be your friends, but there is a distinct difference as their impact challenges you beyond your "comfort zone". This group may include mentors, authors, leaders, business associates or those deemed wildly successful. This group sets the example of what you aspire to emulate. They may have a life that you admire, respect or are striving for. They are an example of possibility to you. They inspire, empower, lead and challenge you to grow. They may believe more in you than you do in yourself, and encourage you to live your highest potential. These people aren't always the "easiest" to be around because their nature demands the best from you. While challenging, these relationships fulfill the need you have to evolve, accelerating growth, success and fulfillment. Their presence is so potent, that even short time periods are often very influential.

SUGGESTIONS: Consciously seek out more of these individuals out and spend time with them. Ask them questions. Pay attention to their habits, values, beliefs and state of being. See yourself as their peer. Look for ways that you can contribute value to them.

The next step is to write down the 5-10 people you admire, respect and value most. Maybe they are an acquaintance or someone you recently met. There may already people in your life that meet the "Energy Empowering" criteria, but you'd enjoy spending more time with them. It doesn't matter how well you know them or not right now. If your list is short, you may want to commit to expanding your circle of influence and "upgrading" as I did years ago.

It all begins by simply being aware of how people are positively, negatively or neutrally affecting you. This is enough to allow you to make new conscious choices.

While I've continue to expand my associations through the years, I periodically check in with this potent exercise. I am also quick to notice the Energy Drains in my life, a limit my associations. Fortunately, through the years of intention, I am wildly blessed with an abundance of associations that I truly admire and respect. In recent years, spending time with all of the people I enjoy is the greater challenge. But, that's a quality problem I'd wish on anyone.

DIY PVC Wind Generator Blades

When you're first starting out with a wind generator I recommend DIY PVC wind generator blades. The reason being that they are quite easy to build and they can be built fairly cheaply as well.

When I was building my first wind generator I really didn't have the money for a nice set of blades, so I had to find a way to make some decent blades. After doing quite a bit of research I found that PVC is widely used to make decent quality wind generator blades.

You may be asking "why not wood?". Well, I did make some wooden blades once which worked very well. The only problem is that they would always get a little chip in them which would pierce the watertight coating. The blade would start to absorb moisture and the wind generator was very unbalanced. I have heard of people letting this go on to long and the blade would snap off. For this reason I don't recommend anybody build wooden wind generator blades... they're just too dangerous.

Back to DIY PVC wind generator blades though. These blades work pretty well for wind generators with a diameter of less than 6'. That means that each blade is 3 feet long or less. I've found that if you try to go any bigger the blades bend and wobble to much.

The PVC is actually cut off centered. What I mean by that is a centerline is drawn down the pipe and the blades are off centered from that. After quite a bit of experimentation I've found that they are quite a bit more efficient with this design.

After your blades are cut you do need to sand them down. If you smooth the blade and the edges so that they're nice and rounded they will move through the wind better (which will produce more power). It doesn't take that long to do, but the results are worth it.

Before you can mount your blades you will also need to apply a couple coats of UV protective paint (Tremclad works good). Pretty much any paint will work fine as long as it's rated for exterior and has the UV protection. Why do you need this paint? Well, PVC is strong, but the suns rays make it brittle. After a long time your blades are liable to break (I know this from experience); however, by applying this coat of paint you solve this problem.

Now you can mount your blades to your hub. It's a fairly straightforward job... simply drill a couple holes and bolt everything together.

Before you mount your blades on your motor you should balance them first. I usually mount them on something that spins (steel rod with some pillow block bearings) and just spin and mark which blade is on the bottom. If it's consistent I'll remove a little weight and repeat the process.

Find the Best Low Cost Affordable Dental Plan

When searching for the best Dental Plan it is important to know what kind of coverage you are seeking. There are many different types of plans to fit your needs but you should know if you need a lot of dental work or just a maintenance plan before you sign up for dental coverage.

You want a plan that you know what the premiums are going to be every month and that there are no hidden fees that when you make a dental visit you get zapped with. These out of pocket expenses can be avoided by making sure you know what the plan is before you sign up.

It is also important to find a plan that id affordable for you and your family. There are many affordable dental plans out there but make sure that you get one that is affordable and that also gives you the coverage that you need. You do not want to have cheap insurance and have a lower standard of care for your teeth. You must find a common ground between price and care that fits your needs the best.

You also want to make sure that you find a company that has a great customer support system so that when you need help and have questions they are there for your needs. There is nothing worse than waiting on a phone when you have a tooth problem and can not get though to get help.

Remember that when searching for cheap low cost dental insurance that you find a plan that is right for you and your family.

Understanding Your Auto Insurance Coverage

First thing that comes to your mind after thinking of getting a car is: All of us who have a car have to have car insurance, the reason...first if all, its the Law, and secondly its a need. More people are looking for car insurance rates than ever before, more people are switching insurance than ever before. The reason is simple, everybody wants to save a buck or two, but sometimes you pay a big price for saving those few bucks a month. So before you check insurance rates again, it is very important that you understand key coverages in an automobile insurance policy.

COVERAGE FOR THE "OTHER GUY"

1. Liability Limit

The liability limits of your car insurance policy are basically for the "other guy". If you hit somebody and that's your fault, the other guy will get paid out of your liability limits for:

i. His (or his passengers') bodily injuries; and

ii. Damage to his car and/or other property.

Liability limits are also two types. First and the most common type is "Split Limit" coverage when you have your limits split between Bodily Injury Per Person, Bodily Injury Per Accident and Property Damage Per Accident. You will see on your policy limits written as

Bodily Injury 20,000 Per Person/40,000 Per Accident

Property Damage 15,000 per accident

The Second or Less common type is "Combined Single Limit" or CSL. You will see only one figure on your policy in front of liability Limits for eg.

Liability Per person/per accident 100,000

Now, the question arises that how much liability coverage do you need? Every state has a minimum Liability limit requirements, For Eg. the state of Maryland requires us to have a minimum of, For Bodily Injury, $20,000 per person/$40,000 Per accident and For property damage $15,000. For simplicity sake, they are read as 20/40/15. However State of Maryland is increasing the bodily injury limits to 30/60 in 2011. Minimums are usually not enough, So DO talk to your about evaluating your insurance needs and suggest you a limit right for you.

COVERAGE FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

1. Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

So what happens, when you become a victim of "Hit and Run" or the other guy who hit you, does not have enough coverage to pay off your expenses or does not have insurance? Your Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage covers you and your car. These limits are ideally same as your liability limits. In Maryland you may choose to have lower UM coverage, but you have to sign a waiver. I would never recommend doing that.

2. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage:

In Maryland, we are required to carry PIP coverage, minimum $2500. It covers you for lost wages or hospitalization expenses upto $2500 if you get hurt in an accident. You can either have full PIP (i.e. including family) or Limited PIP (i.e. excluding family). Full PIP will cover the "Other Guy" and You and Your Family, both and Limited PIP will only cover the "Other Guy". Full PIP is always recommended. If you reside outside MD, please consult your agent for Personal Injury or TORT coverage in your State.

COVERAGE FOR YOUR CAR.

This part of your coverages are optional and you can choose if you do or do not want them in your policy.

1. Collision:

This coverage will cover damage to your car that is due to a accident. Your insurance co would require you to have a deductible for this coverage. A deductible is your share in the loss. So your company will pay for whatever it take to repair or replace your car minus your deductible. What is a good deductible? depends on how much would you be willing to pay from your pocket. A general rule is higher the deductible, lower the premium and lower the deductible, higher the premium. You vehicles current book value is another important factor in deciding about your deductible. If your vehicles model year is 10 years older than today, them may be Collision coverage (or full coverage) is not worth it, because if your vehicle is declared a total loss (totaled) then your insurance company will pay the book value of your vehicle minus the collision deductible. If you own a 1995 vehicles and its current book value is, say, $500 and your collision deductible is $500, then you wont get anything despite paying the premium for your collision coverage for years!

2. Comprehensive:

In easy term, Other than Collision. This coverage will cover damage to your vehicle for something other than a car accident, for e.g. a tree falls on your car, or somebody breaks the window and steels something from inside the car. You will be required to have some deductible here too.

3. Towing/Roadside Assistance

This coverage provides the peace of mind that if your vehicle gets disabled on the road, you can call your company for a tow truck and have some of your expenses reimbursed or paid by your insurance company. This coverage is usually not expensive and is good to have it on your policy.

4. Rental Coverage/Loss of Use

If your vehicles is disabled after an accident and is going to be in the shop for several days, you would still need a vehicle to go to and from work or school. If you add this coverage, your rental charges for a replacement car will be paid by your insurance upto your purchased limit.

You may find other optional coverages, like Medical Payments, Sound System coverage (for custom built sound system in your vehicles), death indemnity, new car replacement, lease-loan gap etc. It is always a good idea to go over your coverages with your agent every time you renew your policy. Terrible things happen every day on the roads and none of those people ever thought it could happen to them. Do make sure that you are covered!