Author Archive for Candace Wrighting

Training for a Triathlon without Burning Out

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on May 26, 2008
in Running
. 0 Comments
by Valorie Cherice

Training for a triathlon, especially if you are beginner can be an overwhelming feat, but it doesn’t have to be. Triathlons are fun to participate in and will definitely challenge your physical, mental, and emotional abilities.

So exactly what are triathlons? They are competitions that combine swimming, bicycle tours, and road racing in one. Regardless of what got you started in competing, you should take the time to consider some very important points when you start your triathlon training.

You need a realistic plan when you go about training for a triathlon. That means being familiar with your strengths as well as your weaknesses for each event you’ll be competing in.

If you push yourself too hard and too quickly, you could wind up with a sprained ankle or some other injury that will leave you unable to compete. Being in good shape to start with is an excellent way to avoid this.

If you’re thinking about training for a triathlon, you should look around and see if you can find support aides in your community. You may be able to find triathlon training classes for beginners at gyms and health clubs, where you’ll be introduced to the sports you need to know in order to compete in a triathlon.

A good way to begin your search is to contact the organization that’s sponsoring a triathlon, since they may be able to recommend some training classes. These are great not only as sources for information, but as a starting point for creating a schedule and training plan.

If you’ve been working out, practicing, and feel ready to tackle the real thing, it’s time to look for a triathlon event to participate in. You should be able to find out about triathlon events by searching the internet, and you can also ask some of your contacts. Going online is still a good way to dig up information about triathlons, not to mention tips you’ll need when training for a triathlon.

Even when you get to the point where you see yourself as a real triathlete, you should still continue training and practicing hard. You always need to keep improving your skills, abilities, and endurance. It’s essential to work on your strengths and weaknesses.

After participating in your first triathlon, get out of your comfort zone and try out events outside of your local community. There are great races out there to challenge you.

By training for a triathlon, competing in events, and striving for personal excellence, you will stay healthy and fit.

About the Author:
Before you start your triathlon training, make sure to read our Triathlon Training Schedule, and Triathlon Training Programs.

Have You Had It With Dog Chewing?

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on May 24, 2008
in Pets
. 0 Comments
by Lacy Holly

Have you come home to find one too many of your designer shoes chewed up and have had it with dog chewing? Well you have certainly come to the right place.

In this article I will go over why your dog loves to chew and how you can stop dog chewing once and for all. It’s about time right? At least for the sake of your shoes and furniture.

First off, this may be a shocker, but it is actually very natural for dogs to chew on things and it is really a passion for them. At least you now know he isn’t doing it out of revenge because you didn’t give him that dog treat he wanted this morning.

Make sure you start taking action to stop dog chewing as quickly as you can because this little habit can become quite dangerous. Your dog chewing through an electrical wire is a big risk and can hurt him pretty bad.

At least we can narrow down the causes of your dog’s chewing habit to a few possible scenarios. One cause may be due to boredom. This will lead your dog to chew just to entertain himself. If you find this to be the case, make sure to give your dog plenty of safe chew toys.

Separation anxiety is another factor to consider. If you leave him home all day while you are gone or at work, at least turn on the radio or television to give him some company throughout the day.

Animal Planet would be the best channel don’t you think? This would help him feel as though he is not alone and he wont resort to dog chewing to make himself feel better.

If your dog is a puppy you are dealing with a whole new ball game, especially when your puppy is in the teething stage. This is a make it or break it stage as well. This is the point that your dog develops a dog chewing habit in the first place.

Fear can also be a contributing factor. Dogs chew on things when they are afraid. Try to figure out if there is anything scaring or stressing your dog out during the day when you are gone.

Try to eliminate anything that is scaring your dog from your home and make it as comfortable for him as possible while you are away.

Again, turn on the television to keep your dog some company. If nothing else, remember that he is not chewing on your things in anger or trying to upset you.

Have patience and love while dealing with your dog chewing problem and things will work out.

About the Author:
Make sure to visit How To Train Dogs and Training A Puppy for great advice and techniques including How To Train A Puppy. Be sure to get our FREE Dog Training Guide just for visiting.

Create A Perfect Hostess Snack In No Time Flat

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on May 21, 2008
in Cooking
. 0 Comments
by Belinda Jillie

When you’re planning and hosting a party, figuring out what to serve can be a dilemma. Whether it’s an all-out dinner or not, snack foods of some kind are usually expected.

It’s essential to plan out a range of hostess snack foods to serve in advance, so you’ll have an organized list to choose from every time you host a get together. Go ahead, try out some of these and make note of your favorites.

Keep this master list with your other recipes and you’ll always know where to find it when you’re at a loss for what to serve.

Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip: This stuff disappears fast at parties! It’s best complemented by pieces of French bread, tortilla chips, crackers, or even veggies such as carrot sticks. Note: Although some variations of this recipe recommend nuts, it’s safest to avoid nuts. You never know who has nut allergies.

- 2 jars of artichoke hearts (marinated), chopped and drained - 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded (low-fat works OK, but avoid nonfat since it won’t melt as good) - 1 cup of parmesan cheese, grated - 1 clove of garlic (minced) - 1 cup of mayonnaise

Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. Mix up all the listed ingredients in an oven-safe dish (decorative baking dish will do fine). Bake for 45 minutes or until the dip is hot and bubbling. Warn your guests, it’s hot!

Sandwich Loaf: Although this hostess snack goes back to the seventies, this is one main dish that never fails to impress people at luncheon gatherings.

-1 large loaf of good white bread -3 sandwich fillings of your choice - popular choices include ham salad, egg salad, etc., but you can also used thinly sliced deli meats and other items like this. -1/4 cup margarine, softened -2 packages cream cheese, softened -1/2 cup half and half

Trim the crusts from the loaf of bread, so they’re rectangular in shape. Cut it horizontally into four large slices.

Butter one side of a slice of bread, then lay it face-up on the serving plate. Add the sandwich filling, spreading evenly.

Continue adding layers of buttered bread and sandwich fillings. Now you mix together the half and half and the cream cheese to make a frosting. Thickly frost the loaf.

Add garnishes of parsley, then slice vertically to create individual servings.

Enjoy your gathering, and good luck with the perfect hostess snack!

About the Author:
Also, make sure to visit our Snack Recipes website for more Healthy Snack Recipes and Low Fat Snacks. Your family and friends will love them.

How to Read Stocks With These Simple Tips

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on May 13, 2008
in Stock Market
. 0 Comments
by Carlie Eviee

If you’re just starting out learning how the stock market works, reading the stock tables in the paper can be confusing. Though it might be intimidating, it’s important to learn how to read stocks. Don’t worry, it won’t take much time.

There are twelve columns in the table, and you’ll notice that each stock has its own line in this table. To find out how the stock has been performing over the past year, look at the first two columns– these will be labeled something to the effect of “52W High” and “52W Low.” You’ll see the highest point the stock has achieved in the last 52 weeks in the “52W High” column. Its lowest value will be in the “52W Low” column.

The column after that you will discover the name of the stock and then the ticker symbol for that stock. You will probably recognize some of these from the tickers that run across the bottom of the screen sometimes on the cable news networks.

Speaking of which, watching the financial shows on these networks will give you further help on how to read stocks and other aspects of the stock market.

Next to the ticker column is a column labeled “Div.” This indicates the stock’s annual dividend paid out per share. Many rows will have this column blank, which means they don’t currently pay out dividends. The same goes for the next column - “Yield %” - the percentage return on the dividend.

The earnings ratio is indicated by P/E. You get this number by dividing the current stock price by the earnings per share for the last four quarters.

“High” and “Low” are the next two columns. You’ll be able to see the lowest and highest point the stock has reached in the day’s trading. “Net Change” shows the change from the day before; “Close” tells you the point when the stock closed for the day.

You’ll be able to move on and learn even more about the stock market once you have a basic understanding of how to read stocks.

About the Author:
Visit How to Buy Stocks and get all the free help you need in discovering How to Trade Stocks, Stock Market Basics and so much more.

Car Seat Recall Truths

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on May 13, 2008
in Babies
. 0 Comments
by Jayna Ginny

Whenever you buy a car seat for your child, you should always make sure you stay abreast of all the product recalls that may come up later. You can do this by tuning into the news frequently, or better yet, by visiting websites that will let you know when car seat recalls are in effect.

But let’s assume the worst happens and your child’s car seat is recalled: What now?

First, visit the website for the recalled seat, or call the toll-free number. The manufacturer will likely have a special webpage or phone line set up strictly for the recall.

Whenever there’s a recall, car seat companies won’t mess around. They want to make sure your child is safe. Just follow the instructions you see on the website or hear on the phone line.

When you visit the website or phone the manufacturer, be sure you have the child’s car seat in hand. You might need the serial number or the model name, which will usually be printed in the instruction manual.

Don’t be surprised if you’re advised to keep using the car seat until you get your repair kit in the mail. It’s important to remember that in nearly all cases, it’s safer for your child to be in a recalled seat than it is for him or her to be in the car without a child safety restraint device.

Here’s another tip to stay informed of car seat recalls: Register that car seat with the manufacturer right after you buy it. Much like any other product, car seats come with their own registration cards.

Of course, people usually toss them out. But in this case, it’s important to register your car seat so that the company can contact you.

While you can’t do anything to ensure that they won’t send advertisements to your address, you can at least rest assured that you’ll be contacted in the event of a recall.

Just remember that if there is a recall, don’t panic: It doesn’t mean it’s a bad seat, period. There are always errors in manufacturing, and when errors are discovered in a car seat, the manufacturer typically works to correct them quickly.

If you have any concerns after a car seat recall, call the company and talk to someone. They will probably be able to put your mind at ease and give advice on what to do.

About the Author:
Before you buy a car seat, make sure to visit Car Seat Reviews for in-depth reviews on every brand from Graco Car Seats to Britax Car Seats.

Homeschool History - What Is Homeschool?

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on March 17, 2008
in Homeschooling
. 0 Comments
by Kayley Kenzie

What is homeschooling? It’s home education, a method of teaching that’s conducted in the family home instead of a public, charter, or private school. Before we had anything like public education, everyone was schooled at home.

Occasionally there were also small community centers for learning. Homeschool history is varied and rich, since it was the first tool of instruction.

It was usually the advantaged children who received any sort of education or had private tutors. Most of them came from rich families.

The only real way to get an education was in an informal home setting. The parents were usually the main providers of education, but sometimes there were local teachers who would lend a hand.

It is widely known that before we had public education, the United States experienced its peak literacy rate. It’s important to remember this point in homeschool history.

In the 1800s, education and schooling were starting to undergo a lot of important changes. One of the biggest changes was the introduction of laws that made school attendance mandatory. The government decreed that it is a human right for children to receive a public education.

Throughout the years, there has been a lot of debate over the success of public education. Some people have even been known to say that the current school system is harming younger children, especially males because they mature slower.

There have even been studies conducted to observe the effects the education system has on children between eight and twelve years of age.

According to this research, it was found that formal schooling was damaging to children mentally and physically. Sometimes the negativity produced behavioral problems.

These studies were conducted in the 1970s, and according to these tests, tribal mothers in Africa with no literacy were able to bring up their children to be more emotionally and socially advanced than Western children.

It is thought that this advancement was due to the bond that was created between parents and their children. This bond is obviously decreased with formal education.

Parents invest in the homeschool history, are able to choose from a variety of curricula and methods to teach their children. Schooling can take place in a safe environment, but they still are usually mandated to complete required tests.

Most parents who decide to homeschool their children do it because they want their children to have the best education possible.

About the Author:
Discover How to Raise Your Child to Be a True Leader with Our Classical Christian-based Leadership Program. Great for Homeschoolers and Other Parents Who Want to Make Sure their Child Gets the Best Leadership Training Possible.

How to Find the Right Classical Education Curriculum

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on March 17, 2008
in Reference & Education
. 0 Comments
by Kayley Kenzie

The Trivium is the basis of the classical education curriculum. As its name suggests, the curriculum is separated into three phases. The grammar stage is the first, and it corresponds with grades one through six.

At this stage of a child’s life, the physical brain and the cognitive thinking skills haven’t matured yet. That’s why the focus needs to be on solid information. To put it another way, children at this phase just need facts.

Even though some children this age want to know the whys and hows, their brains can only absorb the whats. You can still respond to your children’s whys and hows, but they are not the focus of the grammar stage.

The whats are important for creating a foundation for the higher-leveled thinking and philosophical questions of the hows and whys later. Children in the grammar stage simply don’t have the ability to process reason.

This is largely due to their own lack of experience and background knowledge: They don’t yet have the tools to process reason.

This is the beauty of the grammar stage in the classical education curriculum. Even though the grammar stage is solely based on facts, it is the foundation for all the other learning that will take place in the other two stages.

The next two phrases need this solid foundation in order to be successful.

The next phase in classical education curriculum is the dialect stage. Children can start this phase usually between grade 5 and grade 7.

A noticeable change takes place for a child in this stage as his/her brain development and cognitive skills mature from the concrete to analytical.

Although the child will move from one phase to the next, the first methods aren’t abandoned. The classical education curriculum has a cumulative effect. Concrete learning remains part of the process, but analytical learning is added to it.

The grammar stage focuses on delivering concrete information, the facts. The dialect stage switches focus to the whys and hows. In this second stage, these questions become very important.

The dialect phase sets the stage for the child to apply the facts he or she has already learned, testing to see whether they are actually true. Encouraging this exploration and self-examination is an important step in developing the child’s thinking skills.

In this stage of classical education curriculum, children are introduced to the importance and the need to ask questions, analyze, judge, and examine in a respectful way. There is no need to be disrespectful when asking questions.

By not getting defensive when children ask questions, parents and teachers can encourage a positive atmosphere. Setting a good example helps children learn that you can be respectful and disagree.

The rhetoric stage, or last phase in classical education curriculum, usually begins somewhere around 9th grade and ends with 12th.

Some subjects that are commonly taught include History, Language, Literature, Math, Music, Oratory, Philosophy, Science, and Writing. This is where the all the phases come into the picture and put into practice.

About the Author:
Unlock the secrets of a Classical Education Curriculum and join the Raise a Leader Revolution. You can finally afford to take control of your child’s future and launch your child into greatness. Join us in saving our nation one true leader at a time.

What the Education of George Washington Means to Us

Published
by
Candace Wrighting
on March 15, 2008
in Reference & Education
. 0 Comments
by Kayley Kenzie

Believe it or not, the education of George Washington was limited compared to other leaders of his day. His two older half-brothers went to England to receive their education; George Washington did not.

He did not learn any other languages or go to college. In fact, George Washington’s education ended when he was about sixteen years old.

It is not for certain who taught Washington or where he attended school. The only thing that remains from the education of George Washington is his school papers. Through the papers, it can be determined that he has useful education that would help him later on in life.

Washington was quoted as describing his education as “defective.” Even though the education of George Washington continued to be developed, he remained embarrassed that his formal education ended early.

His favorite methods of acquiring knowledge included reading books, learning from others, and studying the people he respected. He also learned from personal experiences.

Here is what we can learn from the education of George Washington just by reviewing his school papers:

1. His first school papers were dated 1741. If he was born in 1732, he was about 8 or 9 and could effectively read, write, and do math.

2. Another one of Washington’s papers was actually a survey of his half-brother’s turnip field. Obviously, he learned surveying while he was in school. How would this ability aid him later in life?

3. One of his papers showed that he studied geography, could calculate interest on money transactions, and could copy many legal forms that were used in Virginia at that time.

4. Washington may not have received his education in England, but he was certainly taught something about manners and decorum. He copied 110 rules that people should observe for good manners and behavior.

The rules were known as the “Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation.” The rules clearly must have helped him interact with people and the leaders around him.

George Washington may have lamented having a truncated education, but what he had was clearly solid and useful. His education gave him the necessary skills to be a good leader for America.

About the Author:
Discover power behind the Education of George Washington and join the Raise a Leader Revolution. You can finally afford to take control of your child’s future and launch your child into greatness. Join us in saving our nation one true leader at a time.