Have You Seen My Boss?

I work for a huge organization and have never met the guy in charge. Rumor has it, that there might not be one single person in charge, but a committee of talented and caring individuals. Great, I don't even know for sure who I'm ultimately working for.

I've heard it said that I'm not alone. Apparently there's an enormous amount of staff all doing various assignments, some in management, some in communications, some in marketing and advertising, some in product development, and quite a few new recruits who really have no idea what they're going to be doing. I work alone in my little cubical without much interaction with my coworkers. I'm not really sure why that is, but from what I'm told, my work is done best without the distraction of others. Oh well, I think I would like to have coworkers around to distract me, but what do I know? I know I've gone through extensive training and am getting pretty good at my job. I'm starting to feel comfortable here. I like my work. From what I've read in the company newsletters, memos, and emails, other people are being trained together in groups, and quite a few are cross-training in and out of each others departments.

A lot of us have children and we're encouraged to bring them to work with us. My three seem to dart in and out of my work area on a regular basis. They show up a lot in my work. Sometimes they help me and other times they would rather just play at being kids. Since my boss doesn't seem to mind if they are here or not, I just sort of let them come and go in and out of my work as much as they like. I wonder if they'll end up working here too. I really want for them to love their jobs like I do, and I encourage them to be whatever they want when they grow up. However, if I was completely honest, I'd love it if they'd follow in my footsteps and come do this with me.

I've also noticed that the company really supports coworkers dating each other and will usually set up husband and wife teams to work together on projects. I think that's really cool. I look forward to some day working side by side with a partner. I haven't really dated anyone from this company yet. I think that most of my coworkers seem pretty nice and it might be the one place where it's safe to date your coworkers, but I'm just not sure yet.

The schedule is really great. I get to make my own hours especially because of working around my kids' schedule. My boss is very understanding of the fact that we're all parents, sisters, brothers, sons, and daughters. It's the most family friendly company I've ever worked for. We are all allowed flextime, job sharing, and as much parental leave as you could ever dream of. It's not that we don't have deadlines and really important time tables, it's just that there's always someone else who can pick up and run with your project if you need to stop and focus on something else for a bit. When you come back to work, you may be reassigned to another project if you've been gone too long and the original project was in jeopardy of not being completed on time, but nobody gets mad at you for it and everyone seems really happy to pitch in wherever needed. You can work as much or as little as you like and you're free to work from home too.

You do get called into meetings but everyone's pretty straight up and they let you argue the point if you don't like the assignment handed out to you. The management will explain their reasoning for just about everything. The only thing I can't get them to tell me is who is the big boss in charge of this whole operation. While in the meetings, they really make you feel like you're a valuable member of the company. I always come away from the meetings feeling really inspired and ready to take on the world! I usually forget all about trying to figure out who the boss is because I feel so good about working for such a great organization.

The pay scale is nothing like anywhere else I've ever worked. They say that we can pick our own salary just so long as we really believe that we're worthy of it. Apparently, if you try to bluff and say you're worth more than you really think you are, then they find out and reduce your pay check to match what you secretly think is your value. I'm not always sure how they do that part, but it does seem to work. There have been times when I've told myself I was worth more and then didn't get the raise in pay. Later upon retrospect, I realized that they were right and I was just saying that to try to convince myself. They do however guarantee you a minimum wage that is enough to cover all of your basic needs. You never go hungry and if you want a roof over your head, then one will be provided. Compensation is really up to you after the basics are met. You determine how much work you're going to do for them, how much it's worth, and the value you put on it is the amount you'll collect.

I must confess that I don't even know the name of the company I work for. I've heard us called Lightworkers, Hippies, Christians, Buddhists, New Age, Pagans, Mind-Body-Spirit types, psychics, channels, freaks, dreamers, Starseeds, aliens, angels, and the enlightened ones. I've also heard that we work for God, Spirit, aliens, angels, the Collective Unconsciousness, and Mother Earth. I love my job and this organization. I'm so glad they recruited me.

Copyright 2003, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow's Edge

How Will PPC Search Engine Marketing Increase My Online Business

In the year 1998, the idea of selling search ads was formulated by GoTo. Users could purchase search results for as cheap as one or two pennies per click. In a short time, this system evolved into one of the most competitive marketplaces in the world. Using pay-per-click or PPC search engine marketing, online business owners can get instant traffic to their site and do real-time testing of business models.

In some cases, an online business owner does not want to wait for the Web site to naturally climb the search engine results lists. Using PPC search engine marketing, the site can quickly top the list. This allows the online business owner to quickly gather feedback regarding marketing conditions, engage in idea prototypes for tracking demand, and access a live audience to gather real-time results for ad testing.

Using PPC, the advertiser will only pay the host when the ad is clicked. For search engines, advertisers bid on relevant keyword phrases. On content sites, a fixed price per click is usually charged. Before beginning PPC search engine marketing, a site owner should learn how to conduct keyword research and how to target and write ads. An analysis of what and how the competition is doing with its Internet marketing is also recommended.

Once these areas have been addressed, an ad can be created to offer a certain product or service. If the number of click-throughs is inadequate, the product could be being marketed from the wrong angle or to the wrong target audience. On search engines, this could also mean that the business owner did not bid high enough to get desired exposure. An unrelated cause may be the fact that the market is simply not ready for the product.

Within the PPC search engine marketing world, Google AdWords, Yahoo! Search Marketing, and Microsoft AdCenter are three major players. Online business owners should try these before moving on to any of the other networks. Web sites that display PPC ads show an ad when the search keywords match the keyword list supplied by the advertiser or when a content-based site displays content that is relevant. These sponsored ads appear above or adjacent to organic search results.

PPC search engine marketing offers online business owners a way to test their advertising efforts without incurring a lot of money. They can figure out which targeted keywords are worth buying and can create effective ads. Affiliates often find more success by generating leads through Google AdWords than attempting to sell affiliate products.

Garagekeepers Legal Liability Vs Garagekeepers Primary Liability Insurance

There are certain commonalities and dissimilarities between garage insurance and garagekeeper liability coverage. The key commonality, and possibly the only similarity, is that the two coverages are needed in the establishments that are associated with using vehicles. The dissimilarities are several, and to understand the differences we will begin with defining both terms.

Garage Liability. This is necessary to provide protection for bodily injury and property damage resulting from garage activities. Garage operations refer to actions connected with ownership, maintenance, and use of sites for garaging businesses. Garage Liability encompasses two major coverages:

1. Garage Liability - Covered Auto: This is probably the most critical coverage that a garage businesses must have. Garages have different auto liability exposure, and for that reason they must have to have different types of insurance. The insurance division came with a Symbol System for Auto Liability. This is a brief overview:

* SYMBOL 21 = Any Auto. This is the most broad symbol where coverage applies to any auto. * SYMBOL 22 = All Owned Autos. Coverage under this code applies to any and all autos that are owned by the establishment, including trailers that are pulled by the owned autos. * SYMBOL 23 = Owned Private Passenger Autos Only. Coverage affiliated with this symbol includes all owned private passenger automobiles. * SYMBOL 24 = Owned Autos Other Than Private Passenger Autos Only. Coverage here applies to other than private passenger type vehicles owned by an insured, including trailers pulled by an owned automobiles. * SYMBOL 25 = Owned Autos Subject to No Fault. This symbol is relevant to any auto which is owned by an insured in any no-fault jurisdictions. * SYMBOL 26 = Owned Autos Subject To A Compulsory Uninsured Motorist Law. This applies to any auto that is owned by the insured in states where uninsured motorists is a compulsory coverage. * SYMBOL 27 = Specifically Described Autos. Coverage is applicable to only certain autos that are specifically scheduled on the policy. * SYMBOL 28 = Hired Autos Only. Coverage applies to vehicles that the insured leases, hires, rents, or borrows from any one who is not an officer, owner or employee of the business. * SYMBOL 29 = Non Owned Autos Only. Coverage applies to vehicles that the insured does not own, lease, hire, rent, or borrow, but that are used in the business. This includes automobiles owned by own partners, staff, or any members of the business while these vehicles are used in the business transactions. * SYMBOL 30 = Autos Left for Service/Repair/Storage. This applies to autos which are left at auto service businesses for maintenance or repair. * SYMBOL 31 = Autos on Consignment. Coverage applies to any and all vehicles left at the location of the insured for sale based on consignment basis. This does not apply to autos left at car dealers.

2. Garage Liability - Other Than Covered Auto: This incorporates features of the Commercial General Liability, other than automobile liability. CGL coverages such as premises (ie slip and fall) are usually insured here.

Garagekeepers Liability Insurance. This is physical damage coverage on customers' automobiles that are left in the custody of the insured for repair or servicing. The coverage options are collision, comprehensive (any thing other than collision), specified causes of loss (fire, lightning, or explosion; theft; or mischief or vandalism).

Garagekeepers can be included as primary or legal. Garagekeepers Legal Liability (also called Garagekeepers Direct Excess, coverage applies to losses in excess of the vehicle owner's coverage. To put it differently, the policy will pay after the client's vehicle policy pays, and only if the insured is legally responsible for the damage of the vehicle. Garagekeepers Primary Liability (also referred to as Garagekeepers Direct Primary,) the garage insured would share the loss with the auto owner's insurer, regardless of who is at fault. Garagekeepers Primary Liability allows for more protection for garages.

Businesses Needing Garage Liability. The following are instances of businesses that need garage liability:

Towing Operations, Car Dealers, Mechanic Shops, Auto Body Shops, Valet Parking, Lube Shops, Car Washes, or any businesses that deal in the trade or service of with automobiles industries.

Sibenik Yacht Charter

Sibenik is a beautiful city and an excellent starting point for exploring the national parks of Krka, Kornati and Telascica Bay. There are charter boats in the marinas of Marina Mandalina, located near the centre of town, and Marina Solaris.

What You Need - Experience, Qualifications, Visa Requirements, etc. - The skipper of the boat is required to have an ICC certificate or equivalent.

Charter Season - The best season for a yacht charter in Croatia is early summer with good winds in May and June mainly from the S/SE. Mornings tend to be calm with the wind increasing later in the afternoon to around 15 - 20 knots. The months of July and August in Croatia see calmer conditions which is OK for those who don't mind motoring on their yacht charter.

Weather - The climate of Croatia's coast is typical of the Mediterranean and provides for pleasant holidays throughout the year. Summer temperatures average between 26 to 30°C and the sea temperature in summer is about 25ºC.

Time Difference - GMT +1

How to Get There - The nearest airport is Split (SPU). Scheduled services fly from major European cities. There are additional charter flights in the summer.

Currency - The local currency is the Kuna. The Euro is accepted almost everywhere in Croatia

Language - Croatian, with both German and English spoken widely

Food & Drink - Croatian cooking is typically Mediterranean with fish, shellfish, fresh vegetables and olive oil taking centre stage. Varieties of fish include dogs tooth, gilthead, grouper, mackerel, sardines and sea bass. You will find cuttlefish, octopus and squid, lobsters, mussels, oysters and shrimps. These are presented grilled or in stews and risottos. The local smoked ham is very good. Lamb is also highly regarded, especially baked on an open fire. There are some interesting local dishes, some found on individual islands, to be sought out or avoided. Take Vitalec as an example - lambs offal wrapped in lamb gut and spike-roasted, not everbodys idea of culinary heaven. Pag and Dubrovnik produce high quality sheep's cheese. Pag's is known as Paski-Sir, a hard, distinctively flavoured cheese. The unique flavour comes from the method of rubbing the cheese with olive oil and ash before leaving it to mature; in addition, the sheep eat a diet that includes many wild herbs such as sage. Dalmatian desserts are good too. The most usual ingredients include almonds, eggs, honey, local fruit, dried figs and raisins. Try Orehnjaca, a sweet bread with walnuts or poppy seeds. Palacinke are pancakes usually served with jam or chocolate. Dalmatian wines have been regarded highly since ancient times. Famous wines include Babic from Primosten, Dingac and Postup from the Peljesac Peninsula and Plancic from the island of Hvar. There are also good local brandies and liqueurs.

Suggested Itinerary;

Day 1 - Join the boat in Sibenik in either Marina Mandalina, located near the centre of town, or Marina Solaris.

Day 2 - Sibenik - Skradin - 10 miles. Head NE up the Krka River. Skradin is a small town located on the river and at the entrance to the Krka National Park. The main attraction of the park is a series of waterfalls.

Day3 - Skradin - Rogoznica - 25 miles. Return down river and then follow the coast SE to Rogoznica. This attractive fishing village has a naturally protected harbour with good depths. Fresh fish is available every day in the restaurants. Try the fish soup prepared à la Rogoznica.

Day 4 - Rogoznica - Komiza - 38 miles. Head S to the island of Vis. Komiza is situated in a deep bay on the W coast of the island. There are several monasteries and fortresses worth a visit. On summer evenings you can see performances of Klape, harmony-singing groups, and children's choirs on the coastal promenade or in one of local restaurants. Komiza is renowned for its wines.

Day 5 - Komiza - Vis - 10 miles. Sail around the island to the town Vis on the NE coast of the island. The town is located in a large and protected bay. The port of Vis is located in the SW part of the bay. The island is well-known for its wide selection of fish. There are extensive stocks of tuna and large crabs so check out the local restaurants.

Day 6 - Vis - Vela Luka - 30 miles. Head E to the island of Korcula. Vela Luka is located on the W side of the island. There are several museums and galleries located in the town centre

Day 7 - Vela Luka - Korcula - 25 miles. Head to the E side of the island and the town of Korcula, an historic, fortified town still surrounded by fortified walls. The town has mooring facilities. The western harbour provides shelter except from strong northerlies when you are advised to use the eastern harbour. Korcula's historic sites include the central Romanesque-Gothic Cathedral of St Mark, built from 1301 to 1806, the 15th-century Franciscan monastery with a beautiful Venetian Gothic cloister and the massive city fortifications.

Day 8 - Korcula - Scedro - 25 miles. Head NW to Scedro, an island off the south coast of the island of Hvar

Day 9- Scedro - Palmiza. Head N to the island of Hvar. Palmizana has a marina with 200 berths.

Day 10 -Palmizana - Trogir - 25 miles. Head NE and back to the mainland and the town of Trogir which is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of ÄŒiovo. The town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List

Day 11 - Trogir - Primosten - 30 miles. Head NW along the coast to Primosten, famous for its huge and beautiful vineyards. It is also known for the traditional donkey race that takes place there every summer. Primosten's Raduca beaches have been voted amongst the 10 most beautiful beaches in Croatia.

Day 12 - Primosten - Piskera - 35 miles. Head W to Piskera, a small uninhabited island in the Kornati islands National Park

Day 13 - Piskera - Sukosan - 30 miles. Head N and back to the mainland. Sukosan is a popular holiday resort and home to Zlatna Luka Marina. The town itself offers nice walks through the traditional narrow alleys.

Day 14 - Sukosan - Murter - 25 miles. Murter is located in the northwest part of the Sibenik archipelago and is separated from the mainland by a 20m wide sea canal at Tisno.

Day 15 - Murter - Sibenik - 15 miles. Leave the yacht

History of the Area - Croatia has been inhabited since the Stone Age. The Croats arrived in the seventh century in what is Croatia today. The first king, Tomislav I was crowned in AD 925 and Croatia became a Kingdom. The Kingdom of Croatia retained its sovereignty for almost two centuries. Croatia entered a union with Hungary in 1102. In 1526, the Croatian Parliament elected Ferdinand from the House of Habsburg to the Croatian throne. In 1918 Croatia declared independence from Austria-Hungary and joined the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During World War II, the Germans occupied Croatian territory and created the Independent State of Croatia. After the war Croatia became a founding member of the Second Yugoslavia. On June 25, 1991, during a bloody civil war, Croatia declared independence and became a sovereign state.

5 Important Tips For Great Dental Health

Great dental health is important, it is essential for having good overall health, and it is an important part of keeping your teeth healthy so that they will last and you will be able to chew your food when you are older. The following are some great tips for dental health.

1. Get check-ups semi-annually: If you put off visiting the dentist until you are in pain, and your teeth are decaying, then chances are, you will have some bigger problems later. So, don't wait around to see your dentist, visit your dentist a minimum of twice yearly so that you can get a check-up and a professional cleaning. If you visit your dentist often enough, they will be able to help you with prevention of problems. With regular check-ups your dentist will be able to see that you are heading toward a problem before you get there, and can help you prevent it. They can also help you to treat any problems you do have. Regular visits to the dentist will include teeth cleanings and x-rays.

2. Floss regularly: Let's be honest, flossing is important, and we all know it, but yet, most people do not floss daily. You should floss daily because it removes plaque and debris from your teeth that your toothbrush can't reach. If you don't floss, it will lead to tooth decay in between the teeth, no matter how well you brush. When you do floss in order to get great dental health, make sure to floss gently, avoid snapping the floss into your gums as this can cause damage and bleeding, which is not a good thing.

3. Have a good toothbrush, and the right toothpaste, floss, etc.: You have a lot of choices when it comes to toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash. So, how do you know which ones are going to give you the best dental health? Well, choose products that are approved by the ADA. Also, use a toothbrush that has soft bristles so that they don't hurt your gums, and use toothpaste that is fluoride enhanced. Also, should you choose to use mouthwash, choose one that has fluoride as well. For those who can afford a more expensive toothbrush, a good electric toothbrush is ideal for removing plaque, and can do a better job than a manual toothbrush. You may also want to consider using a water pick.

4. Brush with proper technique: There's a big difference in brushing properly and simply brushing your teeth. Running a toothbrush quickly over the surfaces of your teeth does not count as brushing. So, brush at least twice a day. Brush at least two minutes each time you brush. Brush your teeth in a circular motion. When you brush you should be concentrating on the gum line. Change your toothbrush at least once every 3 or 4 months. This is what proper brushing is. So, for great dental health, adopt better brushing habits, if possible, brush more often.

5. Eat healthy foods: The foods and drinks you consume really affect the overall health of your teeth. Limit those foods that are high in sugar, especially juices sodas, and candy. Also, avoid foods that will stain your teeth and make them look more aged than they are. You should not just avoid these foods, but you should make sure that you eat good foods. Eat foods rich in calcium, eat foods that give your body proper nutrients so that they can withstand bacteria, and infection.

Great dental health starts with good hygiene. So follow the above 5 tips for great dental health, and your teeth will look better, cost less, and you will keep them longer and in better shape. Enjoy!

Dental Phobia - What Can I Do to Combat My Fears?

We all want to look and feel our best and a great smile is your first step to feeling fabulous. New dental implants are just one of the various cosmetic dental procedures available to improve your teeth. For some of us the vast array of procedures is a blessing giving us more flexibility over the way we take care of our teeth but for many of us the great number of choices out there presents a huge dilemma - how can I undergo dental surgery when I suffer from dental phobia. This article aims to outline some ways in which you can combat dental phobia.

What is dental phobia?

Dental phobia is a term used to describe the fear and anxiety associated with visiting the dentist. Other terms used to describe this fear are dentist phobia, dentaphobia and ordontophobia. This fear of visiting the dentist is often routed in childhood experiences which may have left us in pain and distress. We are all aware of the stereotypical image of the dentist who enjoys causing pain. The rational adult side of us knows this is not the case but this rational justification doesn't help to take way the worry and anxiety that the mere mention of a trip to the dentist can cause.

How can I stop my Dental phobia?

There are various ways in which you can take control of your anxiety.

Knowledge

Anxiety is often rooted in a fear of the unknown. You can help yourself get through your procedure by educating yourself on all the ins and out and risks of your dental implant procedure. There is a vast array of information available in the public domain. The more you know the better able you will be to cope with the surgery

Relax

Some people find it difficult to relax in the dentist's chair which can heighten anxiety levels. If you are mentally tense then you will be physically tense so one of the easiest ways to combat stress is through body relaxation methods. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises and certain yoga techniques can all help to combat stress and anxiety.

Distraction

Distracting yourself from what is happening in front of you is a method recommended by many clinics to help to relax you mentally. A lot of clinics now recommend the use of personal music devices to help keep you mentally relaxed during your procedure. Many offices are now equipped with Virtual Reality-like glasses. These glasses provide a visual and auditory distraction from your procedure and allow you to watch a video during your procedure.

Having a dental procedure can be a daunting prospect but hopefully this article has identified some ways in which you can minimise your dental phobia in order to have a successful dental implant procedure.

Things Healer's Learn, Part 12 - You Choose Your Dues

Life extracts its toll. Period.

No one escapes trials. They look different for each person. Trauma is relative. The child who comes from a very loving home and environment can be traumatized by something that would seem, to the child growing up in the ghetto, as less-than nothing.

Yet, it isn't nothing. For regardless the cause, when your overriding reality is suddenly disrupted by something unexpected, the reverberations live inside you for a while. There is no set time limit on how long you reel from the aftereffects of any one incident. It takes as long as it takes.

The only variable in the equation is your choice. And it is your choice to compress, eliminate or expand the time it takes you to move away from the cycle of your pain. It is your choice to stay locked into the past or future, or living inside the present moment.

Working within the healing arts exposes you to trauma of all sorts. It is virtually impossible to insulate yourself completely from the pain of others. To compound matters even more, healers often must run through repetitive internal gauntlets of personal doubts about their abilities, skills, sensitivities, and, yes, even intention.

It can be an extremely vicious circle when self-doubt creeps in to the work you're called upon to do. It can begin through any number of ways, but a sure-fire entry point is that place where you accept there are dues to be paid.

In some situations, dues are simply an exchange for services: In return for this, you must pay that. But in a lot of cases, the concept is expanded to include something like if you want to do this, then you have to pay just like that. In essence, dues are a statement that this and that are the way things are; for me, for you, for everybody.

That's where the problem occurs. When you accept someone else's definition of dues (or their way of paying them), as your own, you are living their life, not yours.

Just like with natural consequences, there are natural dues. But they are written in broad strokes implying that, of course, there truly is a passageway and cost to gaining any kind of knowledge and experience. Paradoxically, while dues in general are not specific, the passageways and toll booths leading to them are very specifically designed for the individual.

That's why the dues for you are not necessarily the dues for me. Even though, for example, we both want to be good Doctors, it's going to take you a whole different set of lessons than me to get there.

And don't forget, this concept runs both ways. As you must free yourself from adopting others' paths without taking the time to adapt them to your particular needs, you must also free others to find their own ways without imposing your definition of dues on them.

When you choose to enter into agreement with the concept there are dues to be paid that conform to a fixed, outward-driven criteria - whether this be with yourself or others -- you are moving as if there is only one way to gain experience.

Where that falls flat is that it eliminates the factors of choice and your ability to affect both your circumstances and your attitude. These are among the most powerful tools at your disposal. To impose the concept of dues on them is to choke your potential.

As a healer, it is of paramount importance to live within the what is of the moment. That means maintaining freedom from any assumptions or expectations of how things will work out, or, by extension, what they will cost.

Believing that in any one situation you are just "paying your dues" implies that you're enduring what is happening now, rather than doing something to create a new moment.

Things do happen and you do get affected. These are the dues of life. It is ongoing. Things happen every moment. You are affected every moment. And though we may guess at how long any one particular incident may continue its effect, or how that will specifically manifest itself, we never really know; not for ourselves, not for others.

Dues are, by definition, "that which is deserved, or owed." It does not mean "that which has been pre-determined." When we lock ourselves into a belief system that we're "just paying our dues" we're prolonging our time in a place of reaction rather than action.

Never should we discount the experience of others, but neither should we cling to it as something that defines our own paths. So pay your dues, to people, to situations, to your God, but only that which is earned or deserved. As long as it serves you, as long as there's an even exchange, it's worth it. But when the balance gets off kilter, it's time to start to seek an approach that frees, rather than constricts you.