I’d like to explain what my family and I did each day while enjoying our family vacation aboard the Disney Magic;

Day 1; We arrived at the port of Copenhagen, Denmark, around 1:00 pm, although you can board from 11:00 am We gave ourselves 3 hours to board (the ship leaves at 4:00 pm) so we could explore Copenhagen before leaving vacation. This day included us exploring the ship and signing up for kids’ clubs. One of the amazing things about Disney is their kids’ clubs. They have rooms for children of different ages to hang out, participate in activities and make new friends. This gives parents the opportunity to spend some alone time and know that their children are safe and having fun. After exploring the ship, everyone gathered on deck 9 to set sail and have fun during “Mickey’s Boating Party.” During this, everyone greets the passengers staying in Copenhagen and dances along with Mickey and his friends on the stage. With this done, we headed to the 6:30 pm theater show. Depending on the dinner time you request (6:00 PM or 8:30 PM), you will see the theater show at 6:30 PM or 8:30 PM, the opposite time of dinner. I love shows. Disney does an amazing job coming up with themes and special acts to entertain their audience.

Day 2 was a “Day at Sea” meaning we didn’t stop anywhere. We enjoyed our day watching Disney movies at the Buena Vista Theatre, playing games at Vibe (a teen club), eating lunch at Cabanas (the buffet on deck 9), enjoying another theater show, and dining at one of the three rotaries . restaurants for dinner (Lumiere’s, Animators Palate or Cariocas). Depending on your room card, you will rotate between these three different delicious restaurants. This evening included Formal Dinner. This means that we were encouraged to dress up (such as dresses and skirts or men’s suits). The days at sea are, in my opinion, some of the best days on the boat. Disney offers guests a choice of Cabanas (the buffet on Deck 9), Lumiere’s (one of 3 rotating restaurants), or one of the quick-service restaurants on Deck 9. Quick-service restaurants include Daisy’s Delights (a sandwich, salad, fruit and cookie stand), Pete’s Boiler Bites (a hamburger stand, hot dogs, tacos, etc… type of American food) and Pinocchio’s Pizza (a pizza stand where you can prepare the pizza of your choice) . Magia does a fantastic job creating A-grade food all day long and making sure to cook the food in a fast manner, but keeping the amazing flavor. Now, food isn’t the only reason I love days at sea. While the food is a key factor, Disney also provides its guests with a nightly news article, allowing them to see what activities are lined up for them the next day (you also have the option of using their Disney Cruise Line app to see activities and menus for each day.) This activity sheet is always packed with karaoke, newly released movies, training games and more during days at sea. Disney makes sure that their guests always have something fun and new to do on the ship, knowing that some may get bored with not having a place to dock.

On day 3 we stopped in Tallinn, Estonia. We arrived and toured Tallinn Old Town which gave us a real insight into their culture. We also explored the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the Estonian Maritime Museum (a former prison), and Fat Margarets Tower (a large building next to the ship). As most of you know, Northern Europe has a very irregular climate. Knowing this, I packed a variety of different clothes and layers. Tallinn stayed in the 60 degree F area for most of our visit, which was awesome. I wore leggings (lululemon), a tank top (lululemon), a long sweater (Madewell) and sneakers (New Balance). My dad and brother could only wear shorts and a t-shirt so it really depends on your tolerance. for cool weather. I’m a little girl so the wind was a bit chilly for me which explains the long sweater.

On the 4th we stopped in Saint Petersburg, Russia. On this day, we decided to get a bus driver and a tour guide (Alla Tours). St. Petersburg had several churches (Church on Spilled Blood, for example) and palaces (Catherine Palace), so we needed someone to help us find our way around. I recommend that you find a tour guide that you trust (like Alla Tours), because during our visit to the Catherine Palace (and some other monuments in the city), the line wrapped around the building to get in, but our tour guide found a way to skip the line and sneak in, in just 15 minutes. Like Tallinn, the weather in Saint Petersburg was very strange. The morning was cold and forced me to wear a scarf (Madewell) and a thick jacket (Madewell), but later the temperature rose (maybe 67 degrees F) which allowed me to wear only a light rain jacket (Spice) , because St. Petersburg tended to spray from time to time. There was no theater performance that night due to everyone on board being 11:30 p.m. This means you had the choice of staying in Russia until 11:30 p.m. or arriving early and having dinner, but not showing up.

On the 5th we stopped in Helsinki, Finland. This day was a bit shorter because everyone on board was around 5pm. We decided to ride a carousel to see the city and take a boat ride to explore a small island with history about Finland (Suomenlinna). We didn’t realize how big and historic Suomenlinna was, so we didn’t get to see all of its rich history. . I recommend spending several hours here, if you decide to visit this place in Finland. This evening included the Semi Formal Dinner. This means that we had to dress a little better than usual for our dinner, to take pictures. Disney does not require you to dress up on any cruise night, but on these special nights, it is strongly recommended. I wore a miniskirt (Abercrombie & Fitch), tank top (American Eagle) and sandals (Tory Burch).

On the 6th we stopped in Stockholm, Sweden. This day was even shorter because all on board it was 3:30 pm We decided to visit the Armory and the Royal Palace next door. If you travel with a boy or man, I recommend you visit the Armory. It was great for my brother and father to see all the military armor, weaponry, and royal carriages. We also bought tickets for the Hop on Hop off bus, but it was very busy and overcrowded (because of all the ships docked in Stockholm that day), I would not recommend buying a ticket for this bus in this city. Tonight Disney included “Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Deck Party” which meant we all went up to deck 9 before dinner to watch the Frozen characters dance and sing on stage. Disney also changed their theater show tonight. Unlike your normal Broadway style show, they gave us a comedy show.

Day 7 was our last day, which means it was another “Day at Sea”. This day was much like Day 2, except the cruise included activities like scrap booking all your memories and the jack jack diaper race (a race between babies who can crawl). Usually my family and I prefer to eat lunch at Cabanas (the unlimited buffet is always good), but that day my dad and I decided to try Lumieres for lunch. I had the cuban sandwich and the beef parmigiana with pasta (two entrees were a must on this day) and my dad had the shrimp and pad thai noodles. Both meals were fantastic! Disney once again found a way to blow us away. As the day drew to a close, we enjoyed the final show (Disney Dreams) and dinner at Animators Palate (one of three rotating restaurants). After it was all over, the cruise concluded the day with a “See ya.” Coming Soon” in the Atrium Lobby on Deck 3. This show included a farewell wave to all characters on board and a pin-trading session (all guests on board came together to trade their Disney pins).

Day 8 was our last morning on the ship, which meant you either went to eat breakfast where you had dinner the night before or ate at Cabanas (the buffet on deck 9). My family and I ate at Animators Palate once. further. After eating the final meal on the ship, everyone disembarked and headed to the airport to fly home. Disney allows all of their guests to eat and explore the ship before leaving, which was nice because we didn’t feel pressured to get off the ship and let the new guests start their vacation.

Halloween when it comes to tradition is the day to commemorate departed souls. But to dig deeper, Halloween is all about showing creativity and imagination. It’s not just about scaring everyone at the party. But also representing yourself in front of the crowd. Nowadays, many night clubs are organizing Halloween contests. In fact, several of them offer cash prizes to the winners. So let your imagination run wild to create the best Halloween costume ideas for adults.

Even simple ideas can create a great effect during the party. But let me invited. I’m sure you also want to add a mischievous effect for this year and one way to do that is to choose a costume that is weird and flashy. One of the popular ones is the pregnant nun. For Christians, this could be a bit of opposition. But who cares? We just want to add fun and excitement to this celebration. So, to dress up as a pregnant nun, all you have to do is place a pillow on your belly and add some makeup to represent the look you want to portray. If you are planning to attend the party with your partner, you can dress him up in a priest outfit and the party will be a fun ride for sure. Ha ha ha! But don’t forget to show a plastic breast outside of your dress to make it even fun.

Whenever the last day of October arrives, superheroes are also present. Maybe you will think about how superheroes are related to Halloween. Even I don’t know the answer. But here is one thing for sure. Both men and women want to show off how tough and sexy they are, and wearing a super costume is one way to do just that. For men, the Iron Man costume will be a party hit at this year’s celebration. Iron Man has become a blockbuster movie recently and I’m pretty sure wearing the IM costume will make it easier for guests to recognize you. IM costumes come in a full body jumpsuit with matching shoulder pads, headpiece and accessories.

For girls who want to show off their super powers, superhero costumes for women are also available. What is the point of Iron Man without the presence of Black Widow? This outfit comes in a black body-suit with a metallic effect. If you’re a fan of X-Men, you’re probably familiar with this outfit. If you are planning to attend the party with your family, you can use famous family characters like the Adams Family, Flintstones, and Swiss Family Robinson as your family theme.

There are so many adult Halloween costumes available. Just use your wide imagination and you can get the best one. But if buying costumes is your problem, you don’t have to worry. It is because they are now available on the Internet. In case you don’t have time to go to the mall and play tug of war with other customers, shopping online is the perfect alternative. Hurry as supplies are limited.

Parenting is one of the most valuable and laborious stages of your life as a parent. It takes a lot of patience and guts to raise a child in the best possible way. During the parenting phase, parents can make many mistakes. The chances of mistakes are even greater in the case of the first child. The reason is that the parents themselves learn many different things while raising their first child and have little or no experience. Listed below are some of the most common parenting mistakes.

1. Busy schedule

Life these days gets busier day by day. Due to hectic routines, parents do not have much time for their children to learn different things. To take care of their son, they hire babysitters. They clean and change their child’s clothes.

Hiring a nanny can make life easier for parents. but it weakens the parent-child relationship. This can result in various side effects such as lack of confidence, insecurity, lack of love and attention to name a few.

2. Send children to school in the early years

Some parents send their children to school as soon as they are 3 years old. This is the period of time for a child to spend as much time as possible with her parents. They need the attention and affection of their parents. Admitting the child to school at this age will not allow him to learn things in a much better and faster way.

3. Buy them everything

A child wants to have a lot of toys and other things that sometimes may not be good for him. Parents try to reflect their love towards their children by giving them all the things they want. This can make your children too stubborn. So sometimes it’s okay not to give your child something he wants.

4. Parents fighting each other

Parents are role models for their children. They learn from what parents do in front of them. Most of the time, parents initiate their conflicts in front of a child without realizing that a child may engage in similar behavior. It not only makes a child feel upset but also creates an environment of violence. It can also destroy a child’s overall personality and will do the same in front of other people.

5. Watch TV

Parents are so busy that they don’t notice what their child is watching on TV. There are many things that a child should not watch, such as multiple movies with violent or romantic content and dramas with abusive language. At a young age, children cannot tell the difference between right and wrong and make those things part of their personality.

6. Eating junk food

Working parents, especially working mothers, do not have much time for their children to prepare fresh home-cooked food. They prefer to order or buy prepared junk food from abroad. As a result, the child develops the habit of eating junk food every day and begins to hate homemade food. It not only makes a child more prone to disease, but also creates deficiencies of various vitamins and minerals.

In the summer of 1918, Claude Monet, the great French Impressionist, was facing disaster. In the distance, the 78-year-old artist could hear the guns of the German army, signaling the advance of the enemy. World War I was in its fourth year and it was becoming increasingly likely that German soldiers could be on Monet’s beloved estate at any moment. The paradise he had created over the past thirty years near the French town of Giverny. In the center of it, the miraculous water lily pond that was perhaps more important to Monet than his own life.

Because Monet had refused to leave his home in Giverny, even when most of his family left it back in 1914, at the start of the conflict. As he wrote to a friend, Gustave Geoffroy, “Many members of my family have left…a mad panic has gripped this whole area…as for me, I will stay here, anyway…in in the middle of my canvases, in front of the work of my life”. (1)

Giverny had always been close to the war zone, close to some of the heaviest fighting of the war, but Monet had stayed. Demonstrating the stubbornness and determination that enabled her to help found the new art movement of Impressionism in the early days of his artistic career. However, as the war continued, inflicting an unprecedented level of death and destruction, Monet was inspired by a greater cause than he had ever known before: to heal the people of it. To paint a vision of beauty that would restore the spirit of her fellow Frenchmen after the debacle was over. A cycle of water lilies that would cover the walls of a large room and, according to Monet, in an interview for an art magazine, would offer “a haven of peaceful meditation in the center of a blooming aquarium”.(2)

In 1918, Monet had already created twelve murals of water lilies which he called Great Decorations. Measuring over six feet tall and nearly fourteen feet wide each, they dominated the space of his new study. An achievement that probably would not be possible without the support of the Prime Minister of France, Georges Clemenceau, who was also a long-time friend of the artist. Because Clemenceau believed just as fervently in Monet’s mission, even at times allowing his friend’s study materials to take precedence over the transport of military supplies.

Now, as the Germans seemed to be winning, all would be lost. “I don’t have much time left to live and I must devote all my time to painting in the hope of arriving at something that is good, or that satisfies me if that is possible”, (3) he told Georges Bernheim Jeune, one of the their collectors. But, after a counter-offensive by France and its allies in September, the course of the war suddenly changed and Monet’s country was saved.

Clemenceau visited Monet on November 12, 1918, the day after the signing of the armistice, when the painter dedicated two works of art to the state of France. But the artist and statesman had greater ambitions: the Grand Decorations would represent Monet’s ultimate gift to his nation. As the leader of France, Clemenceau would use his influence and power to transform the Grand Decorations into a national monument.

However, it would take almost another decade to achieve this dream. First, Clemenceau was removed from his position in 1920, which inevitably slowed down the project, especially the funding. Negotiations then stalled regarding the location of the Grand Decorations, which was not decided until 1922, when the Orangerie (once the conservatory of the French kings), next to the Louvre, was chosen as the final site. Next, the number of water lily panels was increased, from the initial twelve to nineteen (and finally to twenty-two).

Undaunted, Monet, at the age of 81, agreed to this enormous undertaking that would absorb the last years of his life, until his death in 1926. Yet it almost never happened. Because Monet had to face another war: the battle for his sight.

In 1924, Monet had to undergo three cataract operations on his right eye, in which he was legally blind. (His left eye with only ten percent vision remained intact.) Although surgery, which remains a difficult and often excruciating procedure, restored much of his sight in that eye, Monet’s color perception was distorted for more than a year. During this period, he saw everything in blue and could no longer perceive red or yellow.

With the help of special tinted lenses, Monet persevered, eventually completing his Grand Decorations, just months before he died of lung cancer.

Today, Monet’s “peaceful meditation” haven at the Musée de L’Orangerie in central Paris attracts millions of visitors. Where the individual viewer, surrounded on all sides by the spacious murals of endless water lilies, floating in dreamy colours, can escape the tumult of the outside world. Time no longer matters and the pressures of each day disappear. One can finally relax and revitalize within Monet’s painted universe.

Because, ultimately, the Grandes Décors is a place of healing, not only for the French people, but for the world.

To see highlights of the water lily panels from the Great Decorations and other Monet masterpieces, visit http://www.artseverydayliving.com To discover more about Monet and how to incorporate his vision into your own life, read Through the eyes of an artist: learning to live creatively.

The excerpt from Monet’s letter to Gustave Geoffroy (1) and the quote from Monet’s interview (2) are from Monet by Carla Rachman, while the excerpt from Monet’s letter to Georges Bernheim-Jeune (3) is from claudio Monet: Life and Art by Paul Hayes Tucker.

Today I had the chance to spend some time on Garnet Chronicle, an anime-style RPG, but unfortunately it’s the Japanese version and as far as I know, there’s no release date for the English version.

Story and controls

Since it’s in Japanese, I vaguely know what’s going on, so far! Your hero character is a knight student from a knight academy. The first mission of him is to take a letter of recommendation from the beginning of the academy to the commander somewhere near the village. Suddenly the entire battalion is being attacked by an evil looking character and his werewolf partner, no surprise the entire battalion is wiped out and of course our main hero survives but he is barely saved thanks to a sexy elf girl thief/treasure. Hunter. From then on, he will join you in the search for the “Evil Mind Stone” (sorry, it’s a direct translation from Japanese to English). Then once inside the “Tower of the Lost” you meet another character, this time he is a wizard class and he joins you after the words. That’s how far I am in the game.

Controls are typical of walking around with your analog stick, R will show the map but so far there is no map when venturing inside dungeons, circle is confirmed while cross is cancelled, typical Japanese style, American version may have these two buttons reversed. Unfortunately, there is no run button, so walking can feel slow at times. You can also save the game at any time, and luckily the menus are in English as well as the explanation in Japanese, though only the menus.

Gameplay and graphics

The game is pretty much the same old turn-based RPG similar to Final Fantasy (until Final Fantasy X-2, as the battle system has changed as of FF11). You and your enemies will take turns attacking/defending/casting magic at each other. Which is fine, except it feels really slow and quite boring, it would make a big difference if the attack was smoother and faster so that attacks are executed as soon as the previous one finishes its move. But as you get more people in your team, the fight gets more interesting and fast-paced, so it’s not so bad after all. Level grinding is also part of the game but not required. It’s surprisingly fast to level up though, at least for the first 20+ levels, which can really speed up your grinding. As you finish each battle, you are rewarded with money, experience, random items, and skill points. Skill points can be spent on each character’s skill tree to unlock more powerful attack and support skills. Unfortunately, skill points are shared between all of your characters! And last but not least, the money you earn in each battle will obviously go towards buying weapons, armor and support items. There are also cards and stones that can upgrade your weapons, such as converting your sword to have an ice element and enhancing your special abilities. Treasure chests are scattered all over the map, inside buildings, in the forest, or anywhere in villages. Some are less obvious as I have found a hidden one so far.

An interesting feature that I have never seen before, at least in an RPG, is the “sneak” feature. When you approach your enemies from behind without being detected, you can deal damage to them before the battle begins. The same applies to enemies, if they saw you they would run towards you and if your back is facing them you will be attacked first. You’ll know when your enemies have seen you when an exclamation point appears above their heads. This feature is independent of who attacks first when the battle starts, which means there is a chance that you can attack twice before enemies attack you, the same applies to enemies. If you can use this feature, you can really gain an advantage when fighting and it makes battles much easier.

The graphics aren’t fancy at all, but they do have a well-drawn anime style. Everything is 2D based, but don’t let that get you caught up because even though the characters are just 2D sprites, their expressions and body gestures can be clearly seen depending on the situations. There are also some nice flashy special effects when your characters use their special abilities.

One thing I don’t like is the fact that all the enemies look the same on the map, so you don’t know what kind of enemies you’ll be up against until the battle screen appears. I don’t see why the devs can’t make enemies appear on the map as well. But then again, what if there is more than one type of enemies, which one would they show? Maybe that’s the reason why.

sound

Your typical anime music, your characters and enemies will say something before attacking, which makes the battle less boring. Sometimes your characters will even talk during conversations. I can imagine that the English translation will be bad and take away from the Japanese “atmosphere” like every other game that went through the Japanese to English translation. In general, the music is great most of the time, but can get a bit repetitive at times and have annoying epilogues.

final verdict

Overall I think this game is worth a try, this type of game is nothing new but still enjoyable. I had trouble turning my PSP off until it ran out of battery while playing a game. That should give you an idea of ​​how addictive and fun this game is, especially for level grinders like me. Hopefully the US version will be released soon so English speaking people can enjoy this game as much as I do now. And for those who can read Chinese, Japanese, or don’t care about history, you should be able to get a copy from eBay or YESASIA.

The beginning of summer brings the children out of their houses to the pool. Many prefer to spend their free time on the beach. This makes being a lifeguard a suitable summer job for teens, not to mention one that pays well, too. It is a good opportunity to interact with children and older neighbors. However, the role of a lifeguard is also one of great responsibility because it involves saving lives in very sensitive situations.

A lifeguard must meet the necessary physical and psychological requirements. One has to undergo training and get certified to qualify as a lifeguard. This includes being a good swimmer, learning CPR techniques, and successfully completing the brick test. The brick test involves the use of diving bricks.

What is a diving block? You can find out below. Plus, get a brief introduction to the brick test.

diving bricks

A diving brick is a block of weight. The block is made of 100% solid molded rubber. It encapsulates a mass of steel within. The rubber material offers great durability. It is soft and does not mark or damage the floor and walls of the pool. So it can be carefully placed at the bottom or launched from above. It is designed to meet TMCA and American Red Cross standards. The diving ring that is also used in training is a brother to the diving block.

Dive Bricks are available in 2 sizes. There are adult and child sizes. The junior for children is small in size and lighter in weight. The standard weight is 10 pounds. Some vendors also sell a 20 pound block. Black is the standard color; but there are colored versions for children.

Whether you plan to train in a private pool or run a lifeguard training institute, you can buy a diving block. If you run a public pool and offer swimming lessons, you can also purchase this rescue training tool. Pool weights are used in swimming classes and in water exercises. These pool weights can also be used as part of water games.

Where can you buy scuba bricks? There are several providers online that specialize in lifeguard rescue equipment. In addition to this, you can buy a rescue training tool at a local sports store.

The brick test in lifeguard training

The first part of the test involves treading water holding a 10-pound block above your head for one to two minutes. The second part includes fetching a block placed at the bottom of the pool (7-10 feet below the surface of the water). This is a timed activity. Both hands are not allowed to be used on both sides, considering a real rescue situation where your hands will be concerned.

One often wonders why such weights are used in swimming classes. An ordinary swimmer only has the weight of his body to propel himself against the current of water. However, a lifeguard who saves the lives of others has to swim with extra weight. Weights, such as a diving block, help train a lifeguard for this. Improves a swimmer’s diving ability and strengthens vertical balance in the water.

The history of online counseling over the Internet began approximately forty years ago. The first twenty years of online counseling promoted free-source educational and therapeutic ideals. Many of these ideals promoted by child psychologists and child behavior experts began to serve parents and educators with learning opportunities. Like many other online services that began after the rise of the Internet, the concept of online counseling developed among educational and research institutions with a desire to promote a stronger learning environment. Below is a synopsis of the history of online counseling.

In October 1972, one of the first demonstrations of the Internet was a simulated psychotherapy session between computers at Stanford and UCLA. This took place during the International Conference on Computer Communication.

In 1976, not long after the introduction of the first personal computers, computer bulletin board systems began to enter service.

Beginning in 1979, the first national online services, Source and Compu-serve, enabled nationwide online communication for personal computer users.

In 1986, Jerry Feist, at the time Director of Psychological Services, and Steve Worona founded Uncle Ezra” (named after Ezra Cornell, the founder of the University).

In 1995 John Grohol, PhD in Psychology. began offering free mental health advice in a popular weekly public chat room.

In 1995, paid mental health services offered to the public began to appear on the Internet.

From 1995 to 1998, Sommers worked with more than 300 people in his online practice, spanning the globe from the Arctic Circle to Kuwait. David Sommers, Ph.D., can be considered the main pioneer of “e-therapy”. He was the first to establish a paid Internet service.

In 1997, the International Society for Online Mental Health was formed to promote the understanding, use and development of online communication, information and technology for the international mental health community.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the interaction between mental health professionals and consumers on the Internet can be divided into two types:

Online counseling and e-therapy, developed by numerous counselors and psychotherapists, have formed ongoing helping relationships that are now evolving through Internet media.

Mental Health Advice: Currently, counselors and psychotherapists answer questions generated by the general population who seek professional mental health advice solely through the Internet.

Today, online counseling services are helping people all over the world. Although this service is still in its early stages of development, online counseling is becoming a viable option for individual or family counseling needs.

Sex offenders come from all walks of life, ages, and from all socioeconomic levels. They can be male or female, rich or poor, employed or unemployed, religious, atheist or agnostic, doctor, lawyer, judge, police officer, educated or uneducated, and of any race.

o The perpetrator is known to the survivor in more than 85 percent of child sexual abuse crimes: parent, grandparent, uncle, aunt, cousin, sibling, friend, caregiver, coach, teacher, neighbor, or parent of a playmate /friend.

o Strangers can be “good guys” or “bad guys.” (including women) The people you or your children know may be “good guys” or “bad guys.” (including females).

o We do children a great disservice when we teach Stranger Danger and leave it at that. According to government statistics, less than 1% of all sexually abused children are abused by a stranger.

o Sixty-seven percent of adults convicted of felony sex crimes in fiscal year 1995 had no criminal records.

Many pedophiles seek out single parent mothers or uninvolved fathers in order to victimize their children. For example: An article in Sports Illustrated, September 3, 1999 issue, “Who’s Coaching Your Sons?” about coaches sexually abusing children on the team they coach. On Thursday, October 21, 1999, Dateline broadcast a segment about coaches who sexually abuse children. On Friday, November 5, 1999, 20/20 broadcast a case of sexual abuse in a small town involving a scout leader, who sexually abused several children for over a year. One coach in these cases stated that he looked for single-parent families or families in which the parents were frequently absent from practices or games. “These kids are starved for attention and I give them the attention they crave. I took them out for ice cream after a game or shopping. It’s amazing how rarely parents question my motives. If they do, I have an explanation made for them.” the measure, which never fails to quell their suspicions”.

Other examples: the schoolteacher, who often stays after school to help a child with academic difficulties; a parent taking time off work to accompany students on field trips; the grandfather who lavishes gifts when he takes the child on a fun ride, the neighbor who seems genuinely interested in his child.

I am not suggesting that everyone who reaches out to children is a sex offender. However, insidiously, perpetrators demonstrate correct, moral, and exemplary behavior to build credibility and establish proof of their love for children; these actions thus frustrate any suspicion of wrongdoing.

Montel Williams on his show on November 11, 1999 exclaimed in exasperation “Why can’t we do something about it?” while he discovered the details of a ten-year-old pregnant girl, who had been raped several times by the eighteen-year-old son of her mother’s boyfriend. Although this story may seem unusual and/or fodder for a Montel Williams dramatic show, it is sadly all too common.

Cleanliness

Most sex offenders “groom” their victims in advance of any sexual abuse over a period of months or even years. After gaining the trust of the parents, the offender offers to babysit the child or provide fun activities. During this time, she proceeds to groom the boy. The perpetrator is aware that the child must be controlled to the extent that she can sexually abuse the child without fear of disclosure to another adult. This manipulation can be obtained in many ways: favors, threats, blame, etc.

A mother revealed that her husband played a tickling game with their three-year-old son. The rules of the game were such that it was fun: the son was instructed to tickle his father’s nipples while she straddled his father’s naked body from the waist up. The object of this game was ‘Make Daddy laugh’. Of course, the father could hold back his laughter until he experienced the sexual stimulation he desired. When the mother objected to this game, her father admonished her for being jealous of the time he spent with her son.

Another mother was horrified when her three-year-old daughter asked her to play the game of ‘pee-pee’. She asked her daughter to explain this game to her. Her daughter lay on her back on the floor, spread-eagled, and said, “Touch my ‘pee-pee,’ ‘Mommy, that’s what Daddy does.’

Why the Sex Offender ruse works most of the time…

Sex offenders count on society’s misconceptions regarding their well-perfected ruse.

As a society, we vehemently condemn queer child sex offenders, but when someone we know is suspected or accused, many people take sides, often refusing to believe that “a pillar of the community” could commit this type of crime. The real flirtatious type pedophile is extremely good at what he does. He places himself in a position in his family or community where he has easy access to the children. He will often work hard (sometimes for years) to earn the trust of family or community members. If a child makes an accusation against this person, it is often too emotionally difficult for families who love and trust this family member or who trusted and allowed the accused into their home to believe that they could commit such an act against a child. child. Michael Jackson is a prime example of society’s refusal to acknowledge his misjudgment. The betrayal is too great, and many families will not only deny the possibility, but blame and smear the child making the accusation. This is what the criminal counts on. Families deceived by cunning predators could not have imagined the degree of betrayal possible and the lengths to which a predator would go to abuse a child.

Appropriate suspicion is the answer. See my article, Protect Your Child From Sex Offenders: Practice Appropriate Suspicion

Okay, maybe not everyone knows who Meg and Connie are, so let me explain. They are both characters from a cartoon known as “Family Guy” and I thought since today’s post is about popularity, they would be a good fit.

Meg Griffin: Meg is an unattractive teenage drama queen, because of this and her embarrassing family, she is very self-aware and also very unpopular.

Connie D’Amico – The most popular girl in school. She often appears conceived. She hates Meg and often plays pranks on her with her friends.

So which of these are you? Or should I ask, which of these would you rather be? Meg or Connie?

If you have it! the correct answer is none!

No one wants to be an outcast or a loner, and no one wants to be a stuck-up jerk either. The most popular kids who are jerks don’t really have friends, everyone talks behind their backs and smiles on their faces. This is not the kind of life you want. Similarly, most self-aware drama queens don’t have any friends either. The only difference between the two is that everyone pretends to like popular jerks, but nobody pretends to like losers. (Unless they are playing a prank on you)

So the key here is to find the balance between the two so that you can make a lot of friends and also stay true to yourself and your values. So here are some tips on how to become more popular! But before we do, let’s take a look at some caveats:

Warnings

* Don’t make a mountain out of a mole! Popularity isn’t always a big thing and going after it at the expense of other things (like your values, morals, etc.) isn’t worth it! You will only hate yourself at the end of the day.

* Don’t abandon your old friends in the process of becoming popular just because they are unpopular. Those kind of friends are real friends who will never fuck with you and have never asked you for anything more than to be who you are, so don’t do it!

* Destructive things like drugs and alcohol can give HS popularity a boost, but they will scar him for life. Don’t mess with them, they’re not worth it.

* Don’t be a people pleaser! You can be popular with one group while another group hates you. Stay true to who you are and never do or say things you don’t believe in just to please others. Pleasers are really obvious and end up with no friends and lots of gossip.

* Realize that high school is not the end, it’s just five years of your life. (Or 4 depending on your country) If being popular isn’t going to make you happy then forget it, life is too short to be unhappy.

Okay, now that we’re out of that, let’s take a look at the top 6 ways to become more popular!

6. Have an Affirmative Attitude. No one wants to talk to a loner or someone who is shy. Talk about something – music, movies, classes, sports, whatever – and don’t change your position on something just because it doesn’t agree with you.

5. Choose wisely. Make the right friends and don’t do things just because others are doing them. Remember your values ​​and stick to them. If everyone else is doing drugs and having sex, don’t follow them. In this case, it is better to be unpopular than popular.

4. Be fresh, be clean. Don’t complain if everyone makes fun of you and avoids you because you suck. PPL will make fun of you if you suck. So don’t suck. Take a personal hygiene class or google if you don’t know how, but for the love of all things good, don’t stink. Also, if you have a lot of pimples, forget about face creams, they are a waste of money (unless the doctor tells you to use them). 9 out of 10 pimples are caused by what you eat, so eat less junk food and drink tons of water.

3. Be fashionable. Let’s face it, if you dress like grandma, chances are nobody wants to be around you. Trust me, I think it’s sad that people are so materialistic, but the fact is that they are. So be stylish but at the same time remember to be comfortable or else you will look really fake.

2. Join an after school club. Pick a subject you are interested in or would like to be involved in and join an extracurricular club like drama, art, music, yearbook, computer science, etc. This is a great way to make friends and get to know each other.

1. Practice a sport. This is always a great way to gain confidence and make friends. Each school has its selection of sports, so be sure to participate. This is a great way to make lots of friends and stay in good physical shape. Remember that if you’re too skinny, soccer might not be your best option right away. Join another sport more suited to your abilities and as you get fitter you can find others to join.

Alright guys there you have it! And always remember, it is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not.

Later!

I was about 12 years old when I first ventured into the Pinto Basin, although I didn’t know what it was called at the time. It was the mid-1970s and I was just a kid brought up with my brother and sister while Mom and Dad explored the desert around Palm Springs on a sunny afternoon in a Toyota Landcruiser with their friends. I knew we were a long way from home. It felt like we had traveled beyond the moon. The land had long ceased to be golf courses and city streets. Now it was just sand, rocks, hills, and the occasional brush.

Dad and his friend, Lee, came across a group of low hills at one end of a long, empty valley in what is called Joshua Tree National Park. I knew a lot. I also knew, looking up the hill, that the worn road was rougher than anything my dad had ever attempted on his four-wheeler. But the need to see what lay beyond the ridge was too great. Rather than risk the car that far to help, we decided to hike to the top and look over the edge. There we saw the moved earth that marked a mine as excavated. So we walked around the other side and found not just one mine, but three.

The first turned out to be the deepest and most interesting. I backed up several hundred meters toward the hill where it had been carved. At one point, you had to get on your hands and knees to crawl through the remaining hole of a cave-in from the past. Then you had to walk on an old wooden plank placed over a bottomless hole about eight feet or more wide. There was a rickety old ladder that stretched down forever into it. We drop rocks down its gaping jaws to try to gauge its depth. We could hear the rocks hitting the sides of the hole a few times as they fell. But we don’t hear anything in the background. The board was old, knotted and split. The hole could have been a mile for all that scared me. But I crossed.

Deeper in the mine I found something so incredible that many people I tell you they hesitate to believe. I’m not a geologist. I couldn’t spot a vein of gold if it had a neon sign on it, and that’s what the creators of this mine had been looking for almost a hundred years ago when they dug it, I’m sure, but turquoise, no doubt. It is a deep, brilliant blue-green like all of them, even in its raw form. And right there in the wall of that mine was a line as wide as a man that ran from the floor to the ceiling of the cave, disappeared into the ceiling, and ran under his floor.

Before we left that day, he had entered the mine for the second time, claw hammer at the ready and armed with a five-gallon paint bucket. I tore and scratched and tore those things out of the mountains’ hands until my bucket was full and I brought it all home. he made a neat display in my bedroom framed against a backdrop of my Star Wars album. The rest of the turquoise I gave as a Christmas present, rocks the size of my fists and blue-green in color like the Pacific in Hawaii.

The other mines were fun, though not nearly as great. One went straight down like the hole in the first mine. But there was no horizontal path to traverse. The other had an old train track still in place and a broken rusty ore wagon at the mouth of the cave, it only went in about fifty feet and then there was another stairway that went down about thirty feet to what looked like a landing. Since I was the youngest child, my dad chose me to go down the ladder, thinking that if he could hold me, no one bigger would try. I went to the bottom, but the landing did not lead anywhere, it just ended with no way out.

We drove home that day in the dark with great stories to remember for the rest of our lives.

Fast forward twenty plus years to the mid-1990s. I wanted to find it again, but for the life of me, I had no real idea where it was, except on the other side of Joshua Tree National Park, and that was all a desert through which he had to wander. Still, with no better plan, I got hold of a map and divided it into sections. The first time I went in my Jeep Wrangler with just one of my children and my wife. We didn’t find it. The second time we rented a Jeep Cherokee, because I had more kids, we drove out of the airport and found another section of the desert. No finds yet. But on the third trip, in a big rented four-wheel-drive Ford Excursion, with in-laws and an even larger family, we found gold—or turquoise, you might say.

As we headed down a dirt road that took me farther into the desert than I could swear I’d ever gone before, I saw a set of hills in the distance with a rutted worn road climbing up one of them. My skin shivered. We parked at the end of the road and I grabbed a flashlight, hammer and bucket, a crowd of children and family behind me. At the top of the ridge I saw the disturbed earth from the first mine, and down and behold, at the bottom of the hill near it, was a beat-up old Toyota pickup, still running, and a small group of men dressed in worn clothes. Apparently others had also found the mine over the years.

Still, this was it, again. I entered the mine and crawled through the cave-in, which is now even older, past the deep hole and the plank that stretched over it, careful not to let my children do anything foolish near it. And when I got to the turquoise vein I was a bit surprised, but not totally surprised, to find that my vein had been mined. There were still a few fragments of what I remembered, which I cut out for old times sake. And I found some other blue-green pieces on the floor from kicking the dirt. But the main strip of turquoise had gone to other families, boys, who had also discovered it over the years. We had found the mine and I will never lose it again, it is embedded in my mind as some great destination in the middle of nowhere to go to: my personal slice of the lost Southwestern landscape complete with stories of buried treasure, just stories.

A few years after that, a friend of mine, Chris Shurilla, came to see me. He had some rappelling gear and we headed down the mine. We crawled past the cave-in and looked into the deep hole and the stairway that stretched down forever. There was an old wooden lattice built over the hole that I had overlooked until now, probably because I was always watching where I put my feet and how close I was to the hole on my previous breaches. We strap ourselves to the beam, hold on to the rope, and throw two hundred meters of rope down the hole.

Chris wasn’t afraid. He swung over the empty space and ZEEEE, tore at the rope at a frantic pace. I was cautious like a virgin bride on her wedding night, white-knuckled down the stairs one rung at a time even though I was bound and supposedly safe, safe. One of the old runs collapsed under my weight and I swung into the dead space. Chris laughed at me and yelled at me to hurry up. Once I coughed my heart out of my throat, I sped up my descent. When I reached Chris, he was hanging in the air from a larger chamber. The narrow gorge had opened into a cavity some ten or forty feet wide. The stairway still stretched into the darkness where it was crossed by an old catwalk supported by two-by-fours somehow attached to the seemingly distant walls of the cavern. It was like something out of a Stephen King novel. The cat walkway ran into a dark side cavern at each end carved into the ground. Chris says faster than I can answer, “I’ll go check it out,” he loosens his tie and trots across the ancient planks suspended in the light of darkness like a cat on a window sill.

“Chris, you idiot,” I yell at him. Those boards are probably a hundred years old. He comes bouncing under me with no concern. “Oh, they’re fine,” she says. And though I wouldn’t swear to it, maybe it was just my fear going into overdrive, I thought I saw him bounce off of them as a way to test his mettle. If they had failed, I don’t know what he or I would do. “That end,” he said, jerking his thumb toward the hole he had just investigated, “only goes a few feet and ends in dead ends.” Then he went to the other side, disappearing into the darkness again, “This side too.” He came back and tied himself back to the line and we went down some more.

We had another 75 feet of cold drop before we got too close to the end of the rope for comfort. Chris was still hanging comfortably from the rope with no hands holding onto the endless ladder or the sides of the rocky hole. He was still clinging to the ladder, for what it was worth, because despite his old age, he felt better than nothing. But seeing Chris hanging there and the empty blackness below him, we still knew we could go no further. We pray a stone from the side of the hole and let it fall. Although we were 200 meters from the original starting point, the rock did not make any final sounds when resting. We did it again with another rock. We still couldn’t hear it bottomed out.

We went back up to find out that our wives and children were mad at us. We had been in that hole for several hours and they said they had been yelling at us after the first thirty minutes. All they knew was that the rope was still taut and occasionally swayed.

The entire area of ​​the Pinto Basin is literate with mines. if you go out, you have a good chance of dying. I am not saying this to be alarmist. but seriously: there are holes in the ground big enough to drive a car into and some of them are bottomless. There are caves that go hundreds of meters into the mountains, past holes and cave-ins and rotten supports and you are hours away from getting help, even by car, if you have a problem. And if the car breaks down?

Don’t go out unless you are experienced and prepared. Sometimes I can’t believe I did it as a kid and then did it again with mine and then did it again with rope, repellent gear and a fearless friend.