Take a Break in Siesta Key, Florida
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As its name implies, Siesta Key is a Florida vacation destination that focuses on the simple pleasures in life as it leaves behind the stress and anxiety of overwhelming attractions. While you could theoretically spend your entire getaway relaxing on its pristine sands, melting away your worries under the warm Florida sun, the countless opportunities for adventure are simply too much to pass up on this little island paradise.
Located just off the coast of mainland Florida near Sarasota, Siesta Key is surrounded by sparkling azure water that is just begging to be enjoyed. While you may want to jump right into the Gulf of Mexico the second you step foot on the island, it is usually best to begin your water-bound excursions from any of the three beautiful beaches that Siesta Key has to offer. Gently brushing the waterâs edge with their stunning white sands, Siesta Key Public Beach, Crescent Beach, and Turtle Beach feature distinct environments that are sure to meet all your vacation needs.
The most popular beach not only on Siesta Key but also in the greater Sarasota area, Siesta Key Public Beach is a haven for beach bums who want to sink their toes into the cool, quartz sand and kick back near the waterâs edge. While walking along the shore and swimming in the Gulf are carefree ways to spend an afternoon, the amenities of this public beach, including a playground area, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and concessions, make it the perfect destination for a well-rounded day on the island.
If you tire of wading in the shallow water near the shore or want to cool off out of the sunâs reach, Siesta Key Public Beach is just a short stroll away from the quaint shops and restaurants in Siesta Village. Ocean Boulevard is the place to go for a variety of restaurants and pubs that offer outdoor seating and exceptional views to go along with your refreshing ale or beer. Losing track of time is never a problem here as the conversation and scenery are conducive to a carefree rather than itinerary-oriented day. However, when night falls, the village certainly has your entertainment needs covered with various live music and the âDrum Circleâ theatrical performance on Sunday nights.
In contrast to the vibrant atmosphere that abounds on and around Siesta Key Public Beach, Crescent Beach offers seclusion and privacy for those who truly want to getaway from it all. While it would seem that its radiant white sands and stunning blue waters would draw visitors en masse, its tucked away location just south of Siesta Key Public Beach and its single public access road lead most vacationers to choose convenience over serenity. If you need more excitement off this quiet strip of sand, take advantage of the spectacular snorkeling and scuba diving that abounds on the southern tip in an area known as Point of Rocks.
When arenât escaping on Crescent Beach or playing on Siesta Key Beach, donât miss the water sports of the narrower Turtle Beach, which is located on the southern end of the key. Boasting a volleyball court, horseshoe pit, boat launch, and fishing in the nearby Blind Pass Lagoon, you can relax or play to heartâs content directly off of its fine white sands. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the petrified sharks’ teeth and excellent shell collecting opportunities in its sands, particularly after storms.
As the beaches take center stage and offer endless swimming, shelling, fishing, parasailing, snorkeling, and boating opportunities, it can be easy to overlook the splendor of your surroundings. Rather than running from one activity to the next, take the time to enjoy the dolphins frolicking in the open water or the boats sailing out to sea by selecting warm and inviting Siesta Key vacation rentals for your accommodations needs. Located just a stoneâs throw away from the water but offering all of the amenities and comforts of home, every moment of your vacation can be more exciting and enjoyable than you ever imagined when you stay in a Siesta Key rental.
Jen W.
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/take-a-break-in-siesta-key-florida-119865.html
Dish Network is More Flexible Than the Competition
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If you’ve been looking into switching to Dish Network , you probably know that it offers plenty of great channels for your money, but you might not be aware of just how much flexibility it’s entertainment packages offer. The flexibility comes from the fact that Dish Network has so many different entertainment packages designed for households with so many different budgets and needs.
For example, Dish Network ’s Dish Family is a great choice for families who are trying to save some money, but still want a steady stream of entertainment, educational programming, and information that they can all enjoy. Discovery Kids, Angel One, Hallmark Movie, Food Network, C-SPAN, and Animal Planet are just a few of the forty great channels offered with Dish Family.
Families who want more variety can choose from any one of the three America’s Top Entertainment Packages from Dish Network . America’s Top 60 Entertainment package has sixty channels like USA Network, Comedy Central, Nick at Nite, the Sci-Fi Channel, CNN, ESPNews, The Weather Channel, Spike TV, the Discovery Channel, and lots more. America’s Top 120 Entertainment Package adds more programming choices from great channels like Si TV, Toon Disney, BBC America, the Game Show Network, PAX TV, Lifetime Movie Network, Animal Planet, and FOX News to bring the total offerings up to one hundred twenty channels. With America’s Top 180 Entertainment Package you get sixty more channels including The Movie Channel Extra, Wisdom Television, seven Encore movie channels, Great American Country, Style, The Biography Channel, FOX Movie Channel, SoapNet, Discovery Home & Leisure, National Geographic, The Science Channel, CNBC World, and Nickelodeon Games & Sports.
For families who want even more choices, and especially movies, America’s Everything Pak is a great option. Dish Network ’s America’s Everything Pak has all one hundred eighty channels of America’s Top 180 Entertainment Package plus movie packages from Cinemax and HBO and the STARZ! Super Pak and Showtime Unlimited. The HBO package has eight channels including HBO, HBO 2, HBO Signature, and HBO Comedy. The Cinemax Package has five channels including Cinemax, 5 Star Max, and MoreMAX. Showtime Unlimited has ten channels like FLIX, Show Too, Showtime Showcase, and Showtime Extreme. The STARZ! Super Pak has eight channels including Encore, STARZ! Cinema, and STARZ! Family. The movie packages bring the total number of channels in America’s Everything Pak up to two hundred and ten.
For households that speak Spanish or a combination of Spanish and English, Dish Network offers Dish Latino Packages. Dish Latino Basic has thirty channels of Spanish Language programming including Cine Latino, HTV, Telehit, Univision (Este y Oeste), De Pelicula Clasico, mun2, Toon Disney, TV Espanola Internacional, and Fox Sports Espanol. Dish Latino Dos has the same thirty channels in Spanish as Dish Latino Basic and adds eighty nine in English. Dish Latino Max has thirty Spanish channels and 130 English ones. Dish Network’s Latino Everything Pak has everything from Latino Max with the addition of the same movie packages that come with America’s Everything Pak.
The thing that really makes Dish Network more flexible than the competition is that it offers so many different entertainment packages combined with the fact that you can customize any of them by adding extra channels. For example, Seasonal Sports Subscriptions like NBA League Pass and NHL On the Ice make great additions to any package for the hard core sports fan. Regional Sports Networks are also a great option. SIRIUS Satellite radio stations from Dish Network, give you a lot more entertainment options, and local channels can help you stay connected to the area you live in as well as give you the mainstream programming available only through the major networks. If you have invested in HDTV (High Definition Television, Comcast, Charter Communications, Adelphia, Cox Communications, CableVision, Time Warner and the other Cable TV companies are all attempting to get there HD programming up to speed while Dish Network is doing a great job with the best HDTV receivers and HD programming.
Julia Hall
http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/dish-network-is-more-flexible-than-the-competition-95231.html
Next Movie - Review
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Based on the novel âThe Golden Manâ by Philip K. Dick and Directed by Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day), NEXT features Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore, Jessica Biel, Thomas Kretschmann, Tory Kittles, and Peter Falk. NEXT is also co-produced by Cage, who has starred in such box office hits as National Treasure, Gone in Sixty Seconds, Con Air, and Face/Off. NEXT is slated for theatrical release on April 27, 2007.
A potpourri of magic, terrorism and a built-in nuclear holocaust threatening to unleash itself, NEXT is focused around Cris Johnson (or should we say, âMagicâ Johnson?) â a showroom magician from Las Vegas.
Cris has a secret gift which is not as menacing as the multiplier-effect of âThe Prestige,â but equally tormenting with its limitations as well as potential. Cris Johnson has the ability to peek into the future, but only a few minutes into it. Itâs difficult to change the future if all you got are a few minutes, right? Still there are things he can influence the outcome of, hence the extreme interest of certain organizations in his abilities, with their own vested interests.
Fed up by the interest-overkill in his unnatural gift by the outside world â government and medical establishment, and the numerous examinations he underwent as a child — he goes underground. Maintaining a low profile under an assumed name in Vegas, he gets by, performing cheap tricks and living off small-time gambling âwinningsâ. But especially gifted people are also especially âwantedâ — in this case, for a big-time requirement.
Everything is fine until a terrorist group threatens to detonate a nuclear device in Los Angeles. The countdown to extinction begins and time is running out. Government agent Callie Ferris uses all of her smiles and wiles to weed out and corner Cris to convince the tormented hero into helping her stop the imminent cataclysm and beat the ticking clock. Cris is ultimately faced with the daunting choice of saving the world or — hold your breath — the woman he loves. Ah, is that cliché or what? And all that in just under a couple of hours!
An action thriller, NEXT was shot in Los Angeles. Gary Goldman, Executive Producer, told Variety, âThis is a movie that translates the excitement of the videogame experience into cinema.â
NEXT, is a Saturn Films/Broken Road Production, with Gary Goldman, Jason Koornick, and Ben Waisbren as Executive Producers. It is produced by Nicolas Cage, Norm Golightly, Todd Garner, Arne L. Schmidt and Graham King.
Ben Padnos
http://www.articlesbase.com/movies-articles/next-movie-review-123935.html
Golden Globes Help Increase Movie Ticket Sales and Boost TV Ratings
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If you’re anything like me, you were sitting on your couch on Monday, January 15th watching the Golden Globe Awards to see which of your favorite stars, movies and television shows would take home awards. (And, to see what everyone was wearing!) This year’s show did not disappoint. Newcomer America Ferrara, from the new ABC show Ugly Betty, took home a Best Actress award. Jennifer Hudson, of American Idol fame, won her first Golden Globe for her supporting role in the film Dreamgirls. Some old timers were also honored, such as Meryl Streep for The Devil Wears Prada. For the complete list of this year’s Golden Globe winners see: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-29249626_ITM
One of the side effects of winning a Golden Globe, or just being nominated, can be an increase in ticket sales and theatre exposure, for those respective movies. Films that most folks have not seen, or even seen previews for, end up getting the exposure they need and deserve. People are going to their theatre and watching films they wouldn’t have normally seen, had these films not have gained notoriety due to their success at the Golden Globes.
According to Salon.com, The Fox Searchlight film “The Last King of Scotland” is reaping the benefits due to Forest Whitaker winning the Golden Globe for best actor in a drama, for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. The film expanded its theatre exposure to 495 theatres, and took in an estimated $1.8 million the weekend following the broadcast of the Golden Globes.
“Babel”, starring Brad Pitt, won for best drama, and increased its ticket sales by 500% the weekend following the awards. The drama “The Queen”, which won 2 awards, also saw a large lift, jumping up to the 9th spot at the box office, an increase of 233 percent! Many of these Golden Globe winning films and actors have received Oscar nominations, and are expected to have repeat performances when the Oscars air on February 25.
Television shows are also seeing an increase in viewers due to their accolades at the Golden Globes. According to Media Week, Ugly Betty, which won the Golden Glove for Best TV comedy, drew its largest audience in over 3 months just three days after its win. Grey’s Anatomy, which won for Best Drama, also won its time slot on the Thursday following their win.
That being said, it does not mean Ugly Betty, Grey’s Anatomy, or any winning or nominated TV show, will perform that well for the long haul. The networks do a good job of creating buzz for their awarding winning shows, but it does not always work. According to AZNightBuzz.com, an unscientific look at the past 10 years of TV winners at the Golden Globes in the Best Drama, Best Comedy and Best Actor and Actress categories indicates the award almost never delivers a lasting ratings pop. In fact, many TV shows decline in ratings after winning. Last year’s Best Drama winner, “Lost,” is down 18 percent so far this season.
So, will television’s winners have lasting power the remainder of the television season? Will the Golden Globe movie winners have repeat performances at the Oscars in February? We’ll just have to tune in and see!
The 64th annual Golden Globe Awards were held on January 15th. The Golden Globe Awards honor the year’s top films and TV shows, and are presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
Laura Watkins
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/golden-globes-help-increase-movie-ticket-sales-and-boost-tv-ratings-97230.html
Florida - A Fantasic Vacation Destination
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Florida is one of the most popular states for people to visit year round. With its gorgeous warm weather, people can enjoy the white sandy beaches, theme parks and so much more. In this article we will highlight a few of the top areas to visit.
Orlando is one of the top cities for Florida vacationers because it has something for everyone. It has many large theme parks such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World. There is a large assortment of hotels here catering the thrifty vacationers to those who want to indulge and getaway from it all. You will also find many retail and outlet stores, dinner shows and entertainment as well as the Orlando Magic Basketball team. Another popular attraction is the Cirque de Soleil show. Located at Downtown Disney, this theatrical show will thrill and mesmerize audiences.
Tampa, FL has also become a popular destination due to its growing city and attractions. Busch Gardens and Adventure Island are two large Anheiser Busch theme parks that thrill visitors of all ages. The Lowry Park Zoo and the Florida Aquarium both have a focus on animals, but also offer fun family activities so you can play while you are learning about your natural surroundings. Tampa is also surrounded by great water such as the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. Both are great for watersports, sight seeing
adventures and fishing. Charter a boat and collect snook, grouper and many other great fish in these waters. Or you can just relax on one of the beautiful beaches. There are many hotels to choose from with two of the most historic being The Vinoy Resort and Don Cesar on St. Petersburg Beach. Both are world renown and have tantalizing restaurants and all inclusive spa services.
Miami Beach has taken an extremely popular turn in the last few years. This city has grown in popularity with updated renovations that make it more attractive. Celebrities vacation here and enjoy sunning on the white sandy beaches and partying the night away at some of the hottest clubs in South Beach Florida. Salsa music is popular here and you will definitely feel the island vibe while relaxing near this shore.
When some people think of Florida their first thoughts are of the Florida Keys. The water is crystal blue and the fish and lobster are abundant here. Fishing, snorkeling and scuba diving are some of the most popular past times. You can charter a boat or hop on a sight seeing adventure and see some of the most gorgeous fish and coral in all of Florida. For land lovers, the shops, restaurants and night life are enough to keep anyone busy. Each has an island feel and offers great seafood choices that are both fresh and tasty.
There are so many great locations to visit in Florida. As well as enjoying the attractions, beaches and gorgeous weather, many people come here to hunt, fish or just enjoy the great outdoors. No matter which city you choose, you’re sure to find wonderful ways to enjoy the gorgeous Florida sunshine!
Robert Lipply
http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/florida-a-fantasic-vacation-destination-120190.html
Dish Network Offers a Variety of Programming Packages
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Dish Network offers a variety of programming packages for everyone’s wants, needs, and budgets. Even the entry level package- America’s Top 60 Entertainment Package- comes with sixty channels including favorites like ESPN, the Beauty & Fashion Channel, USA Network, the Sci-Fi Channel, Comedy Central, Headline News, and The Learning Channel. If you happen to be a hard core sports fan, you can sign up for Dish Network’s Top 60 Plus which has all of the great programming of America’s Top 60 Entertainment Package with the addition of regional sports networks. Dish Network’s America’s Top 120 Entertainment Package has 120 of your favorite channels like the Independent Film Channel, MSNBC, WGN, tech TV, Univision, Fuse, BBC America, American Movie Classics, and the Speed Channel. America’s Top 180 Entertainment Package has an additional 60 channels including VH1 Classic, the FOX Movie Channel, Nicktoons, CNBC World, Discovery Times, seven Encore Movie Channels, Great American Country, and National Geographic.
If you love movies, America’s Everything Pak from Dish Network may be the right entertainment package for you. America’s Everything Pak has everything from America’s Top 180 Entertainment Package with the addition of four movie packages from HBO, Cinemax, Starz, and Showtime. The Cinemax package includes MoreMAX, Cinemax east and west, 5 Star Max, and Action Max. The HBO package has HBO east and west, HBO 2 east and west, HBO Comedy, HBO Family, HBO Latino, and HBO Signature. The Starz Super Pak Has Encore, Starz east and west, Starz Cinema east and west, Starz Family, and Starz Theater. Showtime Unlimited consists of Showtime east and west, Showtime Beyond, The Movie Channel, The Movie Channel Extra, FLIX, Show Too, the Sundance Channel, Showtime Showcase, and Showtime Extreme.
If you happen to live in a bilingual household, Dish Network can fix you up with one of it’s Latino packages which have a combination of channels in Spanish and English. If you need programming in another language, Dish Network can bring you channels in Japanese, Italian, Korean, German, French, Chinese, and Russian to name just a few.
With this many channels from Dish Network you might be concerned that you’ll have the opposite problem from the days when there were too few. Fortunately Dish Network provides software with each of it’s satellite receivers that will help you manage all of the great choices available to you. This software is called the Electronic Program Guide and it tells you what’s playing on each channel, and lets you jump around among the channels. It also lets you block access to certain kinds of programming according to time, channel, individual show, and MPAA rating, so you don’t have to worry about what your kids are watching when you can’t be there with them.
If you have invested in an HDTV (High Definition Television, no other serviced provider has more HD programming than Dishnetwork. Comcast, Adelphia, Time Warner, Cox, CableVision, Time Warner and the other Cable TV companies are all attempting to get there HD programming up to speed while Dish Network is doing a fantastic job.
Julia Hall
http://www.articlesbase.com/technology-articles/dish-network-offers-a-variety-of-programming-packages-94124.html
“The Siren”: A Powerful Seductive Figure Of Male Fantasy
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” A man is often secretly oppressed by the role he has to play, always having to be responsible, in control, and rational. The Siren is the ultimate make fantasy figure because she offers a total release from the limitations of his life. In her presence, which is always heightened and sexually charged, the male feels transported to a world of pure pleasure. She is dangerous, and in pursuing her energetically the man can lose control over himself, something he yearns to do. The Siren is a mirage; she lures men by cultivating a particular appearance and manner. In a world where women are often too timid to project such an image, learn to take control of the male libido by embodying his fantasy.” By Robert Greene from The Art Of Seduction
In the works by the Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, the image that a man projects onto a woman is called ‘the anima’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anima_(Jung) , this is considered to be the feminine part of the male psyche, repressed by society, which is projected onto a female who can best ‘carry’ this anima image. The same principle applies to women but the repressed part of the psyche that provides material for the projected image is called ‘animus’.
Now, how does this apply to seduction? Quite simply, by understanding what the deepest desires and fantasies of a man or woman, you can purposely embody those images thereby creating a powerful attraction which leads to the seduction(social or sexual - or both).
One way of embodying a man’s fantasies is to be theatrical. Not in a tacky way by elegantly but with a shocking visual intensity. Cleopatra, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra_VII_of_Egypt ,
provided endless distractions to her lovers (two successive rulers of Rome), with expeditions, plays, orgies, a complete break from the ‘the normal’ so the man was completely captivated with her. He worshipped her.
The other aspect of embodying a man’s fantasies is shown by Marylyn Monroe’s, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Monroe , images who oozes a sexual innocence. I.e. she seems sexual but naive about it. This creates the need in a man to take care of her, never realizing that it is her in charge.
In Marilyn’s case she probably felt abandoned from childhood and when she discovered her developing breasts were pulling in attention from boys, an attention she craved, she spent years honing her look. Later when she tried to land more serious roles she found it extremely difficult as her need to be liked created a vulnerability she could not control. This vulnerability is what caused men to fall in love with her, so was a source of her power.
Both Cleopatra and Marylyn Monroe captured a man’s imagination and allowed him to lose control. They also embodied an aspect of danger which the male mind finds very seductive as he craves adventure, action and ‘newness’. A woman who is dating a man and then relaxes. I.e. doesn’t entertain her man, doesn’t wear makeup and act seductive etc, WILL lose his attention. Not because he has ceased to care for her but because the stimulation that turns him on isn’t there. How often have powerful men suddenly fallen by succumbing to a dangerous liaison? (think Bill Clinton).
Basically, culture and society imposes a role on every one of its members. There are roles specifically for men and women as well as different segments of society. A person fulfills these roles by suppressing those aspects of the psyche that are not socially acceptable. Over time these aspects of the psyche gain power and become, what Carl Jung called, the shadow. This means a non introspective person, who is not into personal development, can get sidelined by repressed desire from his or her shadow that bring them down in the prime of their life/career, or just cause a lot of problems.
Abbas Abedi
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/the-siren-a-powerful-seductive-figure-of-male-fantasy-134907.html
Get your Tickets for Curtains - This Musical is a Hit!
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Curtains is a recent addition to New York theater and to Broadway. This classic style murder mystery opened at the Al Hirschfield Theatre on February of 2007 and has become a very popular production grossing over 800,000 dollars per week and selling out on average around 11,000 seats per week of eight shows with a total weekly capacity of 11,376. Tickets for Curtains have reached as high as 250.00 dollars. Average tickets for Curtains remain around 60.00 dollars. These numbers should speak volumes as to how popular and awaited the musical comedy is.
The Story Of Curtains
Curtains the musical on Broadway takes place in 1959 set in Boston and stars
David Hyde Pierce beside Debra Monk. The storyline follows a premise of opening night at the theater for a version of the classic Robin Hood tale we all know and love. The actress perhaps adheres to the saying “curtains” a bit to literally as she suddenly is murdered at the end of the production during, what else, the curtain call. The show takes off from there as all the people involved with the show quickly are suspects.
Highlights of the show include great performances by David Hyde Pierce playing the part of Frank Cioffi, the investigating Lieutenant. His ability to add humor and fun to the show when others would perhaps would miss the areas of writing which allow for the story to open up. His performance adds great comedic moments to the show and really does do a fantastic job.
Other credits which make this a must see Broadway production include John Kander and Fred Ebb. These is a power combo who have Tony Awards for songwriting and music in such huge Broadway hits as Cabaret and Chicago and the score of New York, New York which was well received as absolutely fabulous. Other credits to the hit show Curtains include Rupert Holmes for the book and Choreography by Rob Ashford.
The bottom line is that this musical has it all! If you like classic theater at it’s best this production certainly delivers. Loaded with outstanding dance routines and music this is just an all around fun murder mystery with comedy that ranges from light to downright belly busting laugh out loud hilarious. The acting is simply nothing less then superb. This is not a musical or play which one is to take to seriously or look for to much from as far as depth. Curtains is a musical which is meant for a fun night at the theater.
Purchasing Tickets For Curtains
Tickets for Curtains have already become a popular and sought after commodity. The best way to secure tickets for Broadway shows is always to call the box office the day they go on sale. For popular shows they may sell out every scheduled show that day alone. Scalpers and other such ways often provide extreme risk and should be avoided. Tickets for Curtains are always available from ticket brokers who will typically charge an extra thirty percent over face value for the average tickets. If the event is sold out this may be the only safe a guaranteed way to procure your tickets for Curtains.
Al Terry
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-articles/get-your-tickets-for-curtains-this-musical-is-a-hit-133823.html
What Makes For A Good Marriage
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Ask the question “what makes for a good marriage?” and you’re likely to get as many answers as there are ice cream flavors. It’s a very subjective topic and those who have good marriages will rattle off the ingredients that they believe have made their union happy and successful; on the other hand, those who are trapped in bad marriages will rattle off ingredients that they WISHED they had.
Sometimes you don’t need words to describe what makes for a good marriage. Actions speak louder than words and unless the husband and wife used to be theatrical actors, you could tell, just by sheer gut instinct, if the marriage is happy or not.
A prerequisite for a solid marriage is happiness. Needless to say, if the union isn’t happy, the marriage will be iffy at best. Rocky. Tense. But happiness is such an abstract term. What makes one couple happy may make another couple miserable.
Remember success guru Jack Canfield? He was the co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul - that famous running bestseller. Don’t worry, we’re not going to recommend that you make chicken soup a staple in your diet to have a good marriage. We don’t claim to be experts at quackery. Chicken soup, humbug!
Actually, Jack Canfield wrote another book called The Success Principles (2005) and in the chapter on human relationships, he cites the words of Dan Sullivan, co-founder and president of The Strategic Coach, Inc: “In every society, there are ‘human benchmarks’ - certain individuals whose behavior becomes a model for everyone else - shining examples that others admire and emulate. We call these individuals ‘class acts.’
What Makes for a Good Marriage? - A Series of Class Acts
According to Jack Canfield, Sullivan describes the qualities of a class act that can serve as a guide not only in different areas of your professional life but in your own marriage as well. Given that these class acts always involve human relationships, making our marriages happy and not short of honesty and integrity would depend on -
 Living by our highest standards - this needs no explanation. The higest standards of conduct are found in the marriage vows we recited in front of hundreds of witnesses. Loyalty and fidelity are commodities not to be taken lightly. They form the foundation of a good marriage. Just because you go through a boring phase in your relationship doesn’t mean you can go around and carry on extra-marital affairs
 Maintaining dignity and grace under pressure - marriage is not a walk in the park - not by a long shot. There will be problems, the traditional ups and downs, arguments over the most domestic of domestic issues. This can add to the pressure of the union. If we can deal with emotional chaos intelligently we become a class act. One partner has to remain calm to give the other person hope that things will be all right. As this complementary role becomes a habit, it is easier to do in the later years.
 Focusing and improving the behavior of the other - by being a role model, your spouse will naturally follow your example and as Canfield says, your spouse will begin acting at a level that surprises both themselves and others.
 Operating from a larger, inclusive perspective - it’s not the credit card bill or the utility bill that is the culprit. Bills are just the outcomes of lifestyles. If one spouse is a big spender and the other is not, this is good reason for some dialoguing. Our spouses have certain traits that repeatedly annoy us. Instead of walking away in frustration, we take on a class act and open the door of opportunity for some honest communication.
 Increasing the quality of every experience - a class act is said to have occurred when husbands and wives have the ability to transform insignificant situations into enjoyable, stimulating and memorable ones. It’s the “stirring the oatmeal” principle all over again. We make the effort to find delight in the ordinariness of life - it’s the only way we learn to appreciate what we have instead of trying to emulate the exciting lifestyles of others.
 Avoiding meanness, pettiness and vulgarity - the saying “familiarity breeds contempt” is best illustrated in a marriage. As we get to know our partners more, we are sometimes tempted to belittle them, forgetting that feelings are fragile, and the wrong words could leave a permanent sting. Class acts have no room for pettiness or vulgarity.
What Makes for a Good Marriage - Back to Basics
We often find enchantment in new concepts and fanciful words coined by marriage counselors and psychologists. The arena of marriage is brimming with advice and tips and how-to manuals. Yet, the answer to the question of what makes for a good marriage is often the old-fashioned one, the true and tested. By going back to the basics, we realize that men and women simply need to reinforce their commitment to each other through little gestures that count.
Ingredients for a good marriage run the slew of having a good humor, maintaining ties with the community, mutual encouragement, consistent planning for the future, and a natural curiosity in life. It is true that children and bills could make us somewhat jaded, but if we put that all aside and look to the future with enthusiasm, we turn into pillars of a good marriage.
It may sound awfully corny if we said that we’d have more good marriages than bad if couples loved more, shared more, and communicated more. These are the old fashioned paradigms that we should live by. Bringing out the best in our spouse is a sure recipe for a successful marriage. One spouse cannot overdo the other. The euphoria of accomplishment must be equally shared and not suffocate the other.
Husband: Jill has always been an ambitious person, anxious to learn new things and explore the world. When we got married I told her I wouldn’t stand in the way of her aspirations and that I would support her wholeheartedly. I have allowed her to grow and develop on her own, and because she has this freedom, she doesn’t encroach in my own playing field. We do our own thing and at the end of the day we come home and talk about how our day went. I guess not having children helped me to keep that promise of non-interference.
Wife: Lawrence has not once made a disparaging remark about my hobbies and undertakings. We’ve found a comfortable zone where we each could grow and develop. I mind my business, he minds his. I didn’t think I could have such an easy, low maintenance relationship with Lawrence. Through our hands-off policy in our own hopes and dreams, we’ve in fact strengthened our marriage hands on!
If you’re really curious about what makes for a good marriage, don’t conduct a survey; instead look around you and smell the coffee. Watch out for that sparkle in their eyes when they’re with you. Observe how they play with each other’s ear, and monitor their spontaneity when they’re in the company of others.
Are their smiles pregnant with meaning? Do they laugh at each other’s jokes? Do you notice how much admiration for the other goes around?
You be the judge!
David Beart
http://www.articlesbase.com/marriage-articles/what-makes-for-a-good-marriage-134700.html
Budget Travel In New York City - 5 Tips On New York Travel
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The New York area is one of the largest in the world. With approximately 8 million people being in New York City alone and with less than 900 thousand kilometers squared radius, it is the densest city in all of North America! After a long anticipated debut we finally made our way to the Big Apple, and we were so excited we could barely contain ourselves. Going there has been a childhood dream for us ever since we decided to be world travelers and see everything this globe has to offer!
The people, lights, Times Square, Rockefeller, everything seems so exciting! This poised a big question though… What to do? What New York City event to pick? Well, I want to share with you some tips on New York travel that won’t break the bank! These are all an incredible experience and I would suggest doing them all if you can. Keep in mind there is no shortage of things to do in New York City. You’ll never get the chance to do everything, so do what you can, relax and enjoy what this wonderful city has to offer!
1) New York City comedy clubs: This is maybe the best thing I can suggest if you enjoy any sort of comedy at all. It works out really well because they have salesperson on the streets in the middle of Times Square, you don’t even have to look or try to find tickets. They will literally just flag you down and give you a very good price (We only paid $20 for both of us) on the condition that you buy 2 beverages at the club. The nice thing about their special, for those who don’t drink alcohol you can buy any drink of choice. Soft drinks and water were accepted as well so it really can appeal to everyone who enjoys this sort of thing and the cost is very low for the reward. It really was such a great time, the comedians were fantastic and we were very glad we decided to go. Highly Recommended!
2) Times Square: I realize this must be on everyone’s “top of the list” but it really is an amazing sight to see. This experience is something that you will never forget. The lights, people, banners, you don’t even realize how crazy it is until you are there. I must have seen Times Square on television a million times but honestly it really just is not the same. Spend a little time there to take in the atmosphere. There are plenty of very nice places to eat but the prices on their novelty restaurants (Hard Rock Café, ESPN Zone, etc) are very expensive. If you want something for a very good price, check out the side streets and look for the local pubs. I would really recommend going at night to see it lit up. A note to those who absolutely hate crowds of people, if you go to Times Square don’t go on a Friday or Saturday evening when it is the most busiest. We went on both a Saturday and Sunday night… the Saturday was chaos, and the Sunday was very nice and calm in comparison 
All the same, I really enjoyed both of them in different ways.
3) Rockefeller Center: We had the pleasure of going during December month, so we got to experience the Christmas tree and Skating Rink all done up at Rockefeller center. This is also home of the famous NBC Studios (Costs $18.50 for the tour).
4) Central Park: One of the most famous parks in the world and the most visited park in the United States, Central Park is a wonderful place to go on a nice day. Central Park is actually bigger than 2 of the world’s smallest nations; Monaco and Vatican City.
5) See a local New York City Event: Take in a ball game, a musical, or something at the theatre! New York really has everything to offer no matter what your hobbies or interests are! You can usually find something very reasonably priced as well, depending on what you are after.
I realize as most people do, New York tends to be quite expensive but with these travel ideas you can go out and have a really great time and still not spend too much money. There is plenty to see, even just going to see the landmarks and places like Rockefeller, Central Park and Times Square are well worthwhile! I really enjoyed my time just walking the streets and taking in the atmosphere.
If you are planning to stay in Manhattan for a week or so, I would really suggest picking up a copy of “The New York Pass”, spend your week and do everything you can. These passes are actually very reasonably priced (Starting at $55.00 daily and only $139.99 for a 7 day period, per person) and you get FREE access to literally almost EVERYTHING you could want in New York City. Here is just a glimpse of what is here. Keep in mind these are only about a quarter of the free things you get, not even including the other discounted items and special offers.
* Central Park Zoo
* CNN Studio Tour
* Empire State Building
* Madison Square Garden All Access Tour
* NBC Studio Tour
* New York Aquarium
* New York Botanical Garden
* Radio City Music Hall Stage Door Tour
* Rockefeller Center Tour
* Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island Ferry
* Suede Lounge (VIP nightclub access)
* The United Nations Tour
Well worth the money if you plan to do a lot of sightseeing, Museums and Tours.
Here’s a link to the page directly for those who are interested:
http://www.tropicalbeachdestinations.com/NewYorkPass.php
I absolutely loved my time in New York! I found it really offers you so much, no matter what month, or what day, there is always something for you to do that is interesting. How can you not like that about a city? It has everything and it is a great place to visit. I hope these tips on New York travel were helpful! I know I can’t wait for our next adventure, here in the Big Apple!
Until next time,
Best Wishes and Happy Travels!
Sarah White
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/budget-travel-in-new-york-city-5-tips-on-new-york-travel-95976.html