One Saturday afternoon, while watching old black and white westerns on TV, I wondered about the real cowboys of the 17th and 1800s: their true physical makeup… their true character(s). (s) and lifestyle. I was wondering why the Black Cowboys weren’t featured…or talked about…on TV. I wondered why when we were young we rooted for character actors like John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Buster Crabb, Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter and so many others who came to the rescue of the colonists. We cheered the cavalry with their trumpets blaring as they rode out to save the day. They saved the strong, the women and children, the townspeople, and they rescued the herds every Saturday and Sunday in the movies and on television.

They also killed and massacred the Indians… the Native Americans… the real Americans who… (the Original Homeland Security) have been fighting terrorism since 1492. They, the good guys, killed hundreds of thousands in the name of posterity and the betterment of white America… and we cheer.

We, as young, black moviegoers, book readers, and viewers, cheer for the good guys in white hats who caught the girl and rode off into the sunset… cheer for the all-white cast of heroes and heroines. . Were there no colored heroes? When Chuck Conners played The Great Chieftain Geronimo, we cheered. Charles Bronson introduced Chato… we cheered. We mourned emphatically for the Cheyenne when they were captured and herded. Why didn’t we stop supporting the all-white cast of characters back then…especially when we realized there was such a big difference in racial makeup?

Later, in the ’60s, we have Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte from “Buck and The Preacher.” They were two black characterizations of pioneers who communicated with Native Americans. In this kinship, honest treatment and mutual respect prevailed. Brother Jim Brown was another role model that we all look up to. He got the girl and some freedom too. Although, they would manage to find a way to kill the brother before the movie was over. Where were the common black jeans? heroes who taught white cowboys how to be cowboys? They were taught to ride and lasso… to lead, to fight and to dominate bulldogs. Current and past rodeo shows rarely have black cowboys on their rides… The Black Cowboys had to create their own rodeo show(s) yesterday and today. The white west wanted us to believe that there were no Black Cowboys, only slaves… and we believed them.

We were told that Bill Pickett and Willis Meade (remember Lonesome Dove?) were white when they were actually known to be black… and we believed them. Have you ever seen movies and TV shows where army troops and wagons use scouts that were always white? Did you stop and wonder how these white frontiersmen came to know the lay of the land? How could they communicate with the Native American war parties when all they have done is bring slaughter, ruin and death to these noble people?

The Black Man and the (so-called) Red Man were, in fact, relatives! Did he ever wonder about his friend who told him about his Indian relatives…his grandparents…his great-grandparents? Many of us have been led to believe that they wanted to be identified, like others who are not black, they did not want to be black. People said things like: “they are not Indians, they just don’t want to be black because their heads are in diapers and they want to be like the whites.” We have heard many say that they are children of Cherokee, Seminole or Black Feet. Many of us didn’t believe it… guess what? I have news for you… we were wrong, dead wrong! Not believing them was another of the deceitful paths and stripped heritage denied to us by the descendants of Europeans who claimed this land as their own. We as African Americans have more Indian blood than you think… or would like to believe.

William L. Katz, author of forty books, scholar-in-residence at Teachers College, Columbia University, consultant to the Smithsonian Institution in New York City, has done extensive research on “Black Indian” history. Mr. Katz’s work includes studies and writings on The Black West, Black Women of the Old West, and Afro American Slave Resistance. He has insightful data and information that substantiates our Red, Black, Asian, Latino, Native American, and White bloodlines.

The Old West, as told in white European American history books, refused to acknowledge the fact of black contributions (except slave labor) to the West in America, as well as other facets of the West’s efforts and efforts to build the nation.

Black names in many old (and new) movies and TV shows were in use… but they were given to white characters. William “Bill” Pickett (“The Dark Demon”), Bose (Boise) Ikard, George Monroe, William Robinson, Willis Meade aka Willis Peoples of Meade, Kansas, and Pvt. George Washington were just a few famous black pioneers graced with the use of the name by white film and television actors and filmmakers.

“Today, most Black Indians do not live in the forests or the wide plains of the U.S. Rooster reservations on Long Island, New York. But many more walk the busy streets of nearby New York City They are found in abundance in the concrete caverns of Boston, Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, Cleveland and Detroit,” according to Katz.

Tourists visiting Oklahoma City, Oklahoma can see the monument to black cowboy Bill Pickett at the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Known as the “Dark Demon,” Pickett is credited with inventing the sport “Bulldogging” and was a star of the 101 Ranch Show. Ranch owner Bill Miller considered Pickett the best cowboy he had ever met. Pickett died in 1935. The “Good Night Trail” was the route along which huge herds of steers were herded. Charles Goodnight, a white man, owned the herds. The trail led from Texas through New Mexico to the rail hubs of Colorado. Boise Ikard was the cowboy Goodnight depended on the most to take his child to market. The Black Cowboy not only saved the lives of the owners of the herd, but also the lives of an entire crew of cowboys. He saved the cowboy crew when a herd of cattle became agitated and suddenly stampeded. Goodnight erected a monument to Ikard, his friend, after his death in 1929.

The Pony Express started in 1860. It allowed mail to go as far west as San Francisco, California. Letters from the East went as far as the railroad could take them, St. Joseph Missouri. From there, a series of expert horsemen relayed the mail to Sacramento, California. Both rider and horse traveled some seventy-five miles. They needed to have a great stamina to render the service. George Monroe, one of the Black Pony Express Riders, carried the mail from Merced to Mary Sosa, California. Another Black Horseman was William Robinson. His journey was from Stockton to the gold mining regions. The sight of a Pony Express Rider was a welcome sight. It did not matter if the rider was White or Black. Home mail was a very welcome sight throughout the West. Brother Willis “Meade” Peoples was a black rancher from Meade, Kansas who gained local fame when he tracked down and killed the infamous predator “Two-Toes.” “Two-Toes” was a wolf that killed a lot of cattle in that area. Private George Washington was a member of the famous All-Black Tenth Cavalry. He was appointed to join in the capture of “Billy the Kid”. Washington persuaded Billy to meet with lawman Lew Wallace.

These real heroes and contributing Americans could and should be role models for everyone: black, white, Asian, Latino, Mexican, Native American, etc., kids and adults alike rather than an all-white cast of characters.

“Citizens celebrate this country’s audacious break from colonial rule and rejoice at the brave soldiers who defied the British at Lexington and Concord. But a month before those historic skirmishes on the road to freedom, other Americans were chasing the same goal. Slaves in Ulster County, New York planned a massive armed uprising. Perhaps they had heard the exciting patriotic talk of freedom and independence. Their liberation plot involved slaves in Kingston, Hurley, Marble Town and more than five hundred Native Americans. Unlike the Minutemen, their shot was not heard around the world, their audacious plot never made it into the American or European history books.”

On March 5, 1770, Crispus Attucks, a black Natick Indian, dramatically entered American history in Boston, says Katz. “He was the first to fall in the Boston Massacre. Attucks was transformed into a Nantucket Indian. It seemed wrong to place an African American with Native American blood in the first moment of American independence,” according to Benson J. Lossing. Historians in America and Europe knew that African Americans had a history and refused to acknowledge or record it. With few weapons, alliances between blacks and (so-called) reds in the forests challenged the footholds that Europeans built in the Western Hemisphere, says Katz. “Using guerrilla tactics that would become famous in China and Viet Nam in our own country, the Red and Black Peoples defeated outnumbered and better-equipped foreign armies. They did this while leading their families out of harm’s way. These dark liberators a Europeans often demonstrated that government in the Americas amounted to a thin coat of white paint on a seething Dark Empire.”

In the movies, generations of young minds have been trained to think of life on the American frontier as a saga of white gallantry: John Wayne’s cowboys whipped the Indians to give us the United States while children of all races gloated. with the version of the border that was offered to them every Saturday afternoon.

Agreeing with Katz, I too believe in the actual desert where two people of dark complexion met and often bonded. They weren’t driven together by any special affinity based on skin color: European enemies inadvertently arranged the meetings… exploited both. Mr. Katz and I also agree that the retelling of our Western (American) history, Africans and Native Americans, separately and together, bravely fought for an America they knew was also theirs…ours. . Perhaps the history of African Americans and Native Americans was trampled underfoot by their European enemies. Sidney Poitier, Mario Van Peebles and other great Black and Native American actors, producers, television and film people got it right. American and European history books can also do well.

Until next time…

It was 5:00 AM and Timmy wouldn’t stop barking. Timmy is a Jack Russell Terrier and he belongs to my mother in law. We were keeping an eye on him over the weekend and his barking was already driving me crazy.

I rolled over in bed and informed my wife that Timmy would be learning the word “Hush” today.

Barking is a normal and natural behavior in dogs. Barking becomes a problem when it becomes excessive. You can control your dog’s barking. The easiest way to do this is to teach your dog the word “quiet.”

If your dog is barking and you start yelling “Hush”, “Shut up”, “Stop barking” at him, all you are doing is paying attention to the barking, which can reinforce the behavior.

Training boils down to applying a consequence to any word or command you give your dog. The general rule of thumb is that when you want your dog to do a behavior for you, i.e. sit, lie down, stay still, etc., you apply a positive consequence. When you want your dog to stop doing a behavior, i.e. stealing, begging, jumping or barking, apply a negative consequence.

Let me tell you that when you decide to apply a negative consequence, you have to be careful. The application of positive consequences has no side effects. Apply negative consequences yes.

Back to the barking. Your dog is engaging in behavior that you want to stop, so we’re going to apply a negative consequence. The easiest negative consequence to apply in this situation is breath spray.

Go to your local pharmacy and buy some binaca breath spray or Listerine breath spray. Now you can pair the word “Hush” with the negative consequence of the breath spray.

You see, your dog will not like the sound, smell, or taste of the breath spray. It is a simple negative consequence that will not harm your dog. Now, when your dog starts barking, you can firmly say the word “Hush” and then lean down and spray it into your dog’s mouth.

Repeat if your dog starts barking again. It is important to remember that we want your dog to learn the word “Hush.” This is done by matching the word with the spray. “Hush”, spray, “Hush”, spray. After a few times, your dog will get the picture.

Once your dog learns the word “Hush” and you don’t need to use the spray, your dog will have learned the word. Once this happens, you can begin to reward your dog for not barking. So if he says “Hush” and you don’t need to use the spray, you can reward your dog by saying “Okay, hush” and give him a treat.

Needless to say, little Timmy learned the word “Hush” and we had a much more pleasant visit with him.

They are soft and submissive. Among its beautiful colors are vibrant blues, sunny yellows, deep greens, bright purples and juicy oranges. They come in pretty tins, sporty nylon cases, and polished wooden boxes. They smell good. Their enamelled bodies fit your fingers well and respond to paper with an arrangement that excites inspiration. These are good quality colored pencils, not your normal pencil in any way, shape or form. Picking one up, touching its tip to the paper is, well, a sensual and artful experience.

Do you like to draw? Do you doodle? Have you thought about taking art classes but didn’t want to spend a lot on supplies? Colored pencils are the answer!

A WONDERFUL ART MEDIUM

Maybe you’ve spent some time drawing, not much: cartoons, Disney characters, doodles, etc. Perhaps you’ve even gone so far as to invest in a drawing pencil. If you did, you found out that a drawing pencil is quite different from a regular pencil. His lead is smooth and creates deep blacks, solid mid-greys, and ethereal light grays.

Maybe then you started thinking about color, wishing your drawing pencil was colorful too. Can be! There are good quality colored pencils on the market today that respond well to shading, layering various colors, blocking solid colors, and creating expressive, sinuous lines.

The additional attraction of colored pencils, beyond their smooth, highly pigmented leads and their good response to paper, is their price. A can of twelve, good quality colored pencils, and a good quality 9″ x 12″ drawing pad will cost less than twenty dollars. And you’re on your way to producing beautiful, bright, richly colored drawings that will retain their permanence and color integrity for decades.

ONE TWO THREE

Now you have sharpened your colored pencils and you have your drawing pad. Whats Next? Start with a doodle. On a new sketchbook page, take a color (it doesn’t matter which) and draw swirls, lines, dots, dashes, whatever comes to mind. Cover the entire page of the sketchbook. Just take a minute to do it.

Now take a close look at the doodle you’ve made. See what you can find. Trees? Birds? Faces? Whatever you find, outline the image by going over the image lines making them darker. Okay! Now choose another color of colored pencil to complete the image(s). Now think of the surrounding area of ​​the doodle as a background or setting for your images.

You must choose certain areas to fill with various colors. For example, if you found a shape in your drawing that looks like a fish, color the fish, then color the area around the fish with various colors. Note that you want to emphasize the image. How can you do this?

IMAGE’S POWER

To emphasize the image of the doodle, you can do several things. You can make the image very dark and then fill the surrounding area with light colors. Or you can make the image very light and fill the surrounding areas with dark colors. Or you can use contrasting colors, eg red image, blue background – look closely to see that the image stands out from the background. I recommend that you choose the option that is the most fun for you!

SHADOW AND HIGHLIGHT

You’ve already done the doodles and you’re starting to learn what your colored pencils can do. If you haven’t experimented with making certain areas solid colors or playing around with shading multiple colors together, now’s your chance!

Using any colored pencil (color of your choice) draw a circle on a new sketchbook page. You can use a compass or a small plate or other circular object as a template to make the circle. Now imagine light falling on the page from the top right corner. You’ll want to start shading the circle with a dark color (blue, purple, brown, black) where there is no light, that’s the left side of the circle. Start slowly, filling along the left line of the circle. Remember that as you are shading and moving towards the light source (upper right corner), your shading will be less. Why? Because your shading, in drawing terms, represents shadow and the white of the sketchbook page represents light.

Surprisingly! You can see it? The circle is becoming a lit sphere, just by shading. Isn’t it amazing how we can reproduce the illusion of light and shadow in a simple way by shading and highlighting a simple geometric shape?

ADDITIONAL CREDIT

You’ve come this far and now you see how cool colored pencils are. You have harnessed your imagination through doodles and now you have produced the illusions of space and, consequently, of time. How cool is that? Now go one step further. Where you have produced light by not coloring much, bring in a light colored pencil color (yellow, orange, or white). Now color in that area you left in shading. miracles You’ll see the lighter color take over the role of light, taking over where the white left off on your sketchbook page!

YOU ARE A BETTER PERSON

If you’ve made it this far, you’re a better person. Why? Because you have become attuned to your innate creative powers that nourish your entire body and mind. You’ve learned a new drawing skill, and more importantly, you have beautiful colors to use to visualize any image or dream that comes to mind! Colored pencils are there, waiting for you in their beautiful little tin, nylon case or wooden box. All you need to do is put aside some of the day’s work, sit back, open your sketchbook to the infinity of a clean white page, and dip your fingers into the rainbow of colored pencils. Magic!

Or maybe you want to put your sketchbook and colored pencils in your backpack with a bottle of water and a sandwich. Then go out into the world in search of the right scene or location to shoot with brilliant colors and clever, sexy lines.

Large, full testicles are a sign of fertility and optimal sexual health! This may seem strange to you, but you can use your testicles as a barometer to gauge whether your body is producing optimal levels of testosterone and other male hormones.

On the other hand… Testicular atrophy (shrinking of the testicles) is a sign that male hormone levels are declining.

Remember!

If your testicles are getting smaller, you should pay attention! Take action, or you will begin to develop sexual problems, such as impotence, erectile dysfunction, and low sexual desire.

How to develop big and healthy testicles!

I’m going to outline a plan here that you can use to improve the health of your testicles.

These methods will help you…

-Develops larger and fuller testicles

-Increases the volume of your ejaculation

-Increases your sex drive

-Raise your testosterone levels

Let us begin!

Supplement with Butea Superba, Tongkat Ali and Zinc!

These three supplements, by themselves, work well to increase the health of the testicles. When combined, the effects are even more powerful. Together, they work synergistically to increase ejaculate volume, increase testicle size, and improve libido and sex drive.

Start using a Blakoe-Ball Zinger device!

The Ball Zinger is a small, lightweight, natural battery-powered device that is placed around the penis and testicles. It may sound strange, but it really works! Use it for a few days and you will notice an increase in the size of your flaccid droop and an increase in sperm volume. You will also experience stronger and firmer erections after using it for a few days.

Start a daily testicle massage routine!

Normal, healthy testicles produce between 4 and 7 mg of testosterone per day. Adding massage to your daily routine will help you improve those numbers. Most men who develop a massage habit rave about the increased testosterone as well as increased testicle size and sperm volume. It won’t happen overnight, but if you’re consistent, you’ll start to see results in about a week.

Basic Real Estate Statistics Explained

Let’s define some of the basic real estate statistics that are released regularly. For this, we will use a real estate market, located in Hood County, Texas. Even more granular, we will use the single-family numbers for homes in Granbury Tx, a small town of about 8,000 residents that has seen substantial real estate growth in the last 12 months. When reviewing real estate statistics, it’s important to use a set of numbers large enough to be consistent, yet granular enough to tell your story.

The statistics we will be referring to are true and accurate for the year discussed, but are used to define the real estate statistic itself.

We have chosen Granbury Tx as our example because the growth of the local real estate market makes the static stand out.

Whenever you’re evaluating statistics, especially in real estate, the source of the numbers is extremely important. In most cases, the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) provides the most accurate numbers when it comes to real estate. This is because they have all the listings for all the local real estate brokers in their database. For the sake of explanation of the data, we will analyze the figures for home sales in Granbury Tx, directly from the MLS. These numbers are meant to give an example of how to read the stats themselves. Whenever you’re evaluating real estate numbers, it’s important to pay close attention to how the numbers are compiled. In this case, we will use ONLY single-family properties in the City of Granbury.

Basic Real Estate Statistics

• number of sales – This one is self explanatory. It is simply the number of single-family homes sold in a particular month. As of January 2015, they had 51 single-family homes sold. One thing to pay attention to when looking at this stat is that they are using the date of the contract or the day the property actually closed. These two dates are usually 30-60 days apart, so it’s critical that you know which one you’re referring to. Also, many of the houses that are calculated, if you are using the “under contract” number, they may not close! In our example, we are using the number of houses that actually closed. In January 2016 they had an increase of more than 49%, bringing the total to 77 from 51. Very rarely do you see growth of that level.
• Sales volume – Sales volume is simply the total dollar amount spent on single-family homes within that month. Again, when reviewing this statistic, it’s important to keep the property types consistent. If you are comparing two areas to see which has grown the most and you include vacant land in the number for one area, you should include it in the other as well. As mentioned above, our examples only include single-family properties. With Number of Sales looking at units, you would expect Sales Volume to increase appropriately, but in this case, it increased even more than units (by percentage). Total sales volume for single-family homes in Granbury in January 2016 was $15,191,500 compared to the January 2015 figure of $9,281,915. That’s an increase of more than 63%. Because sales volume increased at a higher rate than the number of units, this reflects that average home sales were much higher in 2016 than in 2015.
• Months of Inventory – This is a commonly referred to statistic when examining a real estate market. This statistic refers to the current rate of sales, how long it will take to sell through the existing level of inventory. This reflects the supply and demand of the market. In our example, in January 2015 the inventory level was 9 months and in January 2016 it had dropped to 6 months. That’s a 33% drop in available inventory! This means that if you are looking to buy a home in Granbury Tx, it will be a little more difficult in 2016 as there is less inventory available to purchase.
• Average days to sell – This statistic simply refers to the time it takes to contract single-family properties. Don’t let “sell” confuse you. To accurately display active home demand, you really want to track how long you’ve been “under contract.” The process of obtaining final lender approval, insurance, and reaching a closing can vary based on a variety of factors. In January 2015, the median days to sell was 88. That number dropped by more than 30% to 61. Again, this tells you that if you’re looking for homes in Granbury TX, you better get their offers quickly as the most desirable. houses go fast!
• Average price – This statistic can be derived in several ways. We will use it in its crudest form and it will simply be the median home price. sold out within that month. Be careful when looking at this statistic in print anywhere, as how the user defines the sale date may vary. It goes without saying that the median price can be used for active homes for sale or for homes that have sold. The average price of ACTIVE homes for sale is generally a pretty useless number, as you can list a home for any price, with no chance of it ever selling. Many homes listed for sale are priced unrealistically, so the average price of active homes for sale can fluctuate dramatically and provide little market insight. You’ll want to look at the median price of SOLD homes. In January 2015, the median home sale was $181,998 and it jumped to $199,888 in the same month in 2016. This is an increase of almost 10%. This is not a number that really counts the increase in home values ​​across the board, but simply of the houses sold in that month, what was the average.
• Half price – The average home sales price can be skewed by a variety of factors. All it takes is a $5 million home sale to throw up those numbers. To get a better look at the overall increase in value, it may be best to look at the median selling price. The median selling price takes the number that is perfectly in the middle. For example, if you have 11 houses that you are using in your statistic, you would take the sales price of the sixth. This leaves 5 houses sold higher and 5 houses sold lower. In this case, they are quite close as the average sales price increase from January 2015 to 2016 was 9.69%. This shows that we did not have the average price too skewed due to an extremely large or extremely small sale.

There are hundreds of ways to look at the same numbers, when referring to real estate, so be very careful to read the fine print on exactly what numbers they are using. When making comparisons, you want to be absolutely sure that they are both referring to the same property types, dates, etc. As the old saying goes… there are lies, damn lies and statistics.

How do you define success? Is it about wealth? Is it about power? Is it about happiness? Success means something different to each person, like beauty, it exists in the eye of the beholder. It is up to each of us to determine what success means to us and do something to bring it into our lives.

The late zig ziglarone of the most respected experts on success and motivation argues in his book Born to winthat: “Success cannot be defined in one sentence, but involves many things. It could be argued that the definition depends on the individual and that one size does not fit all.”.

Despite this, successful people share attributes that don’t happen by accident or luck. They originate in habits, built one day at a time. What we have to remember is: if we live our lives, the way most people do, we will get what most people get. If we settle, what we are going to achieve is a stable life. But if we give the best of ourselves, every day, the best will come back to us.

These are the traits highly successful people cultivate:

1 – Take responsibility for your life: You are totally responsible for your life. This is the fundamental principle you must adopt if you plan for happiness and success in life and work. You have to stop blaming others for your failures and take responsibility for your mistakes. Nobody can live your life for you. You’re in charge. No matter how much you try to blame others for the events in your life, each event is the result of the decisions you have made and are making. “The moment you accept responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you gain the power to change anything in your life.” ~Hal Elrod

2 – Live your life with a purpose: what separates motivational and successful people from others is that they believe they are doing what they were put here to do. Not living life on purpose is about spending just enough effort to get by with the least amount of trouble. But when you live life on purpose, your goal is to be the best you can be. Being successful means finding a cause you believe in, building your business around it, and contributing something to society. “If there is no passion in your life, then have you really lived? Find your passion, whatever it may be. Become it and let it become you and you will discover that great things happen FOR you, FOR you and BY you.” ~ Alan Armstrong

3 – Be willing to pay the price of your success: Many times we feel comfortable in the situation in which we find ourselves. Getting comfortable does not mean that we like the situation in which we find ourselves, but that we enter a comfort zone. Our comfort zone is a place where we are used to the routine or familiarity of a situation, but feel unable or unwilling to do anything to make the necessary changes to get out of that situation. There is always a price to pay for our achievements, but in the long run we will reap the rewards of peace, happiness, and fulfillment. “Everything you want has a cost. Clothes, furniture, successful career, relationships. You or someone else has to pay for what you want. Even the things you get for free. Someone put time, money, their heart and effort into what you want. whatever you have received”.

4 – Stay focused: We live in an age where our focus is on short-term gains and instant gratification. We want immediate results, even in areas that naturally take time. If we don’t succeed quickly, we move on to the next fad. In the long run, most of us achieve little or nothing. How do we avoid falling into the trap of immediate profit and achieve the success we long for? The answer is to stay focused on our long-term goals and invest our energy and resources to achieve them, even as we see many others looking for a quick fix. Focusing requires giving up something in the present because we are investing our time in something that will be worthwhile in the future. Successful people maintain a positive approach in life no matter what is going on around them. “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog ​​that barks.” ~Winston Churchill

5 – Become an expert in your field: A distinguishing factor that all successful people have in common is their desire to be seen as experts in their profession. Whether you’re a NASA administrative professional, CEO, or engineer, experience is something to strive for. So no matter who you are or what you do, make a decision today to work to be the best in your field. How? Surrounding yourself with people who lift you up. By spending time with people who are experts in their field, you will naturally “pick up” some of their wisdom, as experience is contagious.

6- Never give up: “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to achieve it. Time will pass anyway.” ~ Count Nightingale

When you are faced with an unexpected obstacle in life, how do you respond? Do you give up or move on? Successful people don’t give up. They promise to reach their final destination. They may never get there, but they don’t let obstacles stop them from trying. This means continuing despite failures and disappointments. When you are totally committed to achieving your goal, giving up is not an option. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to make this happen.

7 – Create an effective action plan: Many of us set goals, but not many of us create massive action plans to make those goals come true. A powerful plan of action takes you from where you are right now directly to achieving your stated goal. With a well-designed plan, you can achieve just about any goal you set your mind to. An unwritten goal is simply a wish or a fantasy, and is likely to stay that way.

8 – Don’t delay: “Accumulate enough tomorrows and you’ll find you have nothing left but a bunch of empty yesterdays.” ~ Harold’s Hill

Nobody knows how long he has left to fulfill his dreams, and we must remember that we do not have forever. Life is short. There is no title for “Live your dreams”. You qualify yourself by presenting yourself and working. You get permission by deciding. High achievers know this too, and they pursue what they want with as much energy and passion as possible, for as long as they have. “Don’t wait for tomorrow for something you could do today. Your future will will either thank you or shamefully defend you.”.

Success can be defined in many ways. I think we achieve success when at the end of the day we can say… it was a good day. I hope to do it again tomorrow.

“Success is peace of mind, which is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing that you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.”

The towering surf surges through the 12-mile pass between Rincón, Puerto Rico and an uninhabited island. Our dive boat rides the top of the waves time and time again, reaching the summit of the Indigo Hills with ease. We plan to dive off the coast of Desecheo Island, a National Wildlife Refuge that was once home to smugglers and pirates, but is now home to a chunk of brown boobies, three species of lizard found nowhere else. of the world and a healthy population of introduced. rhesus monkeys.

Unfortunately, the island itself is off limits. During World War II, the United States used it as a firing range, and unexploded ordnance now poses a security threat to visitors.

As we close the gap, Desecheo emerges from the notoriously shifting tides and strong currents of the Mona Passage. When his rough shoulders suddenly come into view, we drop anchor at forty feet. I watch the shoreline where the white water funnels through the jagged rocks and crashes against the land. There is something tantalizing about the mystery of a secluded place. I want to investigate the wild hills. Don’t get me wrong, I’m excited to explore the bay, but even as I put on my gear and take a giant step off the dive platform, I’m focused on the small beach just a short swim away.

The water closes over my head and for a moment I am suspended at fisheye level, suspended between heaven and earth in a world free of gravity. Visibility is over 80 feet and this is an overcast day. Queen triggerfish float near the boat, perhaps hoping to share our sandwiches. They wiggle their thin ends like little girls tossing their hair. After cleaning my snorkel, I dive facedown into the water, watch a tropical fish dance, and allow the warmth of the sun to seep into my body like Puerto Rican rum. Pink and blue parrotfish tango on the sand and striped sergeant major cha-cha on limestone ledges. A pair of butterfly fish jump in a cascading spiral to greet me.

That’s when I notice a barracuda staring at me. Barracuda tend to swim close to the surface and if you are too focused on the distant sea floor, you are likely to miss their menacing presence. Mr. Flashy Teeth is beyond arm’s reach. We stare at each other for a long moment and then it wags its tail and disappears into the blue.

I allow myself to drift towards the beach. Submerged rocks rise below me and the swell breaks over them, reducing visibility to a bubbly two or three feet. Even if it was safe to set foot on the island, reaching it would be treacherous. I was hoping to at least get close, but not today.

Resigned, I kicked against the current and returned to the safety of deeper water. Our guide is calling everyone back to the boat anyway. Maybe one day I’ll set foot on Desecheo Island. In the meantime, I must admit that the snorkeling off the coast is impressive. And I’m glad that in my longing to explore the reaches of something unattainable, I didn’t miss out on the wild encounter at hand.

Information please

CONVENIENCE

A passport is not required for US citizens.

Puerto Rico uses US dollars.

English is widely spoken, although Spanish is the traditional local language.

Puerto Rico phone numbers can be dialed without an international code from US phones.

Cell phone coverage in the US is pretty good, especially along the coast. We didn’t need to do anything extra to use our cell phone and since we have a nationwide plan, we weren’t even roaming!

GET THERE

Fly into the (BQN) Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, on the western side of Puerto Rico.

Desecheo is 13 miles offshore from Rincón, a small surf town on the western tip of the island, 20 minutes from the airport.

Taino Divers is the only officially licensed dive shop in the waters around Desecheo. You can snorkel, dive, or try a dive discovery class and dive with an instructor.

WHERE TO STAY

Rincón offers everything from luxurious resorts to budget hotels and private homes that you can rent.

WHERE TO EAT

You’ll find everything from a Spanish-style tapas bar to the famous Lazy Parrot Rum Shack, where there’s reggae night every Wednesday. We enjoyed having lunch and watching the surfers at Tamboo Seaside Grill

THINGS TO DO

Visit an art gallery.

Check out Rincón’s 8 miles of beaches, most of which are famous for surfing, especially in the winter months.

Take surf lessons.

Learn to navigate.

Go deep sea fishing. Marlin, sailfish, swordfish, tuna, dorado, wahoo and shark all wait to tangle with you in the blue waters off the Caribbean coast of Rincón.

Let’s talk about the unexpected and surprising benefits of having pets in your life.

Did you know that there is a powerful bond between animals and humans?

One of the most beautiful and unifying aspects of humanity is witnessing the extraordinary lengths to which some animal lovers will go for their animal companions.

No animal lover can not get it at all…yet.

So here’s the thing: They enjoy a deep, mutual bond and connection that’s hard to explain or define, but it doesn’t make it any less real or tangible.

Many people have learned the benefits of having pets. And a pet of any kind, be it a cat, dog, horse, lizard, or bird that feels loved and safe, will bring great joy to its human.

While some pet owners go to great lengths for their fur babies, throwing them elaborate weddings or birthday parties or dressing them in incredible costumes, even the simple act of acknowledging their loyalty and love for you is a gift that will reap a lifetime of rewards. .

Pets are a window to our soul.

One of the many benefits of having pets is when they show you who you really are. They do this by mirroring, mirroring, and representing aspects of their inner selves. And when you pay attention to their messages, they can help you become a better person.

This is the phenomenon I call The Human-Animal Mind-Body Connection and it is something extraordinary that once you understand it, it will change your life.

They have no capacity for rancor or cunning.

When you listen to them, what do they say about how you’re taking care of yourself…and them?

They will innately reflect your sense of health and well-being. They are attuned to your energy (mind, body, and emotions) and can send you messages about trouble brewing long before others can see signs of trouble.

And they can be a great comfort in times of stress, isolation or loneliness.

Health benefits of having pets

We’ve all heard clichés like: “Dogs are man’s best friend.”

But have you ever wondered why? I’ll tell you my belief…

Dogs are loyal to a fault.

Animals find joy in the simplest and smallest things.

They have no need for excuses or pretense, they are just being themselves.

They go to sleep without the daily worries and wake up each morning with a clean slate, ready to face the world with fresh eyes and fresh spirits.

Your optimism, resilience, devotion, determination and optimism are contagious.

However, many animals also have an innate sense when someone needs support. They don’t always assume concern… they just reach out to comfort a person who is suffering.

Not every dog, cat or horse will be a therapy animal that is trained for care in a hospital, as a service or companion animal in times of crisis…

But you should know that your pet is picking up your signals at all times.

Your horse will feel the tension in you and try to make sense of it, then decide how to help you with it.

Your dog will follow you around the house when reading negative energy trying to figure out what is wrong and how to help you.

You may think they are being a pest, especially when you are feeling agitated. He stops and receives the gift of their love for what it is, and talk to them about what is bothering you. You’ll feel better for it, and when you know how to talk to animals, they’ll be able to tell you what they think too.

Animals understand when things go wrong, but they lack the power to fix them…or do they?

Countless studies have shown that there is a healing power in having a cat purr on your lap, having a dog rest its head on your lap, having a horse stand still while you pet its face.

Research has revealed that the bond between people and their pets increases fitness, reduces stress and brings joy to their owners. Some of the many benefits of pet ownership that people enjoy:

• Decreased blood pressure

• Lowering cholesterol levels

• Increased opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities

• Decreased triglyceride levels

• Decreased feelings of loneliness.

• Greater opportunities for socialization.

( Font: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Pets will not allow you to withdraw, isolate or protect yourself

It’s very difficult to socialize in today’s world…and that can increase depression, anxiety, and feelings of isolation.

Your pet needs your care and attention during good times. They need to play with you, go for walks with you, learn from you. And, during the bad times, they still need all of those things, but they can feel that things are not right, when you are in pain.

When your dog becomes obsessed with bringing you a toy, or seems to be nagging you to go for a walk, listen to him.

Your cat may be circling your home office chair, jumping on your computer, intent on distracting you… but in reality, she’s probably telling you it’s time to change your focus.

They will often notice that your breathing has become shallow, your circulation is weakening, and your energy is lacking…they worry. Time to take a break!

Time spent caring for a pet releases serotonin and dopamine, two hormones that trigger a pleasure response.

Pets are very intuitive creatures. And the more time they spend with you, the better they get to know you and tune into your ups and downs.

The Benefits of Owning Pets Go Beyond Heroic Rescue Dogs

We all have a picture in our mind of German Shepherds finding lost children in the woods, highly trained Golden Retrievers who have learned to sense their owners’ seizures, therapy dogs visiting hospitals to comfort patients…

But pets don’t have to be doing “heroic” acts to be a hero in your life, and they don’t have to be all dogs, either.

Birds, bearded dragons, horses and chickens make all the difference.

Believe it or not, watching your goldfish go in and out of their little castle for 10 minutes lowers your blood pressure and stress.

Have a pet…

• it forces you to focus on someone vulnerable outside of yourself and make the effort to attend to their needs, which helps you to attend to your own needs as well

• takes you outside to get some exercise because, after all, enjoying nature and unwinding is vitally important to your own health and well-being, as well as theirs

• makes you walk away from the computer and just play, light up, update and reboot so you can get back online

Whether you have an iguana, a beagle, a Siamese cat or a parakeet, you will enjoy the benefits of having pets in your life.

Take the time to learn how they communicate with you…they have ideas to share if you are willing to listen and learn.

Tell us about YOUR pet! Post in the comments below and let’s celebrate your love of pets and the difference they’ve made in your life.

When it comes to dog training, there are two different types of training methods that are very popular. These methods are inductive training and conductive training. Inductive training refers to the positive praise of the desired behavior, and the only negative reinforcement is to maintain that praise. A more aggressive approach is conducive, where force and/or negative verbal abuse is used when the dog has done something wrong. At the American School of Dog Training, a mix of both inductive and conductive training is used.

The fact is that inductive training can be quite effective. The only drawback is that it is a slow process and something that only the most patient people can follow. However, the over-emphasis on punishment and behavioral training gives you the effect of the dog obeying you, but only with the attitude of “I’m only doing this because otherwise I’ll be punished.” Most people don’t want their dog to have this kind of attitude.

The American School of Dog Training has followed the latest advances in how dogs process thoughts and uses them to train the dogs that come to them. What they have found is that too much negativity when training a dog is counterproductive to results. However, it seems to be necessary to use the least amount of negative reinforcement to train the dog effectively. Of course, the amount of punishment administered varies greatly from dog to dog.

In other words, this school differs from other training schools that take a simpler approach to training and do not involve each dog on an individual, personal level.

By using a mostly positive personal conditioning approach with some negative conditioning, the school has found an effective method of training.

In their normal training schedule, they work to set 13 to 21 different obedient commands for the dog to follow, and they also work to correct behavioral problems as they are observed.

In addition, they offer specialized training for protection training. A guard dog is trained to protect an area, while a personal protection dog is trained to protect the family. Personal protection training is the type of training used at your facility.

In conclusion, the American Dog Training School offers a good opportunity to a dog owner who wants to train his dog to be more obedient or to protect the family.

Pet owners are a huge audience. According to Grandview Research, the global pet supplement market was estimated at USD 637.6 million in 2019 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7% between 2020 and 2027.

I’ll explain what this strategy is in a moment. Before I do that, let me tell you how it worked for one pet owner in particular: me.

HOW TO GET THE ATTENTION

One day not too long ago, my little terrier mix, Dixie, wasn’t looking forward to welcoming the new morning with her usual enthusiasm.

Without wagging the tail.

Without smiling (yes, dogs smile!).

None of his usual zest for life.

None of the “I love you” yawns I was expecting right after I woke up.

And she wouldn’t look me right in the face, none of the “hugging eyes” that dog lovers know so well.

Our vet, bless her heart, immediately diagnosed Dixie’s lethargy as a symptom of pancreatitis.

Astute investigation by the vet identified the cause as a nutritional deficiency. Dixie just wasn’t getting enough food.

That’s when I went into overdrive looking for solutions. Google search results led me to forums and blogs where other dog owners shared similar experiences.

The love and care these people showed for their furry friends really stood out to me. He made his stories come alive in my mind.

It’s like you’re having one-on-one conversations with them.

I felt like I was included in a special inner circle with other like-minded ‘favorite people’.

The bonus was a health tip for Dixie that worked. She now gets a multivitamin mix in her breakfast plate every day. She also receives a special anti-nausea supplement whenever symptoms return.

And their food and treats have been upgraded to ‘premium’ status.

Dixie’s poor nutrition had been a real threat to her well-being. The education I received from other caring dog owners probably saved her despite my ignorance.

Dixie is happy and healthy once again. Months later, she shows no signs of the approaching tragedy that nearly derailed her life.

Because of this experience, I made it my mission to spread the word about what I learned and what I did to make sure it never happens again, to Dixie or any other dog.

AT TEACHING TIME

This happy outcome came about thanks to the input of people I came to trust.

What I experienced is what educators call a teachable moment.

It turned out to be a double whammy for me.

First, I learned how to help Dixie.

Plus, I also learned how powerful that marketing principle I mentioned at the beginning of this article is.

The term for this principle, as cited in the Grandview Research survey mentioned above, is “humanization.”

People humanize their pets. I know what I do.

In fact, the term appears multiple times in the Grandview Research survey.

It was also cited in a recent article in Nutraceuticals World as a driving force behind pet supplement sales during the pandemic.

MARKETING FOR PETS IN FAMILY

Using emotions to guide sales is as old as marketing itself. However, this can be taken to the next level when it comes to pets.

Implementing the following three strategies will do exactly that when done correctly. Each step involves acknowledging pets as family.

1) Use the added advantage of social media.

People love to see pet-related posts and images on social media. Nothing humanizes pets better than poignant or humorous photos and videos.

2) Partner with a pet charity.

According to digital marketing company Optimum 7, 63% of shoppers are more likely to buy from companies that support social causes.

Pet adoption and welfare agencies are at the top of the list.

3) Implement consumer-based marketing.

My Dixie story is just one example of how other pet lovers have talked about specific brands of pet supplements.

Incorporating this strategy is a matter of providing the opportunity for consumers to talk about and show off their beloved pets.

Comments on blog posts, social media articles, and forums offer many opportunities for consumers to add “favorite power” to their marketing plan.

Finally, keep in mind that the marketing of pet products should not be the same as for any other type of product. A standard marketing plan will not do the job.

Truly standing out from the crowd means incorporating the humanization of pets into your marketing plan.

That is the common thread of these three strategies.

A FINAL SUGGESTION

This is where I would normally sing my own praises as a writer in the alternative health niche. It is a way to attract new customers.

Instead of doing that now, I’ll qualify myself for ‘pet marketing duty’ based on my lifelong love of dogs and cats.

In fact, I humanize my pets.

And like other pet owners, I am subject to persuasive marketing that explains that.

It is the icing on the cake of my professional experience and qualifications.

Instead of overwhelming you with my huzzahs, I’ll just suggest we have a conversation about…well, our pets.

One of the advantages of having pets in the family is being able to show them off to others. So I encourage you to brag about yours to me. (You might even do the same! ALERT: You might also want to talk about another terrier mix, Ellie, and an orange tabby, Dilly. They’re all so adorable!)

If during our conversation we find out how I can help you with pet supplement marketing, then all the better.

I am a game if you are a game. Just call me or send me an email.

Let’s get the (pet) ball rolling today!