Time for Love

By Helen Fisher, Ph.D.

Kicking leaves, carving pumpkins, pencils, books and work: We’re back in the fall routine. And as we resume our autumn rituals, most of us take stock. Perhaps there’s nothing we ponder more thoroughly than our bedroom habitat. Is someone there? If not, why not? If so, is this The One? Or should someone else reside in this inner sanctum?

We tend to think that spring and summer are the mating seasons—the key times that we engage in the pursuit of happiness. But as autumn gets under way, professionals, entrepreneurs, students, retirees, almost everyone returns to “the hood,” or to clubs, restaurants, gyms, sports and cultural events, and parties–rekindling and expanding their social webs.

"Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want," wrote critic Joseph Wood Krutch. Like cats, in the autumn, even the meek become emboldened to ask what they want: romance. Some will join Chemistry.com, the Internet dating site I helped design for those looking for a serious relationship. Others will seek a mate at other Internet dating sites, or buy newspapers and magazines to peruse the personals. And as they gather, they will hope for love.

How autumn works its charm
What makes fall such a dynamic mating season? First, it’s important to acknowledge that anytime is a good time for love and sex. Deer court in the fall; female dogs court when they are "in heat;" most female monkeys have a sexual peak in the middle of their monthly menstrual cycle when they ovulate. Humans have no courting or birthing season.

Certainly, summer (the “hot” season) has its thrills. The fireflies and crickets, the pungent smells of roses, barbeque and salty air, the sunning bodies on the beach or grass, the fresh peaches: summer magic invigorates our senses. But as poet John Keats wrote of autumn, "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness…thou hast thy music too." Keats had it right. As we hurtle toward crisp days and nights, new events-and new floods of chemicals-will propel us toward love.

The chemistry connection
Foremost, in autumn anticipation can run high. And novelty, unpredictability and anticipation can juice the dopamine circuits in the brain, making you feel good – very good. Dopamine is the chemical that courses through the mind when a person foresees winning money, reaches for chocolate or even takes cocaine. And the novelty of autumn can trigger this dopamine response, giving you energy, optimism, focus and motivation, as well as increasing your sex drive.

Autumn days, however, primarily jumpstart the production of testosterone – the premier hormone of lust. Men and women inherit their baseline levels of this potent cocktail. But this hormone also fluctuates according to daily, monthly and annual rhythms. Testosterone is highest in men in the early morning, for example, as well as higher in women just before mid-month ovulation, when they are most likely to initiate sex. But beyond these shifts, in autumn, this sap rises – giving men extra strength, energy, concentration and confidence. Moreover, as testosterone initiates sexual desire, ensuing sexual activity triggers more testosterone. Thus the cycle spins.

Remarkably, even anticipating sex increases testosterone in men. Known as the "lighthouse effect," this relationship was first discovered when scientists measured the beard trimmings of a lighthouse attendant. He lived alone on an island during the week. But every Friday he sped to the mainland to enjoy the weekend with his girlfriend. On Fridays his beard grew more than usual – the effect of testosterone, triggered by sexual desire.

"In the spring, a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love," wrote Alfred, Lord Tennyson. But in late spring and early summer, levels of testosterone are at their lowest. They peak instead in November and early December, when sperm counts are also higher. And this potion works. In the Northern Hemisphere, women give birth more frequently in August and September, nine months after the flood of testosterone in late autumn. This testosterone surge may be part of nature’s plan to turn our thoughts to love in the waning days of autumn and reap love’s rewards during the bounty of late summer. A vestige of the rutting season of many other creatures, autumn may be our primary time to love. This fall, may it be yours.

Helen Fisher, Ph.D., is research professor, department of anthropology; author of Why We Love; and is chief scientific advisor to www.chemistry.com.

Filed under: Dating , Love

The 10 Best Places to Kiss

You lucky single person, you – your dating days are full of adventure and kisses shared in dimly-lit restaurants and on street corners. But where, we wondered, are the very best places to lock lips? You already know about the beach at sunset, under the mistletoe and right smack dab on the mouth. Here, more superior smooch sites to check out when you’re ready to make out.

1. On a roller coaster. Yes, love has its ups and downs, but that’s what keeps it exciting. Kiss at the crest of that first big hill and hang on to each other as you plummet – talk about a rush!
2. On your desk. Research shows that as many as 61 percent of relationships start in the workplace, and 50 percent of office amours lead to marriage (that includes this writer!). So if you’re flirting by the coffee machine or bantering at brainstorming sessions and it isn’t against company rules, take it to the next level (after hours, please; discretion is important!). Don’t have a desk job? Find the nearest supply closet.
3. At a museum. Appreciating a beautiful work of art together can create passion. Why waste it? Give in, whether inspired by Picasso’s ôThe Loversö at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Gustav Klimt’s ôThe Kissö at Vienna’s Osterreichische Museum fⁿr Angewandte Kunst, or a romantic, moving piece at a local gallery.
4. In the middle of a crowded street. Preferably at rush hour on any given Monday.á Life can be mundane and hectic at the same time, but a sweet, juicy kiss can make an average moment special. To get the idea, think of the iconic image of a sailor smooching a nurse in New York’s Times Square on V-J Day, or Robert Doisneau’s renowned 1950 black and white photo, Kiss by the Hotel de Ville, of a couple mid-lip-lock on a Paris Street.
5. In a dressing room. Are you the type who’s turned on by the idea of a public display of affectionùbut would prefer some darned privacy? The dressing room rendezvous affords the best of both worlds. Plus, it has illicit allure (sneaking someone in where he or she technically isn’t supposed to go) without setting off theft detectors.
6. On a pile of coats. Preferably, with a stranger you met at the party. It’s a mating rite of passage everyone should experience at least once. Guaranteed to irritate other guests!
7. Upside down. You don’t need Spidey skills to pull it off. One person simply sits in a chair and tilts his or her head back while the other person approaches from behind, bends over and plants one. Or try it with one person lying on a couch, head against the armrest, and the other person standing above and leaning over. It’s a little awkward, a little weird – and absolutely wonderful.
8. In the backseat. Find yourselves a lover’s lane, climb into the passion pit, and neck till you steam up the windows. It’s retro romantic.
9. In a downpour. Yes, kissing in the rain is kind of cliché, but if you haven’t tried it, please do. The reason this kiss rules? Everyone else is frantically running for shelter, which makes time seem to stop for the two of you. It’s surreal, and very sexy.
10. In bed, while one of you is asleep. You know from fairy tales that the kiss that awakens can lead to happily ever after. There’s simply no lovelier way to wake up. As the kisser, however, you’re advised to refrain if the kiss-ee is recuperating from a double shift after a bout of insomnia.

by Nina Malkin

Filed under: Dating , Kiss

7 Quirky Facts About Chemistry

By Laura Schaefer

If you think clicking with another person is all about fate, destiny or a fairy godmother, think again! There’s actually some (very) weird science at work…and here’s proof:

1. Like go-get-’em types? Look for a long fourth finger. Here’s why: If your date’s ring finger is longer than his or her index finger, it’s an indication that he or she was exposed to higher than average amounts of testosterone in the womb, says Dr. John T. Manning of Rutgers University in his book Digit Ratio. This correlates to a personality which tends to be logical, decisive, and ambitious. If these traits tickle your fancy, stick around.

2. Adrenaline is the new oyster. Skip the shellfish and do something daring to bond with a new honey. Research by Arthur Aron and Donald Dutton shows that adrenaline ups our interest in a potential mate. Male subjects in the study were asked to cross two kinds of bridges (one shaky, one sturdy) to talk to an attractive female “researcher” giving a questionnaire. Upon completing the task, the woman gave each subject her phone number. Those subjects who met the woman on the shaky bridge were more likely to call and more likely to ask her on a date. The reason? The exhilaration of being in a risky situation rubs off on the person you’re with, so if you’re looking for some instant sparks on a date, try something a little scary (roller coasters, scary movie, or white-water rafting, anyone?).

3. Women do want to date their fathers. Or, at least, date someone who smells like him. In one study by geneticist Carole Ober, female subjects were asked to sniff t-shirts of various scents and then state their preferences. Over and over again, subjects chose the odors that closely matched those of their dads. So, guys, if you make it to a “meet the parents” moment, take a peek in their medicine cabinet and splash on some of Dad’s aftershave to seal the deal.

4. Don’t let your married friends weigh in on your love life. Think your hitched pals can help you detect good chemistry with a date? Um, no…Science has revealed that your married friends are clueless when they try to give you dating advice. In one study, psychologist Frank Bernieri asked 168 subjects to watch video clips of couples and rate how in love they were. Subjects who were in relationships guessed wrong again and again compared to their single peers. So the next time your friend with the rock on her finger waxes poetic on the intricacies of your love life, smile serenely and then get a second opinion.

5. There’s such a thing as “pill goggles.” Consider these the first cousin to beer goggles—if you’re taking the birth-control pill, ladies, your taste in men may take a turn. That’s because birth control pills affect women’s hormone levels and to whom they are attracted. In one study, researcher Tony Little showed women different images of men and asked them to make their picks. Results show that women on birth control pills tended to choose men with more pronounced masculine features than those who weren’t on the Pill. The downside here? These manly traits are linked to high testosterone levels, aggressive behavior, and even higher divorce rates. So if you’re on the Pill, don’t turn a blind eye to those red flags… your contraception could cloud your judgment and lead you to fall for a less-than-wonderful guy.

6. The longer you’re together, the more simpatico you’ll become. Do you feel the chemistry getting stronger and stronger every day? Are you finishing one another’s sentences? Feeling as if you share one personality? You two may really be merging, says researcher Cameron Anderson, who interviewed 60 couples and roommates. By gauging his subjects’ reactions to a film after they had lived together one year, Anderson found that their personalities tend to converge over time, though the dominant partner changes his or her personality less.

7. Goose those chemicals to keep passion cooking. Those heady feelings of new love do fade over time, but there is an easy way couples in a rut can get ‘em back: By trying novel things together, whether that’s traveling to foreign lands or even just breaking out the Zagat guide to try a totally new restaurant rather than your old stand-by. That’s because new experiences trigger the same chemical reaction in the body as love, says researcher Helen Fisher. So get out there and have an adventure, lovebirds, to keep boredom at bay.

Laura Schaefer is the author of Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor: The Best and Worst Personal Ads of All Time.

Filed under: Dating , Chemistry

Are You Ready To Find The One

It happens to the best of us: There you are, going on date after date but none of them seem to be panning out. Maybe you’re just having a string of bad luck. But then again, sometimes — just sometimes — there’s more out there for you than you’ve noticed. Just because you’re keeping your eyes peeled for love doesn’t mean your heart is entirely open. If you can’t put your finger on why you’re still looking, check our list of the most common dating ruts. If you’re in one of them now, you have the power to change your outlook. Then, when someone with potential crosses your path, you’ll recognize it immediately and be ready to pounce!

Problem: You aren’t feeling instant sparks
Solution: Forget romance for a sec and use the “friend” filter
When we go on a date, we’re usually looking for some hit-us-over-the-head romantic chemistry, and when we don’t feel it, we think the date is a waste of time. But that’s not true! “If you have a strong negative reaction to someone you meet, that’s one thing, but a neutral or unsure reaction to a person can turn into chemistry down the line—and those that shut the door right away won’t get to find that out,” says Laurie Helgoe, Ph.D., author of the Boomer’s Guide to Dating (Again) and creator of Wakingdesire.com. So how can you be sure you’re open to later-blooming chemistry? Simple: Instead of using the “romance” filter that measures that love-at-first-sight chemistry, use the “friend” filter on your next date. Think about it: When you talk to a new person at a party, you don’t use cocktail conversation to search out what the two of you don’t have in common, you look for the things you do have in common. Try doing that on your next date. Instead of casting off your date too quickly (as in “Oh, he’s not into music,” or “Oh, she’s far too quiet compared to me”), hone in on whether you both love Frasier reruns, have similar views on immigration, or can’t stand cheese plates. “The pursuit of friendship takes the pressure off by making the goal of the date learning about the person,” says Dr. Helgoe. Which, let’s be honest, is what a first date should be, anyway. Because the more common ground you discover, the more likely chemistry can develop later.

Problem: Your dates look great on paper… but that’s it
Solution: Pay attention to how you’re feeling vs. your date’s résumé
So this person has a ton of wonderful qualities. That’s fine, for a start. But amazing chemistry isn’t just about finding someone you admire or think would be a great life partner. It’s about how you feel when you’re with that person. For instance, if the date you had last night was friendly and gregarious, but you felt more meek or quiet than usual in his or her shadow, that doesn’t make for strong chemistry. “You want to really feel like yourself—your happiest, most excited self,” explains Rhonda Findling, author of The Dating Cure. So on your next rendezvous, don’t merely ask, “Do I like this person?” Also ask yourself, “Do I like myself when I’m around this person?” And with an attitude like that, you just may recognize something brilliant very soon.

Problem: You don’t think this person has long-term potential
Solution: Try the “Carpe date-’em” trick
We single people are so afraid of “settling” that we can’t help looking ahead to the future in the first few minutes on a date. In the movie Something’s Gotta Give, Jack Nicholson asks Diane Keaton if she wants to go for a walk along the beach. She stammers and wavers until finally he says, “It’s just a walk, not a marriage proposal!” Try to think of your dates the same way. It’s not a long-term commitment… it’s a latte. Take it one step at a time. You know that saying carpe diem—in Latin, it means “seize the day!” Instead of carpe diem, carpe date-’em! Go on a date for what it is, and don’t start obsessing about whether this person wants the same number of kids as you do. Going slow is fine.

Problem: You swear all the good ones are taken already
Solution: Look again… at people you usually pass over
Thanks to all the adorably hopeful romantic comedy movies they keep making, it’s sometimes hard to shake the thought that someone, somewhere, someday, will sweep you off your feet and move with you to an old vineyard in Italy. But what about your neighbor who hits the same coffee shop in the morning 30 seconds after you do? Like traffic accidents, love accidents often happen close to home. You may be looking for a fairytale, but remember that sometimes, the fairytale is finding someone when you’re taking out the trash. “Think about the happy ending in Bridget Jones’ Diary,” says Dr. Helgoe. “She didn’t end up with her sexy boss… she ended up with the guy she met at the family party wearing a reindeer sweater!” So keep your antenna up 24/7 and the next time you wonder, “Where are all the good single men and women?” remind yourself they may be standing next to you in line at Old Navy or Whole Foods.

Problem: You feel down about yourself and not date-worthy
Solution: Give yourself a pre-date pep rally
After traveling a few miles on the road to nobody special, it’s easy to start blaming yourself. You wind up going out and socializing or turning up on a date with a sad-sack attitude. (Hint: Not a turn-on…) Nobody wants to date a downer, so it’s time to corral the cheerleaders in your life to remind you why you’re such a catch. One hour before your next date, give one of your cheerleaders a call. Maybe it’s an older brother who says, “Dude, you are a fine specimen. Go get ‘em!” When I’m having a down dating spell, I email my gay friend (the Will to my Grace) my latest dating sob story just so he’ll write back, “Are you kidding? You’re the prettiest girl in the world! If I liked girls, I would have wanted to marry you five years ago!” Is it hokey? Yes. Does it work every time? You betcha.

By Amy Spencer

Filed under: Dating

Romantic Chemistry

Few topics in life are more complicated and riddled with contradictions as the question of romantic chemistry. Why, for example, can two people be insanely attracted to each other, but have absolutely nothing to say? How come people can click amazingly online, but feel nothing face to face? And what makes those people who are obviously bad for us so dang irresistible? Believe it or not, these conundrums actually do have logical explanations. So, stop scratching your head and read on for the answers—and some advice on how to handle it if you’re faced with one of these scenarios.

1. How is it that sexual chemistry can be amazing when people have absolutely nothing to say to one another?
   While it’d be nice to have something to say other than “Yes, yes, yes!” to someone you find so irresistible, that’s not always the case. If you feel like certain parts of your anatomy have a mind of their own, it’s because in a way, they do. “Sexual chemistry does not always equal love, and this is because we’ve evolved distinct brain systems for mating,” says Dr. Helen Fisher, research professor in the department of anthropology at Rutgers University and author of Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love. “One system controls the craving for sexual gratification. Another system rules over romantic love, that obsessive thinking and craving and focusing on one individual. They’re not always connected, which is why you can be madly in love with someone and only have so-so sex, while you can have intensely passionate sex with someone you never want to see again!” With time, and a little luck, however, lust can lead to more tender feelings. “You can start having sex with someone and then fall in love,” says Dr. Fisher. “Sometimes one thing can trigger the other.” So keep chipping away at making chit chat and you may find yourself enjoying this person’s company out of bed as well as in it.
2. What makes people we know are bad for us so attractive?
   Much like booze, cigarettes and reality TV, we know bad boys and girls are, well, bad for us, but we just can’t help ourselves. Why do we crave something we know is trouble? “I call this ‘frustration attraction.’ It’s a very common part of romantic love,” explains Fisher. “Even if you don’t like someone that much, if you find out she doesn’t like you or people are telling you to dump her, you suddenly want her more! These kinds of relationships could literally become an addiction where you do crazy things: You wait all night by the phone or even join in dangerous behaviors.” If you’re stuck on such a shady character, try to find the reason you’re so smitten: Some people are attracted to the challenge of changing or improving a wayward partner; others may be seeking the added excitement that comes from unpredictable types. Knowing your motivations can help give you control over your emotions—and hightail it out of there if things get too dicey or the relationship starts to self-destruct.
3. Why is it that one person can feel like there’s a great connection, while the other feels nothing at all?
   Miss Manners might be to blame for this dating dilemma. “The truth of the matter is that some people are just very polite,” says Dr. Fisher. “And in their politeness, they are sending signals that the other person misinterprets.” So, if you’re not into someone, make sure you’re not appearing like you are—we’re not saying you should be rude, but definitely keep flirting to a minimum and end the date with a handshake (and don’t say, “We should do this again sometime.”). And if you find yourself on the overly arduous end of this equation? Know that your own feelings could be deceiving you. “When you are madly attracted to someone, you re-interpret everything they do,” says Dr. Fisher. “Your date can be giving every indication he isn’t interested and you still can’t hear him. They say love is blind and it’s true—the emotion is so powerful, it is designed to overlook things to the contrary.”
4. Why is it that you can have great chemistry chatting online or on the phone, but not in person?
   “They call it love at first sight, not at first email,” points out Dr. Fisher. “Eighty percent of what we take into the human brain is visual. So somebody can be clever and charming online, but if you don’t like what you see, it’s not going to work.” Plus, emails can be crafted and re-crafted into how people want to be, not who they actually are in a spontaneous way. “Face to face, people get nervous and clam up and can’t perform,” says Dr. Fisher. This, however, can bode well for you—maybe all it takes is a second or third date for this person to relax and show his or her true personality.
5. Why does the spark of chemistry disappear over time?
   No longer tearing each other’s clothes off every time you meet? You might fear your love is dying, but it’s actually just transforming into something you can handle for the long run. “The calming of passion in a relationship is actually a survival trait,” says Dr. Fisher. “When you’re courting, you do things that are very taxing to your mind and body: You talk until dawn, you forget to go to work, you forget to call your friends, you forget to feed the dog, you dash off and spend all of your money in Paris. If you were to live the next 20 years in that state, you’d certainly die of exhaustion!” Settling into a calmer place can, you see, be a very good thing.

Filed under: Dating , Chemistry

Happy Marriage

12 Tips for a Happy Marriage

Modern married couples just might do well to emulate some of the successful strategies of their happily married parents and grandparents — from sleeping in separate beds to maintaining same-sex friends.

Two newly reissued books originally published in 1913, Don’ts for Husbands and Don’ts for Wives, contain hundreds of tried-and-true tips for a happy marriage. Advice for wives includes such tidbits as “don’t let him have to search the house for you after his day’s work. Listen for his latch-key and meet him on the threshold,” and “don’t bother your husband with chatter if he is tired.” And for husbands, “don’t hesitate to mention the fact when you think that your wife looks exceptionally nice,” and “don’t scowl or look severe; cultivate a pleasant expression.”

“Baby boomers got sold by psychology on the idea of being ‘authentic,’” says Terrence Real, therapist, founder of the Relational Life Institute, and co-author of Wonderful Marriage: A Guide to Building a Great Relationship That Will Last a Lifetime. “It’s given us permission to treat and speak to each other horribly. Our grandparents knew better.”

1. Reinstate Civility

   “Please,” “thank you,” “pardon me” and “may I” are phrases that seemed to have all but disappeared from present-day vocabularies, especially with our loved ones.

   After spending time with Wonderful Marriage co-authors Lilo and Gerard Leeds, married for more than 50 years, Real believes you should extend your partner the same courtesy you would a stranger. “When speaking to your spouse, don’t be rude, be respectful. Use a combination of old-school civility and modern frankness.” Additionally, he suggests trying more sweetness and tenderness by saying things more lovingly.

   Psychotherapist and author Tina Tessina, PhD, concurs. “Politeness is like a lubricant for your daily interactions; it makes everything go more smoothly.”

   Joyce Morley-Ball, EdD, a counselor in Decatur, Ga., adds some specifics. “Show her that chivalry is not dead: Pull out her chair, open the door for her, help her over a puddle, give her your coat when it is cold outside, help her to put on her coat. This act of affection shows that she is important and there is a level of respect for her.”

2. Put Pen to Paper

   Back before cell phones and instant messaging, people wrote letters of affection to each other, often waiting weeks to receive them.

   Lilia Fallgatter, author of The Most Important Letter You Will Ever Write: How to Tell Loved Ones How You Feel Before It’s Too Late, advocates reviving the lost art of letter-writing to increase intimacy in a relationship.

   “Love letters exchanged between a couple can strengthen their relationship by helping them to connect to one another on a deeper level,” she says via email. “These letters may also become treasured keepsakes that can be revisited and experienced anew each time they are read.” You’ll reap bonus points if you hand write it on beautiful paper and enclose a cherished memento such as a photograph or ticket stub from a movie you saw together.

3. Sleep As Singles

   It was TV censors who kept sitcom couples in separate beds, but maybe there was wisdom to catching your ZZZs in your own bed.

   When one partner snores or is a night owl, tensions can mount in the marital bed, experts say. It may seem like a throwback a la Ricky and Lucy Ricardo, but many couples happily sleep in separate beds; some even maintain separate bedrooms and eliminate tossing and turning and fights over the blanket.

   And many couples who are secure enough to seek satisfying slumber on their own report using the regained energy for more … loving pursuits.

4. Maintain Same-Sex Friends and Interests

   Don’t for Wives instructs women not to “try to regulate your husband’s pleasures and don’t be jealous if they don’t include you.”

   It’s only been during the past couple of decades that couples expected to share a bulk of their free time together. Retro couples didn’t necessarily want to participate in each others hobbies.

   Charlotte, N.C., relationship expert Kathy Stafford recommends that couples keep close ties with their same-sex friends throughout marriage. “My parents had separate interests. Dad belonged to a men’s club, and Mom belonged to a ladies-only club. This gave them both time to cultivate their own interests, and they weren’t totally reliant on each other for their entertainment.”

5. Look Sharp

   How did June Cleaver do it? She always looked impeccable when serving dinner to Ward and the kids.

   Les Parrott, PhD, and professor of psychology at Seattle Pacific University, says you can inspire romance by dressing up for the occasion. “With our hectic schedules, it’s tempting to resort to sweatpants all weekend or immediately changing into a ratty T-shirt after work. Instead, dress up the next time you and your spouse have dinner or plan a night out. Wearing a beautiful dress or a button-down shirt and slacks will be unexpected and make your partner feel special that you took the extra time to look nice. Taking time with your appearance inspires romance and shows your partner you care.”

   Rhonda Fine, PhD, a board-certified sexologist at the MIAMI Institute, agrees. “Never let yourself go. Look your best as often as possible, it will make your partner feel loved and proud.”

6. Don’t Go to Bed Angry

   Jackie Gleason may have wanted to “send Alice to the moon,” but the Honeymooners settled their quarrels before turning in for the night.

   The long-married Leeds are proponents of this wisdom. Even if you can’t resolve a disagreement before you hit the sheets, you can agree to let the anger go for the night. Remind each other how lucky you are — even as you disagree — to have each other to disagree with.

   “From the very beginning we decided that we didn’t want to go to bed angry,” Gerard Leeds writes. “And we seldom go to sleep without kissing each other good night.”

7. Hit the Dance Floor

   Ever notice how blissful couples look as they are twirling across the dance floor, entwined in each other’s arms like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers?

   There is a language of leading and yielding that dance teaches. Paul Bolotovsky is the owner of the Manhattan-based Nightclub Dance Series, an instructional dance series that teaches men and women how to dance in nightclubs. He says that putting on your dancing shoes can put the sizzle back into a relationship that has fizzled.

   “The old days of ballroom dancing and swing have a lot to offer today’s couples,” , “The touch, teamwork, energy, music, anticipation, and companionship are all wonderful byproducts after a night of dancing.” Don’t fret if you have two left feet; even “contemporary” dancing” is a way to spend fun time together.

8. Have Couples Fun

   Bridge and pinochle were common activities shared by our parents and their friends. So was cocktail hour and formal anniversary celebrations with like-minded couples.

   Fine says, “Play board games with other couples! It’s fun and a great way to be social with others and playful with one another.”

   Parrott says it is important to identify friends who are healthy additions to your social circle. “Your goal is to become close with other couples with similar standards and interests who have positive attitudes about marriage and family life. Gravitate toward fun couples who make you feel supported and enhance your active, healthy lifestyle. Friends like these are good for your marriage and overall well-being.”

9. Give Compliments

   To give a compliment, you’ve got to pay attention — really notice something about someone. Remember how Carol and Mike Brady, the happily married matriarch and patriarch of The Brady Bunch, lavished them on each other?

   If it’s been a while since you’ve doled out flattering praise, try it.

   Tessina notes that it costs nothing to say, “You look good,” “You did a great job,” or “I like your shirt.” Yet compliments can really reassure and pump up your spouse.

10. Hold Hands

    Back in our parents’ time, hand-holding and discreet pecks on the cheek were the tasteful, chaste displays of affection.

    Although anything goes these days, Morley-Ball encourages couples to simply hold hands in public. “[It] affirms to everyone your undying affection and love for each other. [It] shows everyone that you are proud to be with each other and you want everyone to know it.”

    Tessina echoes this sweet sentiment. “There’s an actual electrical connection that passes between us when we touch. You can use that electrical connection to provide juice in your marriage. Give each other little pats and gentle touches and hold hands frequently when you’re walking or driving and you’ll keep the energy — and the sweetness — flowing between you.”

11. Cut Back on Complaints

    Yesteryear’s couples had a comic reputation for nagging — think of The Dick Van Dyke Show – yet, in truth, many partners often held their tongues.

    Real thinks a stumbling block in modern marriages is a constant soundtrack of discord. “Our generation thinks that closeness comes from sharing everything, letting each other know how miserable you are. But it doesn’t motivate me to treat you better.”

    He says that relaying every annoyance is a bad idea. Instead, he recommends you pick your battles. “Not everything needs to be addressed.”

12. Try Thoughtful Little Acts

    Back in the day, with fewer stresses, limited technology and less multitasking, couples were more “present” in their relationships.

    “The presence of little, daily thoughtful acts showed caring and appreciation for one another,” says licensed clinical social worker Toni Coleman. “Things like making breakfast for your spouse or packing their lunch, bringing them coffee in the morning or a drink or glass of wine at the end of the day, warming up their car or putting their keys and other personal effects on the hall table, ready to go.”

    Real writes that sustaining a happy relationship, such as the Leeds’, requires careful thought, a generous spirit and hard work.

    “There’s a lot of wisdom [to be gained] from our parents or grandparents, he says.”They had companionship marriage, but we’ve raised the bar — we want romance, great sex, and more intimacy. We can reconcile these two approaches. With some of the gentleness and graciousness of previous generations with the technology and savvy of today’s marriages.”

Filed under: Dating

Fossils Shed New Light on Human Past

After 15 years of rumors, researchers made public fossils from a 4.4 million-year-old human forebear they say reveals that our ancestors were more modern than scholars had assumed, widening the evolutionary gulf separating humankind from apes and chimpanzees.

The highlight of the extensive fossil trove was a female skeleton a million years older than the iconic bones of Lucy, the primitive female figure that has long symbolized humankind’s beginnings.

An international research team led by paleoanthropologist Tim White at the University of California, Berkeley, unveiled on Thursday remains from 36 males, females and young of an ancient prehuman species called Ardipithecus ramidus, unearthed in the Awash region of Ethiopia starting in 1994. The creatures take their scientific name from the word for "root" in the local Afar language. They aren’t the oldest known fossils of hominids — as prehuman species and their relatives are called — but constitute the most complete set discovered so far.

"It is not a chimp, and it is not human," said Dr. White. "It gives us a new perspective on our origins. We opened a time capsule from a time and place that we knew nothing about."

Although the differences between humans, apes and chimps today are legion, we all shared a common ancestor six million years or so ago. These fossils suggest that the common ancestor — still undiscovered — resembled a chimp much less than researchers have always believed.

In fact, so many traits in modern chimps and apes are missing from these early hominids that researchers now question the notion that chimps and apes are a repository of primitive traits once shared by our ancestors. "We all thought the ancestral animal would look more like a chimp," said Yale University anthropologist Andrew Hill.

Instead, the new finds show that what seems most ancient about modern chimps and apes — such as canine fangs, long limbs with hooked fingers for swinging through trees, and hands designed for knuckle-walking — may actually be more recent developments, the researchers said. In that sense, the human hand today actually may be the more primitive appendage, they said.

"It is the chimps and gorillas that have been evolving like crazy in terms of limbs and locomotion, not hominids," said Kent State University anthropologist Owen Lovejoy, a senior scientist on the research team. "We took a different tack. We went social."

Documented in 11 research papers to be published Friday in Science, the fossils offer a detailed look at a species of sturdy, small-brained creatures that dwelled in an ancient African glade of hackberry, fig and palm trees, by a river that long ago turned to stone. Despite their antiquity, their bodies were already starting to presage humanity, the scientists said.

Unlike modern apes and chimps, these hominids had supple wrists, strong thumbs, flexible fingers and power-grip palms shaped to grasp objects like sticks and stones firmly. They were primed for tool use, even though it would be another two million years or so before our ancestors began to fashion the first stone blades, choppers and axes.

There is no way to gauge these creatures’ intelligence, but they had brains barely bigger than a golf-club head — far smaller than the more recent species, called Australopithecus afarensis, to which the Lucy skeleton belonged.

The creatures were still evolving the ability to walk upright, with a big toe better suited for grasping branches than stepping smartly along, an analysis of their anatomy shows. They made their home in the woods, not on the open savannah grasslands long considered the main arena of human development. Yet their upright posture, distinctive pelvis and other toes suggest they walked easily enough. Most important, they showed no sign they walked on their knuckles, as contemporary chimps and apes do.

"They are not what one would have predicted," said anthropologist Bernard Wood at George Washington University.

Filed under: Uncategorized , Fossils

Olympics

Chicago never got off the bench, and sunny Rio is cha-cha-ing in the streets. About half the Windy City yearned for the 2016 Olympic Games, but no doubt the creators of the protest group Chicagoans for Rio had a point when they made a city-to-city comparison on their Web site of signature events and scenes pitting "naked people dancing" versus "chubby people eating," and Ipanema versus 63rd Street. Were they also right in greeting the news out of Copenhagen as a blessing in disguise for Chicago?

Asking whether the Olympics is good for a city is like asking if speed dating will lead to a long, solid marriage. The answer to both: It depends. When it comes to the long-term impact of the Olympics on urban well-being, the historical record is surprisingly mixed. Nor do past Olympic hosts provide reliable guidelines for how to guarantee the best outcome. Winning the bid is definitely more like shooting a class V rapid in an untested kayak than like lining up a foul shot in basketball. Both could involve sinking.

The variables start at the very beginning, when the scope of the host city’s ambition is revealed. For Beijing, the 2008 Olympics were a "coming of age" announcing with all possible fanfare China’s arrival on the world stage. Athens seemed more modestly determined to get the Plexiglas roof onto Santiago Calatrava’s Olympic Sports Complex by opening day in 2004. And Rio wants to be the greenest Olympics ever, planting some 46,000 trees to offset the Games’ carbon footprint. Yet all three prevailed with the International Olympic Committee.

"The IOC wants an Olympic legacy at whatever location somewhere in the world," said Alexander Garvin, the president of AGA, a planning and design firm, and the former managing director of planning for NYC2012, the committee that made New York’s unsuccessful bid for the 2012 Olympics. "They are selling their brand." And as Time magazine baldly put it this week, for some cities the sports event serves best as "the ultimate infomercial."

More often, the win-win of the Games for any city is the chance to direct significant funds toward urban infrastructure, including subways, bridges, housing, parks and, of course, all sorts of stadiums.

"I see it as leaving a legacy behind of sports facilities that would not have been possible before," said Mr. Garvin, citing a $3 million rowing course in Queens that would have been built had New York’s bid been successful. Not everyone, however, is convinced that preparing for a 17-day sports event is the best way to undertake socially responsible urban planning. Mr. Garvin himself invokes "the inherent conflicts between great urbanism and a functional Olympic plan."

Again, the historical record on the subject is checkered. Beijing’s $423 million Bird’s Nest stadium has been used only once since last summer’s Olympics, for a Jackie Chan concert. The direct subway line to the stadium is largely empty, its state-of-the-art televisions blaring at no one. The five-year plan is to turn the stadium into a shopping and entertainment mall; the same fate awaits the adjacent Blue Cube aquatics center once all the pools are ripped out.

Atlanta (Olympics 1996) successfully turned its major sports venue into a home for the Atlanta Braves after half of it was demolished to reduce capacity to usable size; its Olympic Village became dorms for Georgia State University.

London is building 25 bridges where now there is only one leading to the isolated and forsaken waterfront neighborhood that will be home to the 2012 Olympics. Apart from the spans, many of the event structures will be temporary, including some 55,000 seats in the new 80,000-seat stadium. Mr. Garvin called London’s plans to demolish some 60% of the venues built for the event wasteful.

Barcelona has the best reputation of all for thoughtful post-Olympic infrastructure planning: A derelict industrial waterfront where the Olympics took place has been transformed into a popular esplanade lined with affordable housing. The next stage in this forward-thinking plan is designating the area as a new knowledge-industry hub for young creative talents in media, design and information technology. At the other end of the scale is Athens, where many of the 22 venues built for the games stand empty in deserted lots ringed by chain-link fences or patrolled by police. An ecological park is strewn with broken furniture, amid complaints that a new right-leaning government has reconfigured regulations to favor private developers over the public good. On the upside, walkways connecting some ancient sites were completed, as planned 150 years ago.

Fear of cost-overruns is the greatest drag on the ability of any city to get enthusiastic about hosting the Games. Numbers are hard to pin down, but one thing is certain: The price of hosting is increasing as steeply as a luge run. Montreal made headlines in 2006 when it paid off the $1.5 billion mortgage on its Olympic stadium, after 30 years. Annual maintenance costs for the sparsely used Beijing stadium are estimated at $10 million. For the 2012 London Games, it is guessed that the city is already $20 billion in the hole with no obvious future revenue stream to pay off the debt if venues are taken down.

With numbers like that flying around, it is no wonder that groups like No Games Chicago and Chicagoans for Rio have gained traction with lively Web sites featuring slides of derelict Athens venues and even a game to match cities to their budget overruns: If it’s $1.5 billion, this must be Sydney 2000.

Now that the die is cast, however, Chicago should heave a sigh of relief. After all, Chicago already learned the great lesson of urban planning in 1909 from its own local hero, Daniel Burnham, who developed the Plan of Chicago and coined the famous phrase: "Make no small plans."

Filed under: Uncategorized , Olympics

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2

Microsoft finally announces on July 22nd, 2009 that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (both share same code base and designed to lock-step) have been released to manufacturing (RTM) milestone. In fact, the RTM of Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 has been expected for quite some time, which is rumored to be on July 13th, 2009, although official time line stressed second half of July 2009. In fact, the official Windows 7 RTM build version 6.1.7600.16385 has been confirmed days earlier.

With the RTM, it means that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 development has finally wrapped up, the code is final, and will be released to OEM (original equipment manufacturers) and system builders within 48 hours (Windows 7 OEM availability on July 24 2009) to allow them some time to build the operating system into computers and other “smart” hardware so that these Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 powered machine can be available in time for the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 worldwide general launches. Windows 7 set to debut publicly on October 22nd, 2009 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be generally available on or before that date, accourding to Microsoft’s press release. The whole release schedule of Windows 7 RTM to OEM, MSDN, TechNet, Action Packs and Microsoft partners has also been announced.

According the the Windows 7 Team Blog, the RTM is build 7600, and was declared and signed off after all validation checks and significant RTM quality bar testing on a RTM contender were met. Microsoft released Windows 7 Beta at build 7000, and Windows 7 RC at build 7100. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft Chief Executive Officer also confirmed Windows 7 has finalized during Microsoft Global Exchange (MGX) in Atlanta, Georgia later in the day.

Windows Server 2008 R2 and free standalone Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 have also been declared to RTM milestone by Windows Server Division Blog. Windows Server 2008 R2 and Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 release schedule is little faster but almost similar when compared with Windows 7, with an evaluation software available for download in the first half of August and the full product available to customers with Software Assurance in the second half of August.

The Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 builds that are being RTM were compiled on Monday July 13, with full build version string of 6.1.7600.16385, also written as 7600.16385.090713-1255, as confirmed by Larry Osterman, a 20+ years Microsoft software design veteran engineer on his blog. The official RTM build is signed off on July 17, 2009 in a long process that only completed today.

With the RTM of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, it also officially marks the end of Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 alpha, beta and release candidate phase. However, don’t expect Windows 7 development to stop, as future updates will come soon (probably sooner than most expected) in the form of hotfixes and service pack with rumor of Service Pack 1 (SP1) already emerging.

While no official untouched and unmodified Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 DVD ISO images have been leaked yet, end-user self-made ISO images of Windows 7 RTM and home-made ISO of Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM have already available for download, which although may not stamp with official signature of Microsoft, but it’s based on original install.wim (the archive that stores all Windows 7 system files) extracted from original Windows 7 RTM DVD.

Windows 7 RTM includes a version check that blocks upgrade path from pre-release version of Windows 7 (e.g. Windows 7 RC or Beta) to Windows 7 final RTM build. Use this hack to modify cversion.ini to allow in-place upgrade from prerelease version of Windows 7.

Update: Original Windows 7 RTM ISO (x64 andd x86), original untouched Windows 7 RTM OEM ISO (32-bit and 64-bit) and Windows 7 E RTM ISO (32-bit and 64-bit) have leaked.

Lastly, Engineering Windows 7 blog has published a video clip showing the final few minutes before RTM, where it’s a sign-off process where each and every team that contributed to Windows formally commits to having successfully executed the work necessary for the product to be in the release process. The video shows Windows 7 Team gather one last time (for Windows 7) in the “Ship Room” and a representative from each team signs (literally) and signifies their teams readiness for manufacturing.

Filed under: Computer , Windows

Your Low-Cholesterol Diet

8 Food Tips to Lower Cholesterol

A low-cholesteroldiet is one of the surest ways to improve heart health. In fact, studies show you can slash your bad cholesterol by as much as 10% to 20% by giving your diet a makeover. The secret? Follow a diet rich in healthy fats like vegetable oils and fish. And avoid foods high in saturated fats and trans fats. How do you know which foods keep your cholesterol low? Here are nine tips to help you get started.

Look over the TLC diet and make a shopping list of your favorite cholesterol-lowering foods.

1. Stock your pantry and your refrigerator with the right foods for a low-cholesterol diet. Buy your favorite canned or dry beans, fresh fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and vegetable juice.
2. For a low-cholesterol diet, toss the butter, trans fat margarines, and polyunsaturated oil. Replace them with canola oil, olive oil, or plant sterol spreads.
3. Look for products specifically created for low-cholesterol diets, like Minute Maid HeartWise orange juice and Benecol, Promise, Smart Balance, and Take Control margarines. These foods have been fortified with plant stanols and sterols that help to block the absorption of cholesterol.
4. Start your day with oatmeal. Experts agree this is one of the top cholesterol-lowering superfoods.
5. Try a cholesterol-free egg substitute instead of whole eggs.
6. For a tasty low-cholesterol dish, switch out the cream sauce on your fettuccine for lightly stir-fried vegetables.
7. Instead of using butter to keep your pan moist while cooking, use white wine vinegar. It doesn’t change the flavor of foods and doesn’t add fat — a key to low-cholesterol cooking!
8. Don’t lean on butter, sour cream, and other fatty additives for flavoring. Instead, reach for the spices — either while cooking or at the table. Liven up your dishes with oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, cilantro, coriander, or cumin.

Filed under: Healt , Cholesterol

Cholesterol Lowering Medications

7 Treatment Tips to Help Lower Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol-lowering medications can help many people if taken as prescribed. First, however, answer two questions. Have you tried to lower cholesterol through diet, exercise, and weight loss? Are you at high risk of cardiovascular problems? Doctors usually suggest trying diet and exercise before cholesterol-lowering medications. But if you’re at high risk, your doctor may recommend starting cholesterol lowering medications right away. Here are seven tips to help you get the most out of your cholesterol lowering medications.

• Ask your doctor to explain how each different cholesterol-lowering medication works, and which one may be best for you.
• Tell your doctor about any other medications you’re taking. This includes vitamins, herbs, and supplements, which can sometimes interact with prescription medications to cause dangerous side effects or make the medications less effective.
• Stick with your prescription. Many people may skip doses of statins and other cholesterol-lowering medications because they don’t "feel any better" while taking them. But high cholesterol is a silent disease, and you may not realize the benefit you’re getting. Don’t cut back on your doses, skip them, or stop taking your drug altogether to save money. If you’re having trouble with affordability, talk to your doctor about how to cut costs safely.
• Keep your supplies of cholesterol-lowering medications filled. Don’t wait until you are out to go to the pharmacy, and be sure to get enough of the prescription ahead of time if you expect to be traveling.
• Niacin (nicotinic acid) has been approved by the FDA as a cholesterol-lowering medication, but it should be taken in prescription form from your doctor. Over-the-counter supplements may not contain the amount found on the label.
• Side effects are rare with most cholesterol-lowering medications, but you should be aware of the specific side effects that go with the drug you’re taking. Keep your doctor informed of any side effects. For example, statins have a rare side effect of muscle problems, so if you have muscle soreness, pain, or weakness, tell your doctor.
• For any symptom that you think might be a side effect of a cholesterol-lowering medication, call your doctor right away. Don’t wait for your next appointment.

Filed under: Healt , Cholesterol

Christine Paolilla

Who is Christine Paolilla?

In the spring of 2003, things were looking up for 17-year-old Christine Paolilla, a shy teenager who had always struggled to fit in. She was friends with two popular girls at school — Rachael Koloroutis and Tiffany Rowell — and she had been voted "Miss Irresistible" by the student body at Clear Lake High School in suburban Houston.

Four youths were found shot multiple times at point blank range in a home in the placid Clear Lake neighborhood. Two of the victims were her friends, Koloroutis and Rowell, who had recently graduated. Koloroutis was planning to attend college in the fall.

It would take three years to unravel the mystery. After numerous dead ends, police caught a big break in July 2006, when an anonymous tipster called. The tipster described facts only the killers could have known and gave them two names a boy, Chris, and a girl: Christine Paolilla.

Christine Paolilla was arrested, tried and convicted of the crime. "Chris" was Chris Snider, Christine’s boyfriend in high school, who committed suicide after he learned police were on his trail.

The question that haunted everyone, including the police, was, "Why?" The details didn’t seem to add up. Rachael and Tiffany had befriended Christine Paolilla and offered her advice, including beauty tips. The friends even carried pictures of each other in their wallets.

Filed under: Uncategorized , Crime

Women Over 35 Embrace Healthy Sexuality

A new online survey of 500 women aged 35 to 49 showed that 76% of women are interested in maintaining a healthy sex life and almost 50% say they initiate sex with their partner. What’s more, 35% say sex — like wine — gets better with age, and half of the women surveyed said that they have sex once a week or more. The new survey was sponsored by Teva Women’s Health, the manufacturer of the ParaGard Intrauterine Copper Contraceptive.

"Women in this age group are so often chalked up as soccer moms and cast as not having a libido, so the fact that so many of them are ‘going for it’ is really contrary to what people believe," says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD, MS Ed, a sexologist who is completing her fellowship in sexual and reproductive health at the University of Iceland in Reykjavík.

Myths abound about sex and women of a certain age, she says. "They are thought to just have vanilla sex, be too busy for sex, or not pursue their partners, but women aged 35 and older are interested."

Why the sexual surge?

This sexual surge occurs when women hit 35 because they feel more connected to their partner, "She knows her partner’s body better and he knows hers," she says. "She is more secure and has newfound respect for her body especially if she has given birth."

Or maybe they find themselves suddenly single. "Some women may be experiencing a sexual rejuvenation because they are re-entering the dating pool after getting out of a bad relationship," Fulbright says.

Television shows portraying women over 35 as sexy and sexual may have also helped women embrace their sexuality.

Whatever the reason, keeping the spark alive is important for all relationships, she says. "Make sure you set a regular sex date, but it should not be routine. Avoid the same old, same old."

Make time for your partner inside the bedroom and out. "Do new and different things together to encourage bonding," Fulbright says. This type of togetherness will have dividends in the bedroom.

Keeping things spicy is a 24-hour job. "Kiss your partner before work and before bed, and make little gestures like sending sexy emails to let your partner know you still desire them."

One of the side effects of all this fooling around is unplanned pregnancy, says Shari Brasner, MD, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. "Growing numbers of women want to have a healthy sex life and spontaneity is a part of it."

The new survey found that a majority of women think they are fertile into their early 50s, yet 25% of these women don’t see the need for using birth control. "This is a complete disconnect," she says.

Brasner points out that 51% of pregnancies among women in their 40s are unplanned. "That is second only to teens," she says.

Filed under: Sex , Woman

Blogging

"Blogging" is a common practice for making money on the net. If you make some investments, you can also own a blogging site. Once you start blogging on the net, you have many benefits. You will start receiving popularity when you start blogging. You can earn more money when you start blogging online. This process is called as blogging for profit!

Before you start blogging, it is important to find a perfect blogging spot to submit your blogs. You can also start your own blogging site to submit your contents. If you are new to this domain, you do not have to worry about the posting of your blogs. If you research on the net, you will be able to find many free blogging sites, which will allow you to submit your blogs. There is no need to pay to submit your blogs on these free blogging sites. However, before you start submitting your work on these free blogging sites, you have to get register on these websites.

This is considered to be one among the ‘passive income opportunities’ which the net has given to us. The passive income essentially means the money which is earned by not doing anything related to it. In the blogging context, this means one post their blog and they just forget it, whilst individuals who are grouping for reading his or her blog create certain web traffic and when the traffic is more than the pay will be better.

Passive income is synonymous to effortless money. There is also a concept of passive income streams, which means that one has to develop a strategy for getting some income. The same strategy when implemented and executed will generate excess passive income.

Therefore, passive income is nothing but earning money without much effort. Writing articles, e – books, cd’s, blogs etc are the best way of making passive income. These are also called passive income sources, as the basic strategy of these opportunities is to make money continuously without any further intervention.

While several people in this world are working so hardly and are still unable to make two ends meet, you can work smart and earn so much that you can become rich in a matter of days. Another way to earn residual income is by looking into the internet. It is surprising to see that internet has generated so many millionaires over the years. You can even earn residual income by joining MLM. When you just go about marketing you are promoting the same products over and over again and the income margin starts galloping on its own hence, it will increase your residual income opportunities.

You can grab the extra income opportunities by just posting your blogs! Thus, you have unveiled the secret of earning residual income.

Filed under: Blog , Monetize

How To Start A Home Business

When thinking about how to start a home business, one might begin with considering the feasibility of establishing the business in the comforts of the home. The idea of how to start a home business is a good consideration since one does not have to leave the confines of the house to be productive. Here are some steps on how to start a home business easily.

The very first factor to consider when thinking on how to start a home business is to think of an appropriate business type which is compatible with home operations. One cannot just go ahead and apply a business and bring it to the home. For one, the area of operations is limited and not originally suited to accommodate more people than usual.

For instance, you could not just outright change your home and convert it into a grocery or supermarket if you don’t have enough land area for it, or perhaps if your business establishment would be far from public transportation and access. This is a good factor to prioritize since your income would be greatly influenced by the amount of accessibility to your place, unless your place would be servicing through the Internet.

Another good tip on how to start a home business is to make sure that you are comfortable in your own home. It will be hard to make a successful business when you are not focused in what you are doing. Make sure to prioritize your heath and comfort.

A logical how to start a home business tip is to understand how important your happiness and love for yourself is important before you can be any good at giving service to others.

How to start a home business may sound simple but as true to any other business you will need to make it legal. So be prepared for all the legal papers that need to be submitted and registered. The registration and taxes are needed to allow you to trade with your customers.

Another problem that some home business owners have is the financial budget. How to start a home business is to be prepared for any utility expenses you will have. The

How to start a home business would include being vigilant with the seemingly small expenses. It easy for us to take for granted the additional expenses on our electricity and food budget. These expenses might seem minimal but when compounded you will realize how much your capital investment is being eaten up.additional expenses for your utilities must also be taken into consideration.

Filed under: Business