Take care of your pets the right way

If you give it a thought, you will realize that pets have a special place in our life. They are not just animals for us, but more like family members. They are not as demanding as fellow humans but are as much fun since they provide much needed companionship. They all have simpler desire and demands as compared to humans. In return, they will give you plenty of love, affection; will patiently hear you out when you are in a talkative mood. They will wag their tail and make proper noises when needed even when they don’t understand a single word which you are saying. Dogs have the added benefit of providing security service to its owners. On the other hand, if you prefer a more independent pet, then give cats a thought. Not only do are they more or less self cleaning but will also keep your house rodent free.

Yesterday, one of my friends wanted to buy something a little different for the special member of their family. We hunted far and wide but no luck and returned home empty handed. By chance while on the net, I happened to notice an excellent site site dedicated to pet care items which caters to the special needs of your pet. I called him up pronto and told him to pay a visit since he just did not want any kind of dull boring Leashes and Collars set. Now he is planning on getting a really cool looking one which matches the massive attitude which the dog has and complements the huge ego of the owner also. One must remember that proper grooming is extremely important point when you want your pet to look its best and a pet with shiny coats and healthy teeth is a pleasant sight to see and it signifies that it is well taken care of by its owner. So, it's usually a daily struggle for my buddy to keep Ralph clean and out of trouble. Whenever its bath time, this whole procedure is a sight to see. It seems like the owner ends up all soapy, wet and tired from all the struggling while the dog is having a time of his life.

One thing which we were not too happy about was the dog with the attitude was that he had an habit of hopping on bed that was in sight whenever it was time to sleep. I said no more sleeping on my bed when these chaps were over. You're getting your own bed and you better bring it over. So now he has his own Dog Bedding and he looks mighty comfy there whenever he drops by. Sitting in the corner, Ralph looked mighty lonely and bored the last time he paid a visit since no one was paying any attention, so I ended up suggesting to my buddy about getting a few Dog Toys like Mammoth Pet Tire Biter Dog Toys, Jolly Pet Teaser Balls and finally a Pet Toys Storage Box where all of its stuff could be put away at the end of the day. I never realized how active this dog was until one day I saw the size of the doggie dish. it was massive and apparently he ate like a horse.

Research has proven over and over again the beneficial side effects of having pets especially for senior citizens. The pets can help the older folks in combating a lot of old age related problems like: depression, loneliness, and other negative thoughts. This I think is ideal for them who require the much needed companionship but are unable to give personal care the pets. So adopt a pet and give yourself a new outlook in life. If not for yourself, then gift one to a loved one, they will thank you for changing their perspective in life. So if you do like pets and are willing to take care of them, what are you waiting for?

How well do you know Web Directories?

A web directory is also referred to as a link directory is basically a directory for the internet. A web directory helps in linking to other sites and categorizing these sites and it should not be confused with a search engine as it does not display lists of web pages based on any specific keywords. Instead, a web directory lists web sites by category and subcategory. It is usually maintained by humans instead of software. The searcher looks at sites organized in a series of categories and menus. Web directories are usually much smaller than search engines' databases since the sites are looked at by human eyes instead of by some computer software. If a person wants their site to be included in a particular web directory, then it can be done in the following ways: either the site owner can submit the site to the Web directory, or the directory's editor(s) will eventually come across that site.

One type of web directory is a business web directory where the topics are organized in relevant categories. The business directory usually provides some of the best options that are available for business web site listings and has categories for most every type of business from all regions of the world. Users may easily search for an international business listing through one of the several search functions provided in the directory.

The other type is a free web directory with various categories and subcategories and the submission of a link is usually free but some sites require some specific categories a reciprocal link. Free directories allow online companies to collect relevant links to their websites and this is one of the top strategies used to promote businesses. The webmaster of a company should submit their site to as many directories as they can if they want to get noticed on the net.

There are many really good authoritative web directories out there. Yahoo directory has a good web directory and the yahoo site also has its own search engine listings and many other search services. It is also one of the most widely used sites on the net. DMOZ (Directory Mozilla), the Open Directory Project purports to be the “largest on the Web”, constructed and maintained by a “vast, global community of volunteer editors” and it has been around since 1999.

Nothing but reading

What I really love doing on my spare time is reading. I like reading just about anything that catches my fancy at the moment. Currently I am hooked on books written by Stephen King. He is an exceptionally good writer, since he has an ability to bring words alive. You tend to get submerged in the story and it seems like you are actually part of the story itself. Once I start reading, it becomes simply difficult to put the books down. Some of the novels which I still like till this day are: Skeleton Crew, Different Seasons, Pet Cemetery, Salem’s Lot, Everything’s Eventual. The Dark Tower series are simply riveting. He has managed to keep the story thread line intact and alive thru so many volumes. It’s simply incredible. Just recently I picked up a novel by him called “Duma Key”. This novel is simply riveting. It’s a must read novel. He started thinking in this direction after his 1999 roadside accident that permanently altered his way of thinking about life. The most disturbing source of fear in his books comes from the gradual fading of health and sanity.
Even after all these years, he can still have the ability to scare the wits out of you. If you haven’t read it yet, I won’t reveal the story line to you. If you have then you’ll probably agree with me.

Aging - George Carlin

I got this forward through a good friend who is not only on this site but also Facebook. I would like to thank her for sending this really fantastic article as it made me realise how true it is as we tend to forget the little things in life. We tend to take everything for granted and forget to enjoy each and every day as it comes along. I think the underlying message at least what I derived from it was that we should enjoy and cherish each day as it comes along without needlessly rushing blindly through the day. Yes...do stop and smell the flowers and admire the wonders that life offers to us each and every day. I hope you all enjoy this article as much as I did. Thanks for stopping by.
George Carlin on aging


George Carlin's Views on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.



'How old are you?' 'I'm four and a half!' You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.



You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.



'How old are you?' 'I'm gonna be 16!' You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life! You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony. YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!



But then you turn 30. Ooooh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?



You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone.



But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!



So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.



You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!



You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; 'I Was JUST92.'



Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. 'I'm 100 and a half!'

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!



HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay 'them.'

2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.

3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever, even ham radio. Never let the brain idle. 'An idle mind is the devil's workshop.' And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.

4. Enjoy the simple things.

5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.

6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love , whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.

8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.


9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.


10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.


AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:


Life is not measured by the number of


breaths we take, but by the moments that Take your breath away.



In Memory of George Carlin!

Todays Critic

So, one day as I was zooming down the net, I saw a site which had a lot of great posts. My car came to a screeching halt and I went in for a closer inspection. When I finally arrived at the site, I realized that this is one site which everyone was talking about. You see, a lot of people are talking about Critics Today.

This blogger seems to write really good interesting articles on so many different topics that one never gets bored. There is such a wide variety of posts and I was impressed by the quality and the amount of information contained in each and every posts. The author has good writing skills and is able in great detail about the chosen topic. This neat site which I found extremely useful and fully entertaining and I liked it so much that I have visited the site numerous times and discovered some information which I was not aware of before. The site is set up in such a manner that it easily navigable with really simple yet pleasing colors. It contains a wide variety of information that one is always finds something useful for their daily life.

The best part is that it is written in such an easy manner that just about anyone can comprehend it with ease. Time just flew by and I lost track of how many articles I must have read. Some were fantastic and others were good. Overall, the authors writing skills are good and I enjoyed most of his articles. It is one of those must visit sites. Give it a try and you won’t regret it.

Rdiscover life by disconnecting

I guess I really haven't been around here much. For a change my mind is as blank as a clean slate and the words are not rushing out of my mind to get read. Things are mighty quiet here also with not too many people posting on a regular basis. For a change, I was able to visit some of my other sites and I have become a Facebook addict for now.

There are so many applications that are really stupid and boring and yet a few have managed to get me so addicted that I want to come back for more. One of them is Farm Town where I discovered the farmer which had been hidden inside me. I suddenly found out that I like to make things grow....at least in the digital world. When Twitter and Facebook went down awhile back, I was finally able to disconnect from the net and rediscover the real world. I guess we never realize how much time and space these electronic gadgets/ the net take from our daily life until we become disconnected from it and forced back into the world of living. I really don't have much of a choice myself since alot of my work involves using the net.

Sometimes, the clients insist that I visit their place as they are unable to visit my place and this is not really a pleasant experience as the city gets thrown into total chaos during rush hours. I prefer using the public transport whenever possible rather than using my own vehicle even though it's not one of the best and gets really irritating at times. The roads are finally emptied out and some out drivable by 12:00 in the afternoon and after 8:00 PM in the night. There is usually some type of construction going on some road while others either too narrow for the heavy traffic or there is some obstruction on the road and municipality have a real lazy attitude about removing it. The only roads which are fantastically maintained are the VVIP area roads or in front of a few government offices. The roads sometimes get worse after the monsoons as some of the roads are made of inferior quality material while others which have been made using good quality material and proper methods used continue to weather the rains and our harsh summers without showing any damage.
The entertainment quotient was somewhat lacking and I finally managed to catch up on the missed movies and the mall excursions where it seems like the young people still manage to act as goofy as before. I usually prefer to watch the movies at home but the I prefer to go to the malls as they manage to give a more pleasant shopping, etc experience than the usual regular ma and pops store which are so prevalent here. The mall culture has been here in Lucknow for a few years and it offers a better shopping experience. The malls do have air conditioning and its own backup power supply which makes it a must visit place during our unbearable summer and humid monsoon months when the cities erratic power supply makes our life a bit difficult. There simply are not enough power plants and the demand keeps on rising. It seems like none of previous state and central government had the foresight to allocate funds to the infrastructure on a timely manner and making sure that the execution of the project is not delayed due to some reason.

Being disconnected from the net sometimes gives me an opportunity to catch up on other things in life. It gives me a chance to reconnect with others and rediscover that they are still running around like headless chickens just to earn a few extra bucks. Other times I just love to talk with others and catch up with the current happenings in their life. Anyway, it seems like this post has gotten a bit lengthy and hopefully I haven't bored you at all. I wanted to drop by to let you all know that once I get bored/stressed and burned out with the real life...I'll be right back

How much free will do we really have?

We are all given something called Free Will/Choice by God. How we utilise it is up to us. by using our Free Will we end up making various kind of decisions in life....some good, some bad and others which are simply horrible. In the end of the day, life is basically just a sum of our choices and we should come to term with it so that we end up with a less troubled and comlicated life. When we finally do meet God at the end of our journey, I honestly do believe that he/she will judge us not by our high or low points but what the end result was. We basically end up getting a mixed bag when starting out in life and we simply have to deal with the daily events to the best of our ability. Free Will comes into play when we come at crossroads in our journey through life.

Finally, at the end of our journey we realise that the only thing permanent is our soul/spirit. The physical form which we are so attached to is only for this plane of existance and we get our just rewards according to our actions in our present life. Some believe in reincarnation where we either get punished or rewarded in our next life or our present life is due to our actions in our previous life.

Time to unwind

Whenever possible I like to make some free time especially during the weekends for some serious rest and relaxation. It’s really not possible for me to get some R&R during the weekdays as my work schedule is just too hectic unless I plan it out a few days in advance. I guess everyone has their own way in which they unwind and not everyone uses the same method. The most commonly used methods which I use to relax during my free time are: Reading, music, movies, surfing the net, etc.
Reading is one of my favorite past times since childhood. During my younger days, it used to be fantasy books. My fascination for Elves, Trolls, Dwarves, Dragons, Hobbits, etc have continued to fascinate me till these days. One of my favorite books during my childhood was the Hobbit series which I still like till today. Later on I moved on to science fiction/horror genre. The writers whose books/novels which I was constantly reading and fascinated by during this period were Mario Puzo (The Godfather & The Godfather Returns), Douglas Adams (The Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy), Most Stephen King novels (Cujo, Salems Lot, Everything Eventual, The Dark Tower series, Duma Key, Skeleton Crew), Ray Bradbury (Farenheit 451,Martian Chronicles), Clive Barker (Cabal, The Great & Secret Show, The Essential Clive Barker, The books Of Blood series), etc. These days it’s just about anything that catches my eye. At one time, I had a really large book collection. I had to trim it down to manageable level once my bedroom started filling up and the books started piling up in the hallway. It really saddened me to see a lot of these books go but it seemed like there was no other choice. Reading still is one of my favorite past times today as it has the ability to transport me to another world where my imagination can run wild.

Music is another one of my hobbies which really helps me to relax and unwind after a long, hard and sometimes very stressful days especially when I am totally exhausted and I want to just sit there and unwind. Music is not just something I listen to every so often but it is a passion for me. Just like my reading habit, my music preferences have changed over a period of time. I think I started listening to anything that was playing on the radio and I don’t think I had any favorite one. The Top 40/Top 100 music seemed to be popular during the 80’s period. One radio station or another used to have at least one segment dedicated to it. Sometime during the early 1980’s one of my high school buddies introduced me to hard rock/metal music genre and there was no turning back for me. I think I started out listening to Jimmy Hendrix, ZZ Top, Eric Clapton, Doors, etc and over a period of time I discovered other groups which I discovered suited my music tastes. The only thing which has remained constant is my dislike for country music. Nothing personal but I simply cannot bear to listen to it for some reason. I distinctly remember that when I was growing up and if I needed to head off to head off to some distant part of Ohio, I sometimes used to run into certain areas/pockets where the radio stations used to play only country music. In these cases, I used to frantically such for any other station even if it was a Top 40 one.

Movies have been one of my favorite past times for a really long time and I guess this particular category is the only one which has more or less remained constant over many decades. I have always liked the action, science fiction, horror. The only book/movie craze which I couldn’t understand and didn’t like very much was the Harry Potter series. Everyone it seems had gone overboard on this character and the Potter craze it seems has fizzled out as quickly as it had started. The earliest movies which I remember watching were: Gone with the Wind, Godfather, Splash and Pretty Women. In the years that passed by I watched many movies since I am a movie buff. The ones which I still like to this day are: Beetle Juice, Omen series, The Godfather series, Aliens/Matrix/Terminator series, Indiana Jones series, and the Back to the Future series. The movies which I have seen recently are: X-Men Origins Wolverine, Terminator 4 Salvation, Punisher - War Zone, Batman Begins, and Batman- The Dark Knight. All the movies which I have watched recently were really well made and action packed but I do feel that the Wolverine and the Batman series have deviated from the original character story line a bit. This is not to say that I didn’t enjoy them but the movie makers should have followed the original comic character story line more closely in order to give a more true depiction. I especially like to watch the movies during the weekends when I have a few hours to spare. Sometimes I like to go back to my movie collection and watch something from the 80’s era if something worthwhile is not coming on one of the movie channel or no new movie releases have been announced.

Surfing the net it seems helps me to divert my mind from the daily grind since it is a great entertainment device if used correctly. It not only helps me to interact with my buddies who are spread out through the world but also keeps me up to date on the news front. I guess the net is the only true interactive medium where one can get what they what and in a way they want it. All one needs to know is how to use the search engine and know what to look for. I especially like visiting YouTube to watch video of my favorite groups or watch movie trailers of movies which are about to be released. But most of the time I am found on sites like Multiply and Facebook where I am either posting something or playing a really addictive games and this helps me to destress myself.