Money Making Hobby - Do You Have One?

Everyone has a hobby. We love all kinds of music, sports, movies, books... We have pets, we grow flowers, we build houses, buy cars... Some of us even love our jobs (boy, those are the lucky ones)...

Dale Carnegie said:

"Today is life - the only life you are sure of. Make the most of today. Get interested in something. Shake yourself awake. Develop a hobby. Let the winds of enthusiasm sweep through you. Live today with gusto."

Our hobbies help us to relax and forget our everyday problems and troubles.

We are all experts in one or more fields of our lives.

But I am sure that not everyone has a hobby that makes money for him/her (except, of course, if you love your job).

Just imagine, wouldn't it be great if you could have a money making hobby? You could get involved even more with what you already love to do, you could treat your family and friends with the extra cash, or... even quit your current job that you probably hate.

You see, everyone can make money with his/her hobby, and I am going to reveal it to you in a minute...

There are millions of people who have the same hobbies and interests just like you. Everyone is searching for more information about their hobbies and passions. Take a guess - what is the best place to find the information today? I think you will agree that the World Wide Web (the Internet) is one of the best places on the Earth to look for information related to your hobby. Millions of people use the Internet to find the answers to the questions they have, to solve the problems they encounter every day.

So, how could you make money with your hobby? It's simple - build your own web site (online business) about your hobby.

EVERYONE can DO it!

Ken Evoy, internationally acclaimed Internet marketer, developed a system - SiteBuildIt! (SBI!) - that helps anyone to create professional web sites about his/her hobbies, interests and passions. Hundreds (maybe even thousends) of SBI! users have already quit their jobs and now are making a living from the comfort of their own homes, doing what they love - creating web content about their hobbies.

Each web site built by SBI! is search engine optimized. It means that when you build your own web site with the SBI! tools, the traffic to your web pages is guaranteed through search engines.

And it doesn't matter what your hobby is - Ken takes you by hand and explains how you can make money from the traffic received to your web site. What matters is - you create information-rich content pages about what you know and love - about your hobby!

If you think that you cannot write web content - forget it, you can! - SBI! will guide you step-by-step from developing your web site's concept to brainstorming hundreds of profitable related keywords; building a themed web site; generating motivated, targeted search engine traffic that wants to click on your recommendations, links to the related products sold by merchants that you will represent.

Note that this is not a "get rich quick" scheme. It will require lots of your energy, work and time. The bottom line is that you will have a hobby that makes money for you!

So, if you don't have a money making hobby yet, sell what you already know and love (your hobby), find a niche that you feel passionate about, and achieve increadible results driving targeted search engine traffic to your web site and earning big checks from affiliate marketing. For more information visit:

http://www.1st-in-rewards.com/search-engine-traffic.html

Gerardas Norkus is a successful author and publisher of http://www.1st-in-rewards.com

Great tips on receiving free merchandise and money from top on-line rewards and incentives programs.

(c) Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.

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A Cheap and Natural Way to Healthy Skin

Healthy skin happens when we eats good foods, have enough exercise, minimize stress and protect our skin from the harsh environment.

Certain foods are especially beneficial to the skin. Garlic is one such food. It contains sulphur compounds (which give it its rather strong odor) which are beneficial to your skin. It also acts as a natural antibiotic and cleanses the whole system. If you like garlic, eat it as much as you can. If the smell worries you, chew a piece of parsley afterwards and this will neutralize it. Odorless garlic tablets are available if this is all too hard.

Vitamin C is probably the most important skin vitamin in my opinion. Not least because the human body can neither make it or store it. This vitamin helps collagen formation which keeps the skin looking young and plump. This could be why smoker's skin can look older than a non smoker's. Smoking also uses up the oxygen in the blood. Give it up if humanly possible or at least cut it down.

Vitamin C is best consumed together with bioflavonoids, the way it is normally found in nature. The two have a synergistic effect. They can be found in Citrus fruit, berries such as strawberries and blueberries and vegetables such as broccoli.

Broccoli also contain vitamin A, an important vitamin for skin as it helps it fight infection from the inside out. Great for those with acne! Have some every other day if you can.

Carrots are a great source of carotenoids such as "beta-carotene" which your body converts to vitamin A . Beta-carotene is absorbed into the skin and can also protect it from the sun's harmful UV rays. Carrots also contain "alpha carotene" which protects against free radical damage. Carrots are a great way to get your vitamin A as excess carotenoids are expelled by the body. Too much vitamin A is toxic to the body.

Dark leafy green vegetables, particularly kale and spinach are a good source of zinc and iron. Iron will make sure your skin gets enough oxygen and zinc is a great pimple fighter. Eat some every day if you possible can or include some in a fresh juice.

Parsley deserves a separate mention as it is rich in just about all the skin boosting nutrients. It contains beta carotene, chlorophyll, vitamin B12, folic acid (great for firm skin), vitamin C and iron. Parsley can be added to juices, casseroles, sprinkled over any savory dish or simply chewed by itself. Its great for fresh breath too. Parsley is easy to grow, pop some in a pot and keep it near the kitchen door.

Olive oil is fabulous for dry skin and wrinkles. Use it for cooking - it contains monounsaturated fats and anti oxidants- or slather it on your skin after a bath.

Flaxseeds and flax oil (also known as linseed) contain the essential omega 3 oils not found in many foods. (Fish also contains omega 3). Flaxseeds contain fiber and phytoestrogens which balance the body's hormones and are vital for younger looking skin. Sprinkle some on your cereal or use in soups and stews.

Avocados give skin (especially dry skin) a boost. Although fairly high in fat, its the healthy monounsaturated kind which makes dry skin supple. Avocados contain glutathione which is one of the most powerful antioxidants around and will prevent cell damage in all skin types. They are also high in potassium.

Drink as much water as you can, this flushes out toxins and helps to hydrate the skin. If you can't drink eight glasses a day - I can't unless its 40 degrees - then just drink as much as you can without being uncomfortable.

Skin needs sufficient protein to replace and repair itself. Most of us have plenty of protein in our diets but a lot of it comes with a lot of fat attached. If you can substitute low fat items e.g. milk, peanut butter, cheese etc, then do so. You'll still be eating the same amount. Lean meat is fine, fish is even better as it contains natural omega 3 oils which are great for your skin and your health.

Try and add as many fruits and vegetables as possible to your diet. If you 're a committed junk food "junkie" this may seem impossible, but if you tackle it in small bites (pun intended!) It will be easy. Commit yourself to healthy foods on certain days of the week or drink water instead of soda in the afternoons. When this becomes comfortable, expand it to every day. Its just breaking old habits and replacing them with new ones. After a while you'll be comfortable with it. And you'll feel better and loose weight too.

The purists tell us that all vitamins and minerals can be obtained from foods and there is no need for us to take supplements. In theory this is true, however the stress of life today probably robs our system of vitamin B. Smoking uses up about 35 mg of vitamin C per day.

Added to this, the practice of storing fresh produce for extended amounts of time, can't help but deplete the natural vitamins in these foods. The pollution in our cities and some of our bad habits like eating junk and smoking (who me?) leads to the production of free radicals in the body. For this we need an antioxidant which contains among others beta carotene (a precursor of vitamin A), vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, lycopene (found in tomatoes) and zinc.

Healthy skin loves exercise! It doesn't matter what kind. Walking, jogging, all types of sport, aerobics, thumping around in the gym, whatever you enjoy try and fit it in three times a week. If you don't enjoy any exercise, find one! Join a group of people or find a walking buddy, you will get to enjoy it I promise!

Stress is bad for you and bad for your skin. Stress will slow the circulation of blood to the skin causing a shortage of oxygen to the cells. It will also deplete certain nutrients from the body - for example vitamin B. It can ruin your sleep thus preventing the repair and regeneration of skin cells. It will put worry lines on your face and will make you look old before your time! Who needs it? No-one! check out this page on stress to see how you can deal with this incapacitating disorder now!

As you may have gathered from all this, having a healthy skin is the same as having a healthy body, it's worth maintaining a good diet and lifestyle so you not only look great but you feel great too!

Like to have better looking skin? http://www.holistic-facial-skin-care.com will give you detailed information on all facets of skin care. The author, Wendy Owen has had a lifetime interest in general and alternative health and skin care.

Bipolar Disorder - Consistently Inconsistent

Clinical depression is indeed challenging. But when mania is added to the equation, the result is called bipolar disorder.^% "The only consistent thing about bipolar disorder is that it is inconsistent," says a sufferer named Lucia. During mania, notes The Harvard Mental Health Letter, bipolar patients "can be unbearably intrusive and domineering, and their reckless and restless euphoria may suddenly change into irritability or rage."

Lenore recalls her experience with the exhilaration of mania. "I was absolutely brimming over with energy," she says. "Many called me a superwoman. People would say, 'I wish I could be more like you.' I often felt a great sense of power, as though I could accomplish anything. I exercised furiously. I functioned on very little sleep—two or three hours a night. Yet, I woke up with that same high energy level."

In time, however, a dark cloud began to hover over Lenore. "At the height of my euphoria," she says, "I would feel an agitation from somewhere deep inside, a motor running that could not be shut off. In a flash, my agreeable mood would become aggressive and destructive. I would verbally pounce on a family member for no apparent reason. I was furious, hateful, and completely out of control. After this frightening display, I would suddenly become exhausted, tearful, and extremely depressed. I felt worthless and wicked. On the other hand, I might switch back to my amazingly cheerful self, as if nothing had ever happened."

“Stability is a place that bipolar people visit. None of us actually live there.”—GLORIA

The erratic behavior of bipolar disorder is a source of confusion to family members. Mary, whose husband suffers from bipolar disorder, states: "It can be confusing to see my husband happy and talkative and then suddenly become despondent and withdrawn. It's a real struggle for us to accept the fact that he has little control over this."

Ironically, bipolar disorder is often just as distressful—if not more so—to the sufferer. "I envy people who have balance and stability in their lives," says a bipolar patient named Gloria. "Stability is a place that bipolar people visit. None of us actually live there."

What causes bipolar disorder? There is a genetic component—one that is stronger than that of depression. "According to some scientific studies," says the American Medical Association, "immediate family members—parents, siblings, or children—of people with bipolar depression are 8 to 18 times more likely than the close relatives of healthy people to develop the illness. In addition, having a close family member with bipolar depression may make you more vulnerable to major depression."

In contrast with depression, bipolar disorder seems to afflict men and women equally. Most often, it begins in young adulthood, but cases of bipolar disorder have been diagnosed in teenagers and even children. Nevertheless, analyzing the symptoms and arriving at the proper conclusion can be highly challenging even for a medical expert. "Bipolar disorder is the chameleon of psychiatric disorders, changing its symptom presentation from one patient to the next, and from one episode to the next even in the same patient," writes Dr. Francis Mark Mondimore of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "It is a phantom that can sneak up on its victim cloaked in the darkness of melancholy but then disappear for years at a time—only to return in the resplendent but fiery robes of mania."

Clearly, mood disorders are difficult to diagnose and can be even more difficult to live with. But there is hope for sufferers.

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Depression

MOOD disorders are alarmingly common. It is estimated, for example, that more than 330 million people worldwide suffer from serious depression, a condition characterized by overwhelming sadness and a loss of pleasure in everyday activities. It has been estimated that in 20 years, depression will be outranked only by cardiovascular disease. Little wonder that it has been called "the common cold of mental illness."

In recent years bipolar disorder has received greater public attention. Traits of this illness include severe mood swings that vacillate between depression and mania. "During the depressed phase," says a recent book published by the American Medical Association, "you may be haunted by thoughts of suicide. During the manic phase of your illness, your good judgment may evaporate and you may not be able to see the harm of your actions."

Bipolar disorder may affect 2 percent of the population in the United States, meaning that there are millions of sufferers in that country alone. Sheer numbers, though, cannot describe the tormenting experience of living with a mood disorder.

Depression—Overwhelming Sadness

Most of us know what it is like to experience a wave of sadness. In time—perhaps in just a matter of hours or days—the feeling subsides. Clinical depression, however, is far more serious. In what way? "Those of us who are not depressed know that the rides our emotions take us on eventually end," explains Dr. Mitch Golant, "but the depressed individual experiences the ups and downs, twists and turns of his feelings as if on a runaway train without a clear sense of how or when—or even if—he can ever get off."

Clinical depression can take many forms. Some people, for example, have what is called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which manifests itself during a particular time of year—usually winter. "People with SAD report that their depressions worsen the farther north they live and the more overcast the weather," says a book published by the People's Medical Society. "While SAD has been linked mainly to dark winter days, in some cases it's been associated with dark indoor work spaces, unseasonable cloudy spells and vision difficulties."

What causes clinical depression? The answer is not clear. While in some cases there seems to be a genetic link, in most instances life experiences appear to play an important role. It has also been noted that it is diagnosed in twice as many women as men.* But this does not mean that men are unaffected. On the contrary, it is estimated that between 5 and 12 percent of men will become clinically depressed at some point in life.

When this type of depression strikes, it is all-pervasive and affects virtually every aspect of one's life. It "shakes you to the core," says a sufferer named Sheila, "corroding your confidence, self-esteem, your ability to think straight and make decisions, and then when it reaches deep enough, it gives a few hard squeezes just to see if you can hold on."

There are times when a sufferer can gain much relief by talking out his or her feelings with an empathetic listener. (Job 10:1) Even so, it must be acknowledged that when biochemical factors are involved, depression cannot simply be willed away with a positive outlook. Really, in such a case, the dark moods of this illness are beyond the sufferer's control. Furthermore, the sufferer may be as baffled by the condition as family members and friends are.

Consider Paula,^# a Christian who endured crippling episodes of intense sadness before her depression was diagnosed. "Sometimes after Christian meetings," she says, "I would rush out to my car and weep, for no reason at all. I just had this overwhelming sense of loneliness and pain. Although all the evidence showed that I had many friends who cared for me, I was blind to it."

Something similar happened to Ellen, whose depression required that she be hospitalized. "I have two sons, two lovely daughters-in-law, and a husband—all of whom I know love me very much," she says. Logic, it seems, would tell Ellen that life is good and that she is precious to her family. But on the battlefield of depression, dark thoughts—no matter how irrational—can overwhelm the sufferer.

Not to be overlooked is the significant impact that one person's depression can have on the rest of the family. "When someone you love is depressed," writes Dr. Golant, "you may live with a chronic sense of uncertainty, never really knowing when your loved one will recover from a depressive episode or fall into a new one. You can feel profound loss—even grief and anger—that life has deviated, maybe permanently, from the norm."

Often, children can detect a parent's depression. "A depressed mother's child becomes highly attuned to his mother's emotional states, carefully observing every nuance and change," writes Dr. Golant. Dr. Carol Watkins notes that children of a depressed parent are "more likely to have behavioral problems, learning difficulties, and peer problems. They are more likely to become depressed themselves."

Symptoms of Major Depression

• A depressed mood, most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks
• Loss of interest in once pleasurable activities
• Significant weight loss or gain
• Excessive sleep or the opposite, insomnia
• An abnormal speeding or slowing of motor skills
• Excessive fatigue, with no discernible cause
• Feelings of worthlessness and/or inappropriate guilt
• Diminished ability to concentrate
• Recurring thoughts of ending it all

Some of these symptoms may also indicate dysthymia—a mild but more chronic form of depression

* This list is presented to serve as an overview and not to provide a basis for making a self-diagnosis. Also, some of the symptoms by themselves may be symptoms of other problems besides depression.

Can Internet Dating Really Be Dangerous?

• “On the Internet, you may not actually know who the other person is.”—Dan, 17.*
• “People can lie on the Internet. It’s easy to put on a front.”—George, 26.

INTERNET dating continues to grow in popularity worldwide. As the preceding article in this series discussed, Internet romances may blossom quickly, but they often wither when reality sets in.^# Still, there is a greater cause for concern than mere disappointment. Dating in this fashion may put you in serious danger—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

How can something that looks so innocent and safe—a computer terminal right in your own home—actually present a danger to you? Some of the dangers are related to an important Bible principle. The apostle Paul wrote: “We wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things.” (Hebrews 13:18) Now, this is not to suggest that it is dishonest to use the Internet or even that using the Internet will make you dishonest. However, we must recognize that other people often are not honest and that as the quotations at the outset of this article illustrate, the Internet seems to make certain kinds of dishonesty easier to practice and harder to detect. And when it comes to romantic attachments, dishonesty presents terrible dangers.

For example, note the kind of dishonesty described in this Bible verse: “I have not sat with men of untruth; and with those who hide what they are I do not come in.” (Psalm 26:4) What is meant by “those who hide what they are”? Some Bible translations here read “hypocrites.” As one reference work notes, this expression can be applied to “those who hide their purposes or designs from others, or who conceal their real character and intentions.” How is such dishonesty practiced on the Internet? And what dangers does this present to those who are looking for romance?

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

A father named Michael was alarmed to learn at a seminar that a large proportion of children disobey parental rules against visiting dangerous Web sites. “What troubled me even more,” he says, “was the shocking realization that pedophiles can use the Internet to lure minors into debased sexual activities.” When youths use the Internet to meet new people, they can be in far more danger than they realize.

Indeed, there have been news reports of adult sexual predators who pretend to be youths as they prowl the Internet seeking to prey on young ones. According to one study, “one-in-five kids who uses the Internet has been solicited for sex.” One newspaper also stated that 1 child in 33 between ages 10 and 17 were “aggressively stalked” through computer conversations.

Some young people have found, to their surprise, that the “youth” with whom they shared a budding romance over the Internet was actually an adult prison inmate. Other young ones have unwittingly become involved with sexual predators. These vile people first “groom” a prospective victim, building trust through friendly on-line chat. In time, though, they seek to meet in person in order to carry out their perverted desires. Tragically, young people have been beaten, raped, and even murdered as a result.

Wicked people do, indeed, “hide what they are” in order to find victims on the Internet. Such predators might remind you of Jesus’ illustration about false prophets who “come to you in sheep’s covering” but in truth are like “ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) Anonymous communication through the Internet can make it almost impossible to see through such deception. “When you talk with someone in person,” says George, quoted earlier, “you may learn something from his facial expressions and the tone of his voice. But on the Internet you don’t get any of that. It’s easy to be fooled.”

Wise, indeed, is the Bible’s advice: “Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty.” (Proverbs 22:3) Granted, not everyone you meet over the Internet is a dangerous predator. However, there are additional ways in which people “hide what they are.”

The Dangers of Deception and Secrecy

Not surprisingly, a common practice among those seeking romance on the Internet is to exaggerate or invent good traits and to minimize or conceal serious faults. Further, The Washington Post quoted an author as saying: “Internet dating can be bad because people get deceived.” It adds: “People often switch sexes. . . . Income levels, . . . race, criminal records, mental health histories and marital status often remain secret long into relationships.” To warn others, many people have reported painful experiences of being misled by Internet dates.

Will people lie about something as important as their own spiritual side? Sadly, yes—some claim to be true Christians when they are not. Why all the deception? Again, one factor is that the Internet makes it easy. A young man from Ireland named Sean admits: “It’s very easy to pretend to be something you’re not when you’re typing onto a computer screen.”

Many people take all this deception lightly, rationalizing that it is only natural to lie a little bit when embarking on a romance. Remember, though, that God hates lying. (Proverbs 6:16-19) And for good reason. Much of the pain and misery in this world stems from lying. (John 8:44) Dishonesty is the worst possible basis for any relationship, especially one that is intended to lead to a lifelong union. Worse, dishonesty is a spiritual danger; it damages the liar’s relationship with Jehovah God.

Sadly, some young people have fallen into another sort of dishonesty. They have pursued relationships using the Internet and have hidden the fact from their parents. For example, the parents of a teenage son were startled one day when a young woman who did not share the family’s Christian beliefs arrived unexpectedly at their home after traveling over 1,000 miles [1,500 km]. Their son had been dating her on-line for six months, but they knew nothing about her existence until that moment!

“How could this happen?” the parents asked. They thought, ‘Our son could not possibly have fallen for someone whom he had never met in person.’ In fact, their son had been deceiving them—in effect, hiding what he really was. Would you not agree that such deceptions are a poor foundation for a courtship?

Choosing the Real Over the Virtual

Internet dating may present other dangers. In some cases, an on-line friend can become more real than the people whom you see each day. Family, friends, and responsibilities become secondary. A young woman named Monika, in Austria, says: “I started to neglect important relationships because I spent much time on the computer with people I met on-line.” Troubled by this insight, she decided to quit using the Internet that way.

When it comes to courtship, there is no substitute for meeting face-to-face

Of course, many are able to make balanced use of the Internet. Communication by E-mail can be a very helpful way to stay in touch with friends and loved ones. Surely you would agree, though, that nothing is quite the same as face-to-face contact. If you are “past the bloom of youth”—the time when sexual desires are at their peak—and are interested in marriage, you are facing one of the most important choices you will make in your life. (1 Corinthians 7:36) By all means, make a responsible decision.

The Bible advises: “Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps.” (Proverbs 14:15) Rather than believing all that is written to you by someone you have never met, consider your steps carefully. It is far wiser to initiate meeting and making friends in person. Find out if you are truly compatible, especially when it comes to your spiritual goals and values. Such a courtship can lead to a truly happy marriage.