Archive for September, 2009

A Stone Fire Pit – Give Your Backyard Some Class Today

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Fire pits are becoming more popular, and with good reason. They can be used to cook your family or guests a meal, keep you all warm on a chilly night, or just for the joy of watching flickering flames. But what about when it’s not in use? A fire pit can be something of an eyesore during the day. That’s where a stone fire pit can be a good option – it’s practical, but at the same time it’s attractive to look at any time of the day or night.

A stone fire pit can be designed in whatever way you like. You can choose to have an old style design, or you can use modern colors to make it blend in with your house. It can be small or large, incorporate cooking facilities, and give your garden an attractive focal point. So spend some time looking at where you plan to build your fire pit, and see what else is close by. Do you have a brick house? You will need to think about what type and color of stone will complement the bricks. Or perhaps your fire pit location leaves you free to choose whatever stone you like. Maybe you have a stone path that you would like to match. It’s your decision.

Once you have a basic idea of what you want, you will need to find someone who has experience designing and building stone fire pits. This is important, because if it’s poorly designed the air won’t flow properly, which means your fire will struggle to burn well. Make sure the design incorporates some safety features, so that people who wish to approach the fire pit for warmth or to toast marshmallow can do so with ease.

If you’re an experienced handyman, you will probably be able to take the fire pit designs and build the structure yourself. However it might still be wise to have an expert do the work, simply because fires can be tricky things to get right. Building the fire pit correctly will make a big difference to how well it works. Plus, you want your fire pit to be something that can be admired, rather than an eyesore. A well-built stone fire pit will be something that all your friends and family will admire.

If you want to read more about fire pits, click over to Josh’s site at http://www.infoaboutfirepits.com

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The Chess Challenge

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

One day that I was old enough to understand the importance of strategic maneuvering when playing a game, my father decided that it was time for me to learn chess. Within a couple of months, I was carrying the chess board everywhere I was going, inviting friends to challenge my new game abilities. I still remember the reactions of those who have never been introduced to chess. They used to look me straight into the eyes asking me why they should waste their time playing such a difficult and boring game. I do not know even where to begin in order to describe what a beautiful game chess really is. With its variety of sacrifices and combinations, those who are eager to learn how it feels to belong to the winner’s side can advance their gaming experience through chess. Having the opportunity to outwit your opponent either on the tactical or the positional level, chess is in fact a game that requires a constantly working mind. Perhaps it is “difficult” game, but this is the only way one can really be proud of the attained goal of winning a worthy opponent. Now in relation to the accusation of chess being boring, after playing chess frequently for more than ten years in a row, I really cannot describe how far away from the truth this statement really is.

First of all, if you are up to the chess challenge, you have to begin by learning the rules of the game. Being an abstract strategy board game, chess is played by two players on a square board that combines eight rows-called ranks -and eight columns-called files. Its simple design creates sixty-four squares of alternative color; one darker than the other. Each of the players is assigned to sixteen pieces (units) at the beginning of the game, which as the game progresses they are eliminated by the opponent’s movements on the board. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent. This practically means that one of the players has successfully managed to perform all the appropriate strategic movements so as to threaten the opponent’s king from moving. It has to be stressed that due to the variety of the chess pieces and their distinct abilities on the game’s board, chess has successfully become one of the world’s most popular games.

Garry Kasparov and Robert Fischer-or Bobby-have been famous chess players worldwide, due to their exceptional abilities in combining the art of chess with the strategic maneuvering entailed in disciplines of science. Considered by many funs to be a “mental martial art,” chess has gained its popularity among the nations of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Generally known as Western Chess or International Chess, to be distinguished from its many variations, the chess I was taught by my father is currently being played in a number of counties, some of which claim to have invented its original form. The most commonly held view is that chess originated in India, since the Arabic, Persian, Greek, Portuguese and Spanish words for chess all come from the Sanskrit game Chaturanga.

Currently, chess funs can be found anywhere from Japan to Sweden and chess players can locate their future opponents on the online forums and websites specifically designed to the pleasure of playing chess. If you are considering taking up the chess challenge, visit your local chess listings and you will be surprised of how many people are daily committed in exercising their mental abilities via a fun and instructive game like chess.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Games, Boating, and Tennis.

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Make Life A Game The Mary Poppins Principle

Thursday, September 3rd, 2009

What would childhood be without games? We can broaden this question to life in general. What would life be without games?

Games are the one essential in life which we should strive to maintain, no matter how old we are and no matter how worn out we might be. I am not talking about sports, here, though some possess a “game” quality. I am talking about the act of having fun while doing certain activities.

Much like Mary Poppins. Remember that, just after she made herself hired and went to the children’s nursery, she decided that they should tidy up the room? The children were upset and she said that they would make a game of the activity.

“This is a game, isn’t it, Mary Poppins?” was Jane’s concerned question, in which she replied that you have to have an element of fun in everything you do. As a consequence, the activity, instead of being perceived as an ordeal or a chore, is then perceived as a collaborative game; it becomes enjoyable.

So, what did Mary Poppins do? She started a song (music is very important), added some magic in the activity, and pronto! The children were engaged and while doing the chore, everyone was super happy. What a game tidying up the nursery had become!

Now, granted, most of us can’t do magic, even if our lives depended on it (I could use some magic for house cleaning, trully); but the idea still remains. We sure can add the quality of fun in everything we do (house cleaning included).

So how can we make our daily activities enjoyable? Here are some examples:

1. Cleaning: Put on some music; dance and sing along. Desi Arnaz once put the newspaper in front of the vacuum cleaner so that he could enjoy the news while vacuuming the house; you could read a book, as Renee Zellweger did, in Bridget Jones;

2. Folding laundry: Watch you favorite movie or speak on the phone with your favorite person;

3. Cooking: Do what Cate Blanchet did in the film “Bandits,” but don’t overdo it or you will have a lot of cleaning to do after dinner is ready and you might regret that bit of fun;

4. Commuting: listen to a great comic relief on CD;

5. Homework: Listen to some Mozart while you are at it. You have heard of the Mozart Effect, I am sure.

6. Work: Take breaks every hour or so, take a deep breath, do a little stretching, read some jokes on the Internet, play with one of those magnet puzzles;

7. Errands: Make up a treasure hunt game and follow it whenever you need to go;

8. Dishes: “The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes. ~ Agatha Christie.” You can also plan your next vacations. Enough said.

9. Buying food: Pretend you are a spy. Look for hints of a bad guy in every aisle of the supermarket. Make sure no one is spying at you and hide when you spot a spy. Any person can be a counter spy.

10. Mowing the lawn: Do what Steve Martin did in “My Blue Heaven”: Dress up and read a book while you mow the lawn. People will think you are nuts. You will feel great!

So here are just some simple ideas on how you can use the Mary Poppins Principle to have more fun in life. What else can you think about? Go overboard, exaggerate, feel silly. But most important of all, feel good!

© Maria Moratto 2005

About the author

Dr. Maria Moratto holds 5 degrees and is a life coach. She promotes coaching, seminars and courses in developing the perfect life’s blueprint, which includes attracting abundance and loving relationships, time management, stress management, diversity, goal setting, career search and change, values clarification, leisure, self-improvement, college life, communication and learning styles, spirituality, natural health and lifestyle.

She is also writing two books: one on successful relationships and the other on attracting the perfect lifestyle; both coming soon. Visit her website at http://www.rx4bliss.com and sign up for a no-cost e-zine that is short, informative, and fun.

Go to her blog at: http://www.rx4bliss.blogspot.com for great discussions on these topics. You may reprint this article in its entirety as long as you add this source box. She would also appreciate an email to: drmoratto@rx4bliss.com Please, rate this article if you found it useful.

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