OK, that was a hideously corny title. Forgive me… but here is a helpful piece on stress busting for WAHM’s. If you have any thoughts please comment!

Stress Busters

By: K C Groves

We are living in a world where stress abounds. How do we deal with it? And we do get to deal with it. Small amounts of stress can work for us. Deadlines can motivate us to get the jobs done instead of procrastinating. So there are times that stress can be beneficial. However, stress that is brought on by being in traffic too long, having a boss that is abusive or lack of money to pay bills is stress that can be more than we can take and, could even be a killer. So how can we make sure that kind of stress has a minimal impact in our lives? There are many stress busters that one can employ. However, I am only going to touch on a few.

1. Get adequate rest. Sometimes that is all you need and it costs only a little bit of time well spent. Our bodies are less stressed and can better handle any problem that comes along.

2. Our planet is about 70%+ water. So are we. And we lose lots of water each day. So drink up.

3. Get an aquarium or tabletop fountain. It’s amazing how soothing falling water can be.

4. Take time for yourself. That is not being selfish. You’re showing appreciation for the life that you have. You will be less stressed and this will also benefit those around you as well.

5. Provide a tranquil environment at home or have someplace where you can go and find serenity. Exciting times have their place and you will also find that having quiet time can be beneficial as well.

6. Consider taking supplements. Our food supply may be abundant, however, the nutrition we need may not be in the food. I’ve heard statistics that we would have to eat 42 bowls of spinach grown today to match the nutrition in 1 bowl of spinach grown in the 1950’s.

7. Take a walk or exercise. I was reading recently that moving helps you to change your mood by making you more positive.

8. Get a full body massage. You will love it.

9. Get Adequate Rest.  The bedroom must be a peaceful place to sleep. Researchers have suggested that there be no TV in the room, that the room be dark if you are a day sleeper and that it be a quiet, tranquil environment. How many hours do you sleep at night? Seven hours or less? Some of the research is indicating that most people should get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. For yourself you may feel that 7 hours works great. Or, you may find you need more than 7 hours. If you suspect that you should be getting a different amount of sleep than previously, try experimenting for a week to get the number of hours that might work. Take note of how you feel when you get up. Is it a good day? Do you accomplish your goals for each of those days? And how do you feel at the end of the day? If there is satisfaction and a normal degree of fatigue, maybe you have found the number of hours that will work best. Should we be concerned about sleep? Research would appear to show that we deal with emotional issues when we sleep. And if we don’t get enough sleep, those issues may not get resolved. Also, when we reach deep sleep, our bodies do most of the repairs at that time. A determining factor for the number of hours of sleep that an individual requires may depend on their level of health. If a person is experiencing poorer health, they may require more sleep than 7-8 hours.

Please keep in mind that everyone’s physiology will be a little different. In other words, everyone’s general body functions are basically the same but can have variations from other people’s. Some people’s bodies function better than others. And if your body function is good, you are going to feel less stressed. Getting adequate sleep can take stress from our bodies. This is one way we can reduce the stress in our lives. And all it costs is a little bit of our time. 

 K C Groves

DISCLAIMER: This article is issued with the understanding that while every effort has been made to ensure that the information contained within is accurate, the author will not accept any responsibility for any loss or otherwise, as a consequence of using any of the information that has been presented. The opinions are those of the author who has researched the information and lives by these principles and techniques as well. Users are urged to seek medical advice before embarking upon or changing a course of medication or fitness program or before making extreme changes in their life style. K C Groves is a 67 year young widow, mother and daughter of parents in their 90’s. For over 15 years she was involved in the health field promoting and using supplements. Six of those years were working with products specifically designed for cancer patients and diabetics. Her interests are writing, reading, self improvement, playing games, becoming very business savvy, building web sites and spiritual growth. Stress Reducers-http://tinyurl.com/fountainz, Tabletop Fountains and Ebooks

I found a wonderful post on this very subject. It is from a woman who owns her own firm and apparently employs others. She talks of meeting at coffee houses and such. She gives some wonderful organization tips and tips for keeping your sanity when working at home with kids.

Check it out here.

Im a firm believer in down time. I mean it. Im not saying that so I can take five and watch General Hospital either. (Although I occassionally do that).

If your serious about working at home then you have to schedule a little down time in your day. The time you sleep during the night doesnt count, either. If you dont stop and smell the roses every once in a while you will literally stroke out.

Little story for you:

Back in April my husband was working out of town. I was home alone with six children and a new puppy. My car broke down, I had two late pay checks and rent was over due.

My first instinct was to go into work overload. I worked day and night. 16 hours a day for three days straight. On my sons 8th birthday I was up at 5 am to work before jetting to town to pick up his bouncy house and cake. Headed home to set things up and wait for guests. I was about 3 miles from my house, driving with 4 children in the car and thats all I remember.

I passed out. Driving.

I woke up in the hospital about 24 hours later.

I had a nervous breakdown and never saw it coming.

I kept telling myself, you can do this, just keep going, keep going. When in fact I needed to stop.

I spent two days in the hospital.

Now, I make downtime no matter what. I cant afford another two days in the hospital.

My down time usually comes in the form of stopping for about an hour after the kids get off the bus and discussing their day. Ill start working again and then about an hour before bed time Ill stop. Socialize with thr fam and spend at least thirty minutes reading or watching tv.

It works.

Also I make sure to take at least one day off a week. I cant stress the importance of that day off. It helps keep the husband and kids from having a nervous breakdown along with me.

Schedule a little down time. Its the most important time on the daily planner.

Check out these articles in your spare time for lots of great idea on making money with minimal effort:

8 Ways to Make Money Without Working

How to Make Extra Money During Christmas

4 Ways to Earn Extra Money Without Leaving Your Living Room

Some helpful tips for this week come in the form of job leads and an article about the future of Telecommuting.

I have two data entry job leads.
1. Convergys- this is a data entry system with a sophisticated website. It is informative and has many answers tot he mo st asked questions.

2.Service800- another data entry. They require that you have some experience. Both require DSL or two phone lines and a computer.

The third tidbit is an article I found in Entrprentuer magazine; Solo but Not Alone. It tell of the big boom in working at home and how some people are more productive in a stable, structured environment but still want to work at home. These people are congregating in Co-work spaces all over the country to do thier job with other like minded folks.  Cool, huh?

Check out these home biz entreprenuers who are making it during the worst thing since the big depression. It is truley awe inspiring!
 Recession Proof Home Biz

Maybe you’re an avid reader. Maybe you’re a book enthusiast. Maybe you just see a way to make some money.

Whatever your reasons your looking for the answer to how to become an ebook affiliate. There are a few ways to become an ebook affiliate.

The fastest, easiest and cheapest way is to promote another persons ebook. Find an ebook that you love. Find one that speaks to you, one that you would recommend to your friends and buy your family members for Christmas. If you love it, it is easier to write real believable ad copy on it. It doesn’t seem much like selling when you believe in the product and its help. If you have found an ebook that you enjoy then someone is trying to sell it. Almost every market place on the net offers a affiliate program and ebooks are no exception.

Fill out the application form and place the html linking code on your website. Learn to promote your ebook affiliate links so that the commission you draw is higher. Each ebook affiliate program will pay a percentage of each sale, a per click fee or both to its affiliates.

You can also write your own ebook and promote it. Write on a subject that you know well. Have someone check it for typos and misspellings. There are lots of software packages that will guide you through the processes of writing an ebook. There is also the option of becoming an ebook affiliate for a bookseller or warehouse. The process is much the same as for a single ebook but may differ slightly in certain areas. Read all requirements carefully. Not following the rules completely may result in a delay or complete denial of payment.

It is not difficult to become an ebook affiliate. It takes only time, effort and patience. Before long you’ll have your own virtual bookstore and living your dream.

Congratulations, you’re an ebook affiliate!

I found this article on Mental Floss. Its a wonderful blog with lots of great information.

During difficult economic times, the cost of higher education leaves many students wondering if they can afford to go to college. For those who want to avoid being saddled with huge loans, the U.S. government offers one of the best deals around: Enroll at one of the five service academies tuition-free and receive free room and board. (And you thought the Grand Slam promotion at Denny’s was cool.) But if military service isn’t for you, here are eight other schools that offer tuition-free educations:

1. College of the Ozarks

Several schools share the “Linebacker U” and “Quarterback U” monikers in reference to the NFL talent that their college football programs produce, but the only “Hard Work U” is located in Point Lookout, Missouri. In 1973, a Wall Street Journal reporter bestowed that title on the College of the Ozarks, where students pay no tuition and work at least 15 hours a week at a campus work station. Jobs are taken seriously at the school of 1,400; students are graded on their work performance in addition to their academics.

History: In 1906, Presbyterian missionary James Forsythe helped open the School of the Ozarks to provide a Christian high school education to children in the Ozarks region, which spans parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. The school added a two-year junior college 50 years later and completed its transition to a four-year college program in 1965. The school was renamed College of the Ozarks in 1990 and has established itself as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the Midwest.

Notable: College of the Ozarks was No. 4 on the Princeton Review’s list of the top 10 Stone-Cold Sober schools in 2008.

Famous Alum: Actress and model April Scott, who played Daisy Duke in the straight-to-DVD prequel of Dukes of Hazzard – Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning. Scott has also appeared in Entourage, as a briefcase-toting model on Deal or No Deal, and on various magazine covers.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Silver Dollar City, an amusement park in nearby Branson, Mo., harkens back to simpler times with its 1880s theme. In addition to thrills, roller coasters at the park offer scenic views of the Ozarks.

2. Deep Springs College

Deep 

Springs is a two-year, all-male liberal arts college located on a cattle ranch and alfalfa farm in the Inyo-White Mountains of California’s High Desert. To get an idea of just how isolated the school is, consider the explanation for its policy forbidding smoking in any of the school’s buildings or near hay bales: “We’re 45 minutes from the nearest emergency services, so a fire could be disastrous.” Every student admitted – 10 to 15 per year – receives free tuition, room, and board, and works at least 20 hours a week on the ranch. The manual labor ranges from washing dishes to milking cows. Most students complete their degrees at prestigious four-year schools after leaving Deep Springs.

History: Deep Springs was founded by Lucien Lucius Nunn, a pioneer in electrical engineering who helped design the Ontario Power Plant at Niagara Falls. While working for the Tellurid 

 Power Company, which provided power to gold mines, Nunn invited young men to work for him in exchange for an education. The work-study program became known as the Telluride Institute in 1905. Nunn was driven out of the company in 1912 by a powerful stockholder who believed Nunn’s unconventional means of attracting workers was detrimental to the business. Nunn decided to start a completely new educational endeavor at Deep Springs, which admitted its first class of 20 in 1917.

Notable: Academics, labor, and self-governance are the three pillars of the Deep Springs experience. Students have a say in what subjects to study, what professors to hire, and even what applicants to admit.

Famous Alum: William T. Vollmann, a novelist and journalist with a propensity for writing about dangerous firsthand experiences, including a trip into Afghanistan with the Mujahideen in 1982. Vollmann has written more than 20 books, including Europe Central, which won the 2005 National Book Award for Fiction.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Given that students are generally prohibited from leaving the ranch during the semester, online shopping via the somewhat reliable Internet connection is one of the only viable options.

In an effort to attract the best and brightest students for its inaugural class, the UC Irvine School of Law is offering a free ride to all 60 students admitted this fall. Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, a constitutional law scholar, told reporters, “Our goal is to be a top-20 law school from the first time we are ranked.” By early February, the number of applicants at California’s first new public law school in 40 years had topped 1,000. The school will rely on grants and donations to cover the estimated $6 million it will cost to put each of the students in the first class through the program.

History: There is some precedent for a professional school offering free tuition to its inaugural class. In 2008, the Central Florida College of Medicine received nearly 3,000 applicants after offering the same deal to each member of its inaugural class.

Notable: Chemerinsky, an adamant defender of the separation of church and state, as well as abortion rights, was hired, fired amid political pressure from conservatives one week later, and then rehired as Irvine’s law school dean in 2007.

Famous Alum: You? It’s not too late to apply.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: In-N-Out burgers. Lots and lots of In-N-Out burgers.

4. Berea College

Thanks to a large endowment, every student admitted to Berea College in Kentucky receives a full-tuition scholarship valued at more than $90,000. Students are required to work at least 10 hours a week in one of more than 140 departments, and while room, board, and books are not covered, the work-study program enables some of the 1,500 students to lighten their financial load even more. Berea offers degrees in 28 fields.

History: Berea was founded in 1855 by Rev. John Fee – an ironic name for the founder of a tuition-free college if there ever was one – as the first interracial and coed college in the South. Classes at the school were fully integrated until the Kentucky Legislature passed a law in 1904 that prohibited school integration. The law was amended in 1950 to allow integrated education above the high school level and Berea returned to its roots, becoming the first school in Kentucky to re-open its doors to African-Americans.

Notable: Berea’s motto is “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth.”

Famous Alum: Carter G. Woodson, an African-American historian, journalist, and author. After graduating with a Bachelor of Literature degree from Berea, Woodson earned his PhD and taught at Howard University. He pioneered the celebration of “Negro History Week” in 1926, which would serve as the precursor to “Black History Month” as we know it today.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Berea is home to the Kentucky Artisan Center, a 25,000-square-foot facility that showcases Kentucky-made arts and crafts in a variety of exhibits.

5. Olin College of Engineering

Olin College is a school of 300 in Neeedham, Mass., where every admitted student receives four years of free tuition valued at $130,000. The school is funded by a $400 million grant from the F.W. Olin Foundation and ranks as one of the top undergraduate engineering programs in the country. There is great emphasis placed on philanthropy at Olin; students are encouraged to develop creative ideas that address societal needs and help make the world a better place.

History: The school is named for Franklin W. Olin, who founded the Olin Corporation and made a fortune selling ammunition. Olin was a great philanthropist, too. Since 1938, the F.W. Olin Foundation has contributed more than $300 million in grants to colleges and universities throughout the country. The same foundation financed the development of Olin College, which was completed in 2002. The school graduated its first class in 2006.

Notable: Indicative of the entrepreneurial spirit of the school, six Olin students are taking a year off to develop educational Internet software – think Google Docs meets Facebook – for local middle school students. The students expect the software, which will include built-in features that allow parents and teachers to interact with and monitor their students’ work, to be operational by mid-April.

Famous Alum: He’s not exactly famous, but Alex Dorsk does have a cleverly titled blog chronicling his time aboard a research vessel with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Honor the legacy of F.W. Olin, who played two years of professional baseball after graduating from Cornell, with a trip to Fenway Park in nearby Boston.

6. Cooper Union

Located in Manhattan, Cooper Union offers degree programs in art, architecture, and engineering, and every admitted student receives four years of free tuition valued at $130,000. According to a recent article in the New York Times, applications for early decision to the school were up 70 percent this year. The admissions rate at Cooper Union is about 8 percent, while the enrollment is a little more than 900. The Cooper Union endowment is valued at nearly $600 million.

History: Peter Cooper, who invented the first locomotive in the United States, believed that education of the highest quality should be “as free as air and water,” so he founded Cooper Union in 1858. Cooper’s greatest legacy may have come 14 years earlier, when he received the first American patent for powdered gelatin. A cough syrup manufacturer bought the patent from Cooper, developed a prepackaged gelatin dessert, and named it Jell-O in 1897.

Notable: The Great Hall on the Cooper Union campus has been the site of several historic speeches. Abraham Lincoln outlined his views on slavery – namely that he didn’t want to see it spread – in a famous address there, while Mark Twain spoke at the school’s inauguration.

Famous Alum: Milton Glaser, who founded New York Magazine and designed the ubiquitous I Love New York logo.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Fifth Avenue is a start.

7. Curtis Institute of Music

Like Juillard, the Curtis Institute of Music is considered one of the most prestigious performing arts conservatories in the world. Unlike Juillard, tuition at Curtis is free. Every student admitted to the school of 160 in Philadelphia is provided a full scholarship, and all piano, harpsichord, composition, and conducting majors are lent Steinway grand pianos. As part of their training, students at Curtis host over 100 public concerts each year, and receive one-on-one instruction from the musically accomplished faculty.

History: Mary Louise Curtis Bok founded the Curtis Institute in 1924 as a place for talented young performers to prepare for careers as professional musicians. She named the school in honor of her father, Cyrus Curtis, the founder of Ladies Home Journal and a fellow music lover.

Notable: According to the school’s Web site, 17 percent of the principal chairs in America’s top 25 orchestras and four music directorships in the top 50 are held by Curtis-trained musicians. More than sixty alumni have performed with the Metropolitan Opera.

Famous Alum: Anthony McGill, a member of the Metropolitan Opera and the clarinetist in the quartet that played at Barack Obama’s Inauguration last month. Also: Leonard Bernstein.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Buy a membership to the Franklin Institute to supplement your musical education.

8. Alice Lloyd College

All students at Alice Lloyd College in Pippa Passes, Ky., are required to work at least 10 hours per week in exchange for free tuition. Students who need additional financial aid to pay for room and board may work up to 15 hours per week. Jobs at the school of 550 are assigned based on a student’s work experience and personal preference.

History: Alice Spencer Geddes Lloyd, a former publisher and editor of The Cambridge Press, moved from Boston to Eastern Kentucky in 1916. With the help of June Buchanan, Lloyd chartered what was then called Caney Junior College in 1923. The school became an accredited four-year college in 1980.

Notable: The call letters for Alice Lloyd College’s non-commercial radio station, which has broadcast inspirational programming around the clock since 1998, are WWJD-FM.

Famous Alum: Carl D. Perkins, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 until his death in 1984. Perkins’s legacy lives on in the form of the Perkins Loan, a need-based Federal student loan.

How to Spend the Money Saved on Tuition: Elk were introduced to Kentucky in 1997 as part of a restoration project and Knott County, which includes Pippa Passes, is now known as the elk capital of the East. Tours are available through several outlets.

Read the entire artical by Scott Allen here:

http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/22573.html

Small businesses often need a little financial help to get started. This can come in the form of loans from banks and financial institutions but you must pay these back at some point. Obtaining a small business grant may be a better solution for a start up company strapped for cash. These can often be found at the state level.

Small Business Association

The Small Business Association offers much information on loans for small businesses. They focus on certain aspects of small businesses such as women and minority owned, green energy business and those improving child care. There are also state grants available there for business that are profitable for your particular state like tourism and specific product sales. Check the Small Business Association website given at the bottom of this article for a list of grants that your business may qualify for.

U.S. Government

 There are several small business grants offered by the government for each state. Their website has a grant search tool that can help you find the perfect grant to apply for. There are also many other financing options available for small business owners. It is important to make sure that you qualify for each grant you apply for. Even one small mistake in paperwork or documentation can disqualify you for the grant you’ve chosen. Check the government website link at the bottom of this page for information on their financial aid for small businesses.

Minority Business Development

 The Minority Business Development Agency helps small businesses owned by minorities. They give links to each states application and small business grant applications and check lists. They offer other information on starting and running a small business such as employee relations, business tools and national news of interest to small minority owned businesses.  This can be a valuable resource for many aspects of owning and running a small business. Check the resources section of this article for the website link.

Grants.gov

 Grants.gov is a wonderful tool for small business owners looking for financial aid for their business. There are more than 900 grants from over 26 government agencies focusing on many different groups and qualification points. It also offers a tracking device to help keep track of each grant applied for and the status of each. There is a whole section for applicant resources with articles, checklists and links to help become more educated on the grant process.

The Foundation Center

The Foundation Center is a subscription service that hooks up small business owners with various grantors. There is a lot of free information here as well. There is an online orientation that walks newbies through the process of grant seeking and all the in’s and out’s of the process in a step by step method. The subscription fee entitles members to the database of over 80,000 grant makers.

Autumn for me is about getting grounded. Its about reminding myself of the most important things in my life and remembering to appreciate them. When I get in this frame of mind, away from the heated and frenzied days of summer, that I take up old routines like bigger fancier meals stock full of southern comfort foods.

Cooking so much gives me time to think about myriad subjects as the spoon goes round and round and my thoughts with it. The days activities, tomorows wish list, holiday preps and end of year wrap up neccessities all travel around in my head. New ideas present themselves, both personal and public, work ideas, family ideas, relgious thoughts, spititual ideas… And I feel more open to new ideas and to other perspecctives.

I wonder if its this karmic, renewal process that happens to me each year or if its just luck but I have found a new cook book that blows my mind. Its a Vegan cookbook but that ‘aint it, friends and neighbors. Bloodroot Volume 2 by Selma Miriam and Noel Furie is a collection of recipies from the famous vegan restauraunt, Bloodroot.

Its not just a cookbook but a series of fiery essays on feminism, vegetarianism, and a really interesting piece on the merits of coconut milk as opposed to dairy. Its like reading Ms Magazine with a WHOLE lot more recipies.

I really like the fact that the recipies are divided into seasons. Thats way fun. I loved the Banana Soup!

The Best news is Im giving away a free copy of this fantastic cookbook to one lucky winner.

In order to register for the cook book please blog about the contest and leave a post here telling us about it. Twitter about it for an extra entry. On 10/20/09 we’ll chose a name from all the entries and post the winner here! Good Luck!