Quick Dyslexia Assessment May 31, 2009
Posted by Pat in : my thoughts on stuff , comments closedMany experts believe that there are between 1 and 2 million undiagnosed adult dyslexics in the U.S.A. alone. Approximately 1 out of every 10 people has some type of dyslexia to some degree. While school-age children are now routinely screened for dyslexia, this is a relatively recent development, only coming in the last 15 years or so.
Those of us that graduated high school more than 15 years ago were never tested. 95% of adult dyslexics are unaware that dyslexia is what makes them “different”. Dyslexics see thing differently from non-dyslexics. They frequently have difficulty in reading, especially reading aloud.
Once dyslexics are identified, they can be taught how to do practically anything that non-dyslexics do. The problem is in finding them, getting them tested so they can be helped.
Now new dyslexia software makes the testing process fast and easy over the Internet.. It lets you take a full dyslexia test online.} This can be done at home, from your office… anywhere you can have access to the Internet. It permits a full dyslexia assessment that you receive immediately after taking the test.
For children with learning disabilities there is dyslexia software for special games that enable teachers or parents to easily identify those children with dyslexia problems. The games come in different types and versions for different age groups.
Parents, teachers, any adult supervising the games can observe children playing and quickly identify which have probable dyslexia problems.
These new software tools promise to be a great help in making it easier to test and identify those with problems of dyslexia.
From: Daniel V. Taylor
Disclaimer: Nothing in the above explanations is intended to be or represented to be or should be construed to be any form of medical advice. The information herein has been gleaned from medical journals, news articles in the popular press and other freely-available public sources. It is presented here for informational purposes only. For any medical advice the reader is urged to consult with his or her licensed physician or other medical specialist.
Radiant Floor Heat Will Make Your Furnace Work Less May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : my thoughts on stuff , comments closedIt’s cold here. The wind is biting, the chill in the air is significant. Unfortunately it’s not really officially winter yet and there isn’t even any snow on the ground. How are we supposed to deal with sub zero temperatures when I don’t feel like I can even handle the 30 degree weather we have now?
One of my least favorite things about winter is how cold it is when you get up in the morning and stepping on a cold floor getting out of bed or getting out of the shower. Then you walk around the house and the warmth you previously had fades away because your house is never quite warm enough. Well, unless you have unlimited funding for heating your house then it’s not a problem. But we’re pretty frugal so we have the thermostat set lower.
I heard there was a way to prevent some of these chill problems by putting in the radiant floor heating that uses radiant heat. If you’re house is already built its kind of a pain because you have to rip up your floors but if you’re remodeling anyway or building new then definitely consider one of these. The pipes and tubes under the floor are flushed with water, or sometimes they are just electrical, and they heat the floor, which in turns heats everything touching the floor by radiant heat. Pretty cool really (oops, I meant hot!). With a warm floor and warmer furniture, the furnace doesn’t have to work so hard to keep up with heating the air. This in turn drops your energy bill and you’re able to enjoy a warm house without suffering through cold feet.
A friend of ours even went about installing radiant floor heating in his garage to keep his vehicles warmer, and a few of our local businesses put it in under their new sidewalks so the snow would melt faster. It’s a pretty awesome system and should be considered by those who are looking for more efficient ways of heating.
Are You Depressed? May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : my thoughts on stuff , comments closedDisclaimer: For serious depression issues, please consult a physician.
Depression is on the increase as people struggle with the economy’s woes. Worry about kids, jobs, illnesses, insurance benefits, and budget stressors can make the day gloomy.
What do we do about depression? For certain, today you probably won’t be able to fix the economy, and maybe many other problems you’re experiencing don’t have quick solutions. Even though today may not bring permanent answers to your day’s trouble spots, there are some things you can do about feeling gloomy.
The use of “self-talk” can be very beneficial. Practice until it becomes a daily habit. Normally, we tell ourselves all kinds of negative things all during the day and into the night. Your mental voice often says things like: “I’m stupid. Why did I do that? What’s wrong with me? I keep screwing up. No one accepts me. I look fat. I’m ugly. My hair’s a mess. I need a makeover. I’m not doing enough. My kids hate me. I’m not a good parent.” I don’t do my job right.”
We’ve got criticizing ourselves down quite well. What we need to do more of, is positive self talk that will energize us and change our mood. Not empty compliments, but really good advice. You CAN be your own best friend!
Saying things like:
“I am good enough, today; I do many things well; I may not be able to solve all the problems I am thinking about, but I can make some improvements on one or two. (Be specific in your head.); I can break complicated tasks or problems down into many smaller steps; I can clean one room tonight. I can get the laundry done, today; I will spend 1 hour with my child tonight; I am well-groomed; I look good; I can smile; I can focus on my job today; I can help someone else; I will sleep in a dark, cool room, I will listen to soft music that fades gradually into silence.”
The more specific we can be with our self-talk, the more we will feel in control of our lives, and the more control we feel, an increased feeling of joy will come over us. The list goes on. In fact, what we say to ourselves is endless.
Vow today, to: Lift yourself up!; Pay attention to your children!; Eat more nutritiously!; Take part in the community!; Join a club or organization!; Make time for yourself every single day; Clean the house. (A clean, organized home really does make you feel joyous!); Walk daily, just 15 minutes, in fact, start out with 10; Think of 3 new habits to develop, and begin small but begin! (i.e. do the dishes nightly; clean the tub nightly; read a chapter in an uplifting book, daily, talk to your kids individually, daily, talk to your spouse privately, daily.)
Practice the art of pretending. You can pretend to feel good, until you DO feel good. You’re worth it, vow to fight depression, to get that new job, to show your children how to cope with problems!
Do something different, today! I KNOW you can. Keep hope alive.
How To Make A Living Online And Keep Yourself Healthy May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : my thoughts on stuff , comments closed
Making a living off internet marketing is a dream a lot of people have. Of course, building up a proper online business takes a lot of work, which is why many people try to take shortcuts. They try to find the “latest and greatest trick” to making money, they buy all the latest products, try everything and give up easily. A lot of people also go for blackhat SEO, where they basically try to manipulate search engines and spam links everywhere. The reality is that the vast majority of internet marketers making tons of money don’t do any of this stuff – rather, they focus on creating real business models that actually help people. In many cases you can make way more money working with the system rather than trying to exploit it.
Also, another thing that a lot of the top earners do is create their own product, whereas people that don’t make much tend to promote products as an affiliate. If you have your own product then you can enjoy having hundreds of affiliates sending traffic to you in all kinds of ways, which makes it a lot easier. Making a living off internet marketing is easier when you have passive traffic coming in. Affiliates tend to work a lot harder for fewer returns than product owners do.
Also, remember that internet marketing can cause health problems if you spend all day in front of your computer. Therefore, it can help if you do some weight loss stuff so you keep in shape. Just remember to see your doctor before following any medical advice you see online.
Get a Camping Lantern from Campmor May 30, 2009
Posted by Pat in : my thoughts on stuff , comments closedA Campmor catalog arrived in the mail today. These are great fun if you’re an avid outdoors person and you enjoy shopping. I bought a camping lantern from them once and experienced great reliability and superb customer service.
The variety of gear they carry now is amazing. They used to focus mostly on camping – I imagine that explains their name. The new catalog displays all kinds of winter gear from boots to jackets to thermals. They also carry hiking and biking gear as well. Not bicycles, but helmets, spandex shorts, and the like.
I frequently check out Campmor first when I’m searching for new gear like a camping sleeping bag. They have a large selection and great prices. The biggest drawback is the catalog images are all quite small and in black and white. I guess that explains why I haven’t chosen to a larger ticket item from them before.
I just realized now that I could browse at a nearby camping accessories store to check out the products in person and then make a purchase through the Campmor catalog if the cost is lower. Actually that’s a really good idea. Especially if I’m looking for a tent or another item it’s best to see in person first.
Over recent years I have started to do some affiliate marketing on the internet. Since I am a fanatic about camping and camping supplies, I built a website about this topic. Campmor was one of the first companies I checked to see if they have an affiliate program. I learned that they don’t, which is disappointing. I would have signed up right away. I like their products so well, I’m sure other internet campers would too.