The Father of a King (2006-2012; Updated 2014)

When his first child of his second marriage-a boy, was old enough to attend college, he found him a private college to attend, and sent him to medical school, he was very proud he could do that with the money in which he sold his wife's condo for, to pay for the college tuition, although they had another home, the condo was an investment, which they rented out.

He, the father, felt as if he came from a line of kings. And his son played the game, of course he was. So for nearly two years he just paid the bills, the tuition- giving it to the boy, to pay for the schooling, and watched his investment money dwindle to zero.

Fine, his uncle brought up: how can my brother-in-law's boy, watch so much television in the afternoons, and then just fall to sleep watching it, wake up whenever, rest the rest of the afternoon, and just mosey about the house and cafe, and not have to study to pass those heavy-duty school tests, he must be a genus! I mean this was obvious to the uncle, who ate at their restaurant every day, but evidently not to the Father of a king, or the boy's family per se.

And it was at the end of that second year, the father got a notice that his son was not doing not so well in college, that he should make arrangements to find future schooling elsewhere, and perhaps a different career, in some other area than medical.

Well, this was a blow not only to the father, but the mother as well. But why was he doing so bad, was never made clear. Thus, he went to teller school, to become a bank teller, yes, a bank teller of all things-from a medical career to a bank teller, to a department store teller, to being unemployed, all in the following additional two years. But the kicker is this: he was doing badly because he was giving his tuition money to his girlfriend, he wasn't for the most part, attending college those last several months. Yes, I said girlfriend, who was also working on a professional career, can you beat that. Then when she graduated, she flew the coop, and went to another city, and the father of the king, and his wife, were stultified over the matter, but what can you do. Just go cook some more goulash, or chicken or whatever-get it off your mind it will madden you. Or it would me!

Now I got to backtrack a bit, before all this took place, this other situation took place.

The father of the king, inherited $40,000-dollars. And his daughter of his second family, was coming of age to attend college. But he had two other daughters from a previous marriage, both in their mid-twenties, both having finished college, one married, the other one had a good and steady job, - both like the father, thinking highbrow thoughts.

One wanted their father to put money down on a condo for her, the other wanted to pay up some bills- and they wanted the $40,000-dollars to do it with; the apple doesn't fall far from the cart, as they say, or tree: these two daughters were evidently princess' of a grandfather king.

"I'll look into it right away," he told both of them, and he did by bring the issue up to his present wife, he told her, "They're my children from before you; I'll attend to it myself."

(Now before I go any further, let me point out this: the house they now live in is hers, inherited from her family, the car he drives is hers from her work money, the land he will eventually sell, is the land she has inherited. So you see, what is his, is his, and what is hers is his... if not so it would seem so... )

And the two daughters, played the game, as if he came from a line of kings, and they too.

Then in a week he had signed the papers for the daughter's apartment-she per near hogtied him inside the lawyers office to make sure he signed on the dotted line; and he sent his other daughter the other $20,000-dollars- the very one that was rude to him when he had come visiting for a long spell, and was told often: "Are you still here?"

Nobody could tell him what to do, I mean nobody on either side of the globe, could tell the father of the king what to do.

He had the money, he bought their love.

"All right" said his other youngest daughter, the one from the present marriage, the daughter now ready to attend college: "which college are you expecting me to attend?" she asked the father. I mean all the money was gone.

He had sold some of his wife's land that she had inherited from her family, invested it into a café. He made a little profit from it. It was tight, but he figured he could afford to have her attend the area's National University, -it wasn't all that prestigious- but it would have to do.

It was good thinking, businesslike thinking for once, but she couldn't pass the tests either, so he put her into a private college-I hate to say it but I will, like brother like sister, although she had a little more stamina, and better grades, and fortitude.

And she played the game just like her two older half-sisters played, as if he came from a line of kings, of course he did.

And as the business flourished-the café business, he became boorish, ill-mannered, and he lost customers, he told his family and friends "Keep out of my business," no one on either side of the globe could tell him otherwise.

"All right, if that's the way you feel about it," they all said, complied, then inferred: to your own business. And they stopped eating at his café-wouldn't you?

Well, the kids never helped much-that same old thing: sister like brother, and there were two brothers, one younger one older, the younger one not yet ready for college, and perhaps will never have the chance to get ready, and if given the chance, what then? But that's yet to be seen, they have good godparents, with deep pockets, at least the younger boy does.

By Dennis Siluk Dr.h.c.

Black Chaos (Or, "The Meatpacker's Boy") 1967

A mind trying to recover from a night's drinking, the following morning can and more often than not is, a black chaos-naturally, not everybody understands this. I don't think my mother could. I lived on York Street, on the Eastside of St. Paul, Minnesota, it was 1967, late fall.

I heard the horn honk, it was my mother with her boyfriend, Earnest Brandt, they both worked at Swift's Meats, in South St. Paul, they came to pick me up, this being the 3rd month of my employment, working for them.

No sooner thought than done, I rolled out of my bed, in my studio apartment, flung my clothes off a hanger, in the closet, wiped my feet on a clean rug on an unusually dirty floor, and duplicated my morning a hundred times over, meaning, I would take the ride to work, I worked on the Hog-kill assembly line. My mother was a Meatpacker, she had worked there at Swift's going on twenty-two years, Earnest her boyfriend, thirty-years.

So I took the generously offed ride, in that, I had resolved I'd go to work today, not every day did I come to this decision, I think I missed as much work as I worked, in those days, and in particular at Swift's. I was nineteen at the time, and on the road to becoming a professional drinker, some call it: alcoholic. But I never did give it such a distaining name, back in those days.

Anyhow, it did take me a while to get to the car, I had to search for my apartment keys through a heap of clothes, as Ernie's face blazed with wrath, "Where is that son of yours," he asked my mother, Elsie. And he surely would have used stentorian tones, that vibrated up to my apartment had my mother not been a few feet from him, but he held his cool: not that I blame him.

I kind of new I was doomed today, I had missed a few days this week, it was now Friday, and to be frank and honest, every day I came in late, or not all, and with a handover, well there it is, there was nothing left to do but fire me.

The old man, that's what I called the Manager of our department, would be frustrated as he was always frustrated with me, or nearly always. And the Union, at my Mother's beck and call, and Ernie's at request, always came running to the rescue, and saved my job, three times previously, and this was only the end of the third month, going into the 4th month, god forbid, it be more. But I knew the Union would try to iron things out again, on their behalf, not on mine of course.

I worked hard, when I worked, and it was of course always with a hindered hangover, sometimes my teeth rattled and my head ached and sometimes the manager marveled at that I could keep up with the strong longtime Polish and Irish men on the line: but I was of Irish stock, and Russian stock, and Polish stock myself, hard muscled, strong willed, stubborn, and I could flip the back of those hogs as easily as any other longtime worker, and these hogs weighed 250 to 400 pounds each, and their backs which ended up being bacon, were heavy, perhaps a decent portion of that 400-pounds of hog, and I had to cut the back out of the hog, and flip it over, 180-degrees; and you do that for eight hours see how you feel: you have to lift them up from the iron-belt and turn them about, after four hours no simple task.

This morning the manager had called me into his office. There were several other people in there. I kind of expected it, "I can't take you anymore," said the Old Manager, "you're driving me crazy with your chaotic schedule of work, for the fourth and last time, you're fired, fired, you make me look bad in front of my peers, get out of my office."

I suppose my face was blank, back in those days, I showed little emotion, and I was half under the weather to speak of, recovering from the aftermath of a night's drunk and that so called black chaos inside the head was stirring, what else would you expect. I simple smiled, he was a good man, and I told myself: it's really long overdue. I never said anything but I knew he had a wife whom was bipolar, and once when he was in a daring mood, and asked me to take a minute to listen to him, so he could get me to work harder one day, he told me of all people, about his wife, indicating, I had problems, but so did he. I'm not sure where he was going with this, but I simply agreed to work harder that day, in a different department for him.

Anyhow, back to the manager's office, and ridding of his pest.

With a trembling finger, the old man pointed it at the door, a sign for me to hit the road. As he went "Ha! Ha!" laughing nearly madly.

For me, it was not the same snowstorm, as it was for him. I was young, and he was old. Now writing this out today, I know what it is to be old, and I know what it is to be youth. Like him, he knew both of them, back then. I had another forty-five years to go, but I did understand, I got his goat. And I knew he was putting on a demonstration, perhaps to show his strength, he was lenient with me in the past. And perchance he needed to reinforce to his subordinates, he was in charge.

Now again, my mother and Earnest reached out to come to my rescue, they were going to talk to the Union Representative.

"No," I told both of them, "I don't want the Union's hot-irons trying to fix things for me, I deserve what the old man is doing; matter of fact, he's just doing his job, and I should have been fired long ago."

Well, to be frank, they didn't argue the point.

By Dennis Siluk Dr.h.c.

4 Creative Ways To Save Money On Your Wedding Flowers

Flowers usually beautify a wedding; however, the unfortunate thing is that they tend to be expensive thus unaffordable for many people. The good side is that there are some measures that you can take and save on the flowers. Some of the measures that you can take include:

Picking a gorgeous venue

While there are some benefits that come with hosting a wedding at a hotel, most of the reception and ceremony spaces in these hotels tend to be raw; therefore, you have to bring in a lot of décor and flowers in order to liven up the places.

To avoid buying a lot of flowers, you should choose a venue that has a lot of built-in charm. For example, you can go for a historic church, botanical garden or a quaint country inn. Choosing any of these places means that your guests will have a lot of things to ogle at and they won't even remember that the venue has no flowers.

Buying what is locally available

If you are set to buy a bouquet, you should go for flowers that are in season and can be easily sourced. This way you won't need to pay premium amounts of money. Although, you save money doing this, it's usually hard to get the flowers that you are looking for.

Going for silk flowers

Silk flowers are usually less expensive and look and feel like the real thing. You can either rent or buy the flora. If you choose to buy the silk flora, you don't have to throw them away once the ceremony is over. This is because you can give them as a token of thanks to your guests.

Using non-floral elements

Since the floral elements tend to be expensive, you can try to lower the cost by using non-floral elements. Some of the great elements that you can use are: candles, books and lanterns. These are much cheaper than flowers and as a result you save a lot of money.

If there are fruits in your area, you can use them instead. Some of the great fruits that you can use are: apples, pumpkins, artichokes, grapes, and gourds.

Bottles have also been shown to be very effective in making a visual impact in your wedding décor. Here you need to collect the bottles that fit your theme. For example if you have a rustic theme, you should go for vintage bottles. The good side with using bottles is that they are cheap and easy to find.

By P K Martin

What Is A Giclee Print And What Is Its Life Span?

What is a giclee print?
Giclee prints are digital reproductions of works of fine art that are usually printed on a canvas or on watercolour paper. Giclee printing refers to an advanced method of printing whereby these works are produced to have a much higher quality and much longer lifespan than those produced by a standard inkjet printer. The prints are created from a highly detailed digital file which is sent to a specialised printer that is much more advanced than a typical inkjet printer and is capable of handling several different types of printing materials.
What's the difference between a giclee and a standard inkjet print?
The document from which the giclee is to be printed has to have a resolution greater than 300 DPI (dots per inch). Any camera or scanner used to capture the image must also have a resolution greater than 300 DPI. The substrate the work is printed on to has to be of archival quality because archival paper lasts much longer and reproduce colours much more effectively than standard paper. Giclee prints are usually created using professional printers and pigment-based inks. These inks have a much longer lifespan than dye-based inks and are thought to last over 100 years without fading. The printers used to create giclees can produce works in a much larger format and can typically hold up to a dozen ink cartridges, allowing for highly detailed works to be produced.
Where does the term 'giclee' come from?
The term 'giclee' comes from the French word meaning a spray or squirt of liquid. It was first coined in 1991 by the printmaker Jack Duganne to refer to the process of creating prints of fine art using IRIS printers, a process which was invented in the late 80s. Nowadays the term 'giclee print' can refer to other types of inkjet printing and works of art that are created digitally on a computer program, such as Illustrator or Adobe Photoshop, before being processed on to a substrate.
What's the lifespan of a giclee print?
It is currently uncertain how long a giclee will last because the technology used to create them is fairly recent. Some websites say a giclee will last over 100 years, while others offer a more modest estimation of over 35 years. Some sites do mention aging simulations carried out in laboratories to try to determine how long giclees will last, but there is no way to verify any claims. Obviously giclees will last if they are cared for well; it can also be safely assumed that they will last considerably longer than inkjet prints thanks to the quality of the printers, archival paper and inks used to create them.
Why go for giclees?
One of the main advantages of giclees is that they can be created on-demand as the process is digital. Artists can therefore create their own prints whenever they want with ease. This is a much better option for artists who might not want to mass-produce their works. Once a file is digitally archived, it won't deteriorate in quality or gradually fade like physical works do. Each giclee print can be customised, whether it's printed on to a number of different substrates or whether its size is altered. Giclee prints are very popular thanks to their high quality and the fact that they can be more advantageous to artists than standard methods of printing. Giclees are commonly seen in galleries and exhibitions all around the world.

By Joanne Perkins

Violin Strings for Beginning Players

Once the parent purchases a violin for your child who is a beginning player, the parent quickly finds out that the violin, bow and case is only the beginning. To allow one's child the richest playing experience - especially if the child is taking lessons in school or studying privately - an additional minimum investment in the proper violin accessories is necessary.

Probably the single most important accessory to purchase is better and additional violin strings. One cannot overstate the importance of good, high-end violin strings, and for a number of reasons. If a parent purchases a beginner violin online or from a private party, odds are that the violin is outfitted with cheap, low-end strings. On the other hand, if a parent purchases a beginner violin from a reputable violin shop, odds are that the violin is outfitted with higher-end strings that are appropriate for that particular violin.

Violin strings come in many, many different qualities and brands and just changing and upgrading the strings can noticeably improve the sound of the violin. The right strings can actually make playing the violin easier for the student; the easier the violin is to play, the more likely it is that the child will continue to play it.

If a parent decides to upgrade the strings for the beginning student, the best thing to do is to take the violin to a local violin shop that not only maintains and repairs violins, but that also sells accessories for the violin. Ask them their advice on which strings are appropriate for the student violin. If you purchased the violin from an online store or a private party, this would be a good time to ask the violin shop if the violin is properly set up for a student player.

Not only will they recommend and restring the violin, but they may also recommend a new bridge, a carved piece of wood that supports the strings on the violin. Adjusting the size and position of the bridge can, like upgrading the strings, make the violin much easier to play, as well as improve the sound of the instrument.

Once the violin is restrung, a parent should not hesitate to ask the violin shop to instruct them on how to restring an instrument, in case that the student breaks a string while playing. This brings up an important point: Make sure that you purchase a backup set of strings to keep in the student's violin case. While a student is learning to play and to tune his or her own instrument, it is very likely a string can break.

By Nathan Weiss

What Do You Do If You "Find a Strad?"

A Stradivarius Violin in Your Attic? How to Know.

It would be a great shock to the world of fine stringed instruments if a lost violin from a great Italian luthier turned up. Many imitations were made 100 years ago.

It is not unusual to come across a violin in someone's attic, at a flea market or any other such corners of life where forgotten items surface. Sometimes the condition of the instrument makes it obvious that a student long ago abandoned the instrument when other pursuits just took over. Other times, the condition of the instrument or its case or something known about the owner - an eccentric uncle with some money, perhaps - lend the situation a bit of excitement.

Could it be? Is it possible? This excitement is heightened even further when a name, presumably of its maker, is on a label or stamped inside the f-hole of the instrument, on the back plate. There it is! It says "Stradivarius"!

Alas, there are many violins that were made toward the end of the Victorian era, in the late 19th century, that were falsely labeled with the names of the fabled great luthiers: Stradivari, Stainer, Guarnerius, Amati or Maggini among them. They were considered of a "student" level of quality at the time, and the ruse of their violin shops was less a lie than homage: the makers were saying the violins were made in the same style or to approximate the physical specifications of the great Italian violinmakers of the earlier era.

Recently, the excitement around the dollar value of antique violins (and violas and cellos) rose considerably, and raised controversy, when Chicago rare violin dealer Jeff Fushi placed the 269-year-old "Vieuxtemps" Guarneri del Gesu up for sale for $18 million in 2010. At last check it has yet to sell, but it illustrates what has happened with rare violins. Over the past 50 years, their value has appreciated 26,000 percent (compared to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which in the same time period has risen a mere 1,400 percent). Indeed, the problem has now arisen that only millionaires and billionaires can afford them. At best, the instruments are loaned to great contemporary players, concertmasters and soloists with the world's top orchestras. Otherwise, they are held as precious investments, perhaps seen by a rarefied group but only infrequently heard.

There are less than one thousand instruments by Guarneri and Stradivari in existence, and the discovery of a lost stringed instrument found by these or other great makers would be exceedingly rare. If you find one of the 19th century imitations, expect its value to be under $1500 (with a few exceptions) and that to restore it to playable condition could easily cost as much money or more. But do not be embarrassed about asking a professional in a shop for fine violins to look at it - they are accustomed to these requests, and are responsible to all ends of the market to encourage a love of violins (and violin playing) while providing a realistic assessment and encouragement. Even the fake "Strads" were once made, sold and purchased with intent to create beautiful music.

By Nathan Weiss 

Power Ranking of Fantasia Sequences

The Pastoral Symphony segment suffers from being the most childish of all the sequences. The humor suffers from too much slapstick. It is not as innovative as in The Sorcerer's Apprentice or Dance of the Hours. Furthermore, the animation is bland and not particularly memorable. Walt Disney had originally intended for the centaurs to be much more wild and beastlike, but concerns by the studio and censors ended these plans. As a result, the centaurs are merely pretty. There are some good moments, such as the storm scene, but this ends before it can become too threatening. The segment is cute, but not much else.

6. Nutcracker Suite

This second piece of Fantasia is extremely beautiful, but that is about all there is to say about it. Scenes such as leaves falling, ice fairies, and Russian flowers are beautiful to look at, but because there is no story, they are ultimately forgettable. This number is gorgeous to look at, but when one is done watching the film, it is hard to remember. This is still better, however, than being geometrically animated and forgettable, like the flamingo with a yo-yo in Fantasia 2000.

5. Toccata and Fugue in D Minor

This opening piece is meant to represent what the audience imagines while hearing a piece. At first the viewer can plainly see the instruments. Then one can see images that could be perceived as instruments. Finally the instruments disappear completely.

This is one of the reasons I like Fantasia. This sequence does not have a story; rather it introduces the audience to the concept of Fantasia, for example, when the strings' moving bows become an abstract. The sequence does not pander to children and put in a story, as Fantasia 2000 did with its "abstract" number, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. Yet the earlier opening number has more educational interest because it introduces the orchestra.

This sequence has beautiful animation and I admire the ambition of it, but ultimately it lacks the emotional power of the final four on the list.

4. The Sorcerer's Apprentice

This is probably the most famous sequence from Fantasia, and justifiably so. Making Mickey Mouse a sorcerer in the first place is funny. Then we see how badly he botches his simple task of mopping the floor, and while we're laughing, we also sympathize.

We've all probably messed up some simple job, but not spectacularly as he does. The juxtaposition of his fantasy of ruling the universe with the out of control flood inspires sympathetic pity and anxiety, but also laughter at the ridiculous grandiosity of his aspirations. When the brooms multiply so dramatically, it's funny, but also terrifying because they are trying to drown poor Mickey. Likewise, the sorcerer's return is frightening, reassuring, and funny all at once. Mickey has been caught, and everyone can identify with the fear that inspires. At the same time, he puts an end to the madness Mickey started. And the ease with which he does so, as well as the bop on the bottom he administers with the broom, is comical.

While it is entertaining, however, this sequence does not have the fast-paced humor of the next entry on this list or the beautiful animation of the final two entries. It is excellent, but the final three here are great.

3. Dance of the Hours

This is arguably the high point of humor in Fantasia. The dance between the hippo and the alligator is the ultimate anti-Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire. While that pair personified grace, the hippo smushes the alligator, who nevertheless retains his romantic drive and debonair aplomb. The humor comes from the fact that both seem to think that they are graceful. In fact all the animals seem to believe that they are great dancers.

Though this sequence is highly amusing, the final two on my list combine drama with masterful combinations of animation and music that tell memorable and moving stories.

2. Night on Bald Mountain and Ave Maria

Night on Bald Mounta

in is my favorite part of Fantasia. The animation, showcasing the dead returning to the devil captures the insane evil evoked by the music. Bela Lugosi modeled for the animation of the devil, and his smile can be seen as the devil revels in torturing the souls in his hands. There can be no mistaking who he is as soon as he emerges from the mountain.

Why is this sequence on the number 2 spot then? For one reason: Ave Maria comes after it. Ave Maria is nice, but it is blandly, even sentimentally, good. The choral introduction and accompaniment emphasize the goody-ness with syrupy, inappropriate slides, and the personal, pleading quality of the prayer in the piece is reduced when the choir soars over the high parts of the solo, implying that heavenly balm will smooth over actual, human troubles. This is replicated in the animation, which reduces people to faceless lights in the beginning, then soars to saccharine heavenly vistas by the end.

Night on Bald Mountain, as good as it is, has the major flaw of being followed by an unmemorable number. But I believe that the final entry on this list encapsulates everything good about Fantasia and has no flaws.

1. Rite of Spring

This sequence manages to contain all the aspects that make Fantasia good. It has powerful, abstract visuals, such as the opening lava storm. It also has the same terrifying, raw almost primitive might as Night on Bald Mountain. This time, however, it is not softened by a feel-good Ave Maria choir; rather the dinosaurs just die. It does not explain why to children, thus allowing them to draw their own conclusions. The films Dinosaur, and more recently Walking with Dinosaurs, could have taken a lesson from this sequence. One does not have to put in dialogue and frame things as good versus evil for children to be interested.

By William D Wehrs

Singing Success? Reviews And Ideas To Hone Your Voice

Everyone is gifted with talents such as singing, dancing and even acting. Some individuals may even have numerous talents that can be used to their advantage. These talents can also help individuals open new opportunities to make their future better. As an individual, gifted with talent, it is best to hone your skills.

When it comes to singing, not everyone has a wonderful voice. Individuals with charming and harmonious voice will have the advantage when it comes to singing. Because of persistence and determination, they can achieve singing success. Reviews and ideas are listed below to help you hone your voice.

Get rid of bad habits - Smoking, drinking and even other bad habits may affect your voice. Therefore, it is best to get rid of such routine. By removing

these routines in your daily life, you can be sure that you can protect your vocal chords from factors that may ruin it. It is also essential to have a healthy diet and body to ensure that you can improve your skills.

Invest in time and effort - Even if you have a lovely voice that can serenade thousands of people, it is still important to invest time and effort to practice. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect." So, as an aspiring singer in karaoke bars or a performer on the stage, you need to spend sufficient time practicing to further improve the quality of your voice. You also need to exert effort to improve your skills rather than being satisfied with what you have. With this, you can be on top of the competition. Another way to improve is to look for vocal exercises and routines that will allow you to warm your vocal chords before singing.

Opt for singing lessons - Most artists these days also sign up for singing or voice lessons. This is needed to help you learn the best practices when singing. Singing lessons can also help you ensure that you can enjoy other singing exercises such as diaphragm breathing techniques, vocal tone and pitch training, resonance and strength training, and even agility and flexibility. However, before signing up for singing lessons, you need to look for a reputable school to help you achieve your goal. Reviews from experts can be a good option to find the best school. This can help you determine the effectiveness and quality of teaching that you need. Reviews can also help you evaluate singing lesson providers.

By Amanda W Williams

How Public Speaking Can Help Your Marketing

Many people have a fear of public speaking. As a business owner; however, you are probably faced with situations where have no choice but to get involved with some sort of public speaking. You can conquer your fears and your public speaking efforts can help your business's marketing campaign.
The secret behind successful public speaking
Believe it or not, there is a formula that, if followed closely, will help you to become an expert at public speaking and that expertise that you develop will, in turn, help your marketing efforts tremendously. There are a few different approaches that you can take to accomplish this.

• Proving your credibility: As a public speaker, you are in a position of having to establish your credibility with your audience members. The first thing that you would do in that situation is to say something to convince your audience members that you have the experience that would make them view you as a credible source and an expert in that particular area. When it comes to connecting with your audience, you must do two things very effectively. First, you must reach them on an emotional level. Whatever you choose to say, it must be something that they react to with some sort of feeling. Second, you must convince them that you are someone whom they can trust. Trust and credibility go hand in hand and if you are able to build your credibility, you will probably be able to build your trust with those people as well.


• Reaching your audience members on an emotional level: Everyone (in business and in life) has a story to tell. Your story will elicit an emotional reaction of some sort. The stronger and more effective your story is, the more powerfully your target audience will react to you. If they react to you in that manner, they will most likely eventually want to do business with you at some point. As you are telling your story, it is a great idea to use a combination of words and graphic images. One of the main reasons why images work so well is that many people are visual and they react much more to images than they do to words. An important part of your story is expressing what you stand for and your principles that surround your business. That is where the marketing side comes into the public speaking. You have a business and your business is a clear reflection of who you are. They are tied together very closely.


• Using your logical side: When you are speaking in public, whatever you are expressing must be convincing to the people who are listening to you. As you are speaking, you will need to back up your information with facts from other sources so that your audience members don't think that you pulled the information out of thin air. Credible resources go a long way. You need to back up whatever you are saying appropriately.


• Making your presentation interesting to your audience: If you go on and on and it is all about you and your business, you will lose the attention of your audience. You must keep it interesting for them, yet, at the same time, you must get your point across effectively. Your presentation shouldn't be too long and it should captivate the people who are there to listen to what you have to say. You want to keep them in the palm of your hand throughout your presentation.


• Don't just stand in one place and talk: As challenging as it might be, if at all possible, use visual aids when you are delivering your presentation. If you are able to use them effectively, they have the potential to make your presentation go from good to outstanding. They can captivate and motivate your audience members. Although it seems like such an obvious thing to do, you may be surprised to know that not everyone uses visual aids in their presentations. They really can make a tremendous difference.


• Make sure that you rehearse: Practice really does make perfect. Perfecting your presentation is important for you as a presenter and it is important for you as a marketer. Even if you have a tremendous amount of experience with public speaking, you should always practice before you present. You will be much more comfortable and your efforts will come off much more smoothly. All of your hard work and effort will be obvious once you stand in front of your audience and tell them what you want them to know.

Conclusion
Developing your public speaking skills will help your marketing efforts (and results) tremendously. They truly go hand in hand and they are both critical to the success of your business. Once you have given a presentation, you need to get extra mileage out of it by continuing to interact with the people who attended your presentation. That is just the beginning of your relationship with each person who attended. The relationships will blossom and you will have many productive, fruitful years together. There are many different ways to pursue your public speaking opportunities, which you can then tie into your marketing efforts. You should think of public speaking as a form of marketing that works in tandem with the more traditional forms of marketing that you are probably using.
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Carolyn T. Cohn is the Chief Editor of CompuKol Communications. Mrs. Cohn has a wealth of experience in managing people and projects. She has run several editorial departments for various companies. Mrs. Cohn has 25 years of editorial experience and her expertise covers a wide range of media, such as online editing, editing books, journal articles, abstracts, and promotional and educational materials. Throughout her career, Mrs. Cohn has established and maintained strong relationships with professionals from a wide range of companies. The principle that governs her work is that all words need to be edited.

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The Different Types of Bars That Can Be Hired Using Mobile Bar Hire

There are many different types of bars that can be hired out. People might think of a bar as a static object which will probably stay in the same place for years and years. But this doesn't have to be the case. In many venues bars are actually hired out and this is ideal for things like events which only happen every so often and don't need a bar situated in the same place for a long period of time. Bars can easily be moved around and they come in a variety of different types which will be talked about in more detail below. Services offering mobile bar hire can be used to provide these types of bars.

You might think a bar is just as it is and can only come in one particular shape, style or colour. Many establishments, such as pubs, use stationary type bars but there are many other places as well as events and occasions which are ideally suited to using mobile bar hire services. Bars for these types of places can be tailored to suit exactly what it is the customer is after. Bespoke bars are offered so customers are not only limited to bars which are of a particular style or shape.

People don't tend to want the same thing and sometimes having something slightly different can make your event stand out and make that special occasion even more special. Events are a great time to let your inner creativity come out and a bar is often something that should be suited to the theme of a particular event. It might be that your event is themed around ice and this is a great type of bespoke bar that can be provided by services offering mobile bar hire. The style of ice can be catered for and this makes it specific to your event.

Alternatively if you're happier having a simpler solution you can get some that come in standard shapes and sizes such as straight or circular. Straight ones can conveniently fit in amongst other furniture because they can be placed against a wall. Circular bars are a good way for the bar to stand out as the centrepiece of an event by being placed in the centre with access from any area of the event location.

On the other hand you might not want something quite so simplistic. Services providing mobile bar hire offer glowing bars which use LED lights to create a glowing impact across the whole bar. This can help a bar stand out and make your event more spectacular.

Some people choose mobile bar hire providers that offer branded bars. These types of bars have brand images and logos on them. They are good for the brand because they create more awareness amongst potential customers. They are also good for consumers because a brand that is expected to be sold behind the bar can easily be displayed and a good quality brand image can be portrayed about the event itself.

By George Soderburg 

Violin Rosin: Essential for Beginning Players

So, you've purchased your child a violin. Most likely, whether you purchased the violin from a private party, online, or from a brick and mortar violin shop, you now have a violin and violin bow in a violin case. That's a great start but, unfortunately, only the beginning of acquiring the most essential violin accessories necessary to providing your child the most complete playing and learning experience possible.

One of the small but very important accessories you can purchase for your child is violin rosin. Actually, "important" doesn't go far enough. Violin rosin (or rosin for the viola and cello) is essential. It's so vital that even if you have a bow and a violin, your child will not be able to play the instrument without rosin.

What is rosin? Rosin is a small, smooth and semi-transparent round or rectangular cake that fits in the palm of your hand. It is made from the tree sap of various conifers, like pine, that is hardened and varies in color from light amber to very dark brown. Rosins are now available in a synthetic blend made for those who are allergic to tree sap.

How is it used? The student should tighten their bow to the appropriate tension for playing and then rub the bow hairs back and forth along the cake of rosin. Typically, a bow only needs a few passes across the rosin once the hair has been broken in but a freshly rehaired bow may need quite a bit more passes across the rosin to achieve the desired effect. The rosin is a sticky substance that adheres to the bow hairs and allows the bow to better grip the violin strings by increasing friction when drawing the bow across the stings.

There are different grades of rosin available for beginners, intermediate players or professionals and rosin does differ between instruments. The smaller string instruments like violins and violas typically require the lighter rosin, while cello rosin tends to be darker colored. The quality of rosin is dependent on other substances that have been added to the mix that modify not only the color of the cake, but also the friction properties. Rosin ranges in cost, from anywhere between $3 a cake to $48 for the higher-end professional grades.

It's always best to ask the advice of a professional, whether you're purchasing rosin at a violin shop or an online violin store that sells violin accessories like rosin. You may also ask your child's teacher for his or her recommendation of which grade of rosin is best for your child.

Just remember: each time the violin is played, rosin dust accumulates on the strings over time. It is wise to purchase string-polishing cloths to wipe away excess rosin from the strings every so often.

By Nathan Weiss