StumbleUpon | ascomputer's blog posts

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/14050556/

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 05:55:19 -0800

http://www.egodevelopment.com/how-to-improve-your-smile/

How to Improve your Smile

Improving your smile

Why should I change my smile?

Your smile is your most important facial feature; here are a few reasons why you might want to change:

- A beautiful smile gives you greater confidence and self esteem. - A more regular, even and attractive smile can take years off you!

- An attractive smile is an important social asset.

-People laugh a lot more when they are confident about their smile.

Did you know?

When surveyed only 50% of people said they were happy with their smile; 75% of people said that an attractive smile gives them an advantage in the workplace.

How to Improve your smile

Tooth Whitening Makes Your Smile Sparkle!

Statistics reveal that Americans place a high value on their smile. According to an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry national survey:

•92% believe an attractive smile is an important social asset.

•85% of Americans believe an unattractive smile makes a person less appealing to the opposite sex.

•74% of Americans believe an unattractive smile can hurt a person’s chances for career success.

•50% of Americans are not satisfied with the appearance of their own smile.

If you are not happy with your smile, tooth whitening may provide the solution.

Tooth Whitening Procedures Can Help:

•Lighten coffee-stained teeth.

•Remove cigarette and tobacco discolorations.

•Correct yellowing in teeth due to aging.

Choices for Whiter Teeth

We will be happy to talk about the different options for whitening teeth. Here is asummary of two of the methods we offer.

In-office “Zoom” Whitening as seen on ABC-TV’s Extreme Makeover

1. A whitening gel containing a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide is applied to the teeth. Light energy is applied to activate the chemical process.

2. In-office whitening usually can be accomplished in one visit to our office. It usually takes approximately 75 minutes.

3. We will compliment the treatment with home whitening to enhance the effects and for periodic touch-ups.

At-home Dentist-supervised Whitening

1. You wear a custom-fitted mouth tray containing a whitening gel for a an hour each day.

2. The trays can be adjusted to lighten individual teeth.

3. Mouth trays can be worn from 1 to 5 weeks.

Dentist Supervised Treatments vs. Over-the-Counter Kits

Numerous over-the-counter tooth whitening products are now available, but dentist-supervised whitening remains the safest and most effective method of brightening your smile. Here are some key reasons why.

1. Often, over-the-counter whitening trays do not fit the patient’s mouth properly. Improperly fitting trays may leak the whitening gel and can result in gum irritation and a less effective treatment. More seriously, a poorly fitted tray may hold the jaws too far apart which could cause problems in the future.

2. Tooth whitening gels may cause some level of discomfort in the patient. We adjust the strength of whitening gel to maximize your comfort, so even people with the most sensitive teeth can undergo the treatment.

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13767657/

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 05:51:00 -0700

http://www.egodevelopment.com/how-to-respond-to-requests-for-free-information/

HOW to RESPOND to REQUESTS for FREE INFORMATION

Here's a common dilema: You receive a letter enclosed with a copy of your
ad that specifically states "...for more information, send $1." However,
they DON'T enclose the $1.

One respondent was brave enough to include a cover letter that stated he was enclosing $1 for more information, but conveniently "forgot" to put itin the envelope. Is this really an unintentional mistake? Did the person really forget to send the money? Probably not. Why do I make that assumption?
Because the frequency of them are too numerous to count. If it was just "human error" the same tactics wouldn't be used by 90% of them. (I did have one clever gal though purposely seal and re-open part of the envelope to make it appear like the money had dropped out. It was obvious the envelope had not got caught in machinery because I used to work for the post office and know how the mail is processed.)

Unfortunately the poor mail order dealer who is trying to run an honest
business will go ahead, take the financial loss and fill this order. They
rest on the "hope" that this person will place a large order in the near
future once they receive their information; which will make up for the $1
he/she conveniently forgot to enclose in the beginning.

But thereis a way to combat this problem. Here's what you do: Instead of filling the order for more information, write a short letter on your business stationary.
Thank the customer for inquiring about your product and graciously informhim or her that the letter was received without proper payment. but send the information anyway. Do not sacrifice 29 Cents for an 18% conversion. In the long run, after you've written and mailed the letter, it is better that you send the free ($1) information anyway.
Also, enclose 1 or 2 ads in with your letter. This way, it only costs you 29c to respond to their request and you don't lose money on someone who is only after a "free ride."

Believe it or not, there are actually some people who just enjoy receiving mail. They never place an order or spend any money. They just enjoy receiving mail. And some people actually spend time just to see what they can get "free." They envision mail order companies as huge enterprises and have a vengeance to rip them off because they are jealous and have nothing to account for in their own personal lives. I know this sounds harsh _ but there are people like this.

And on the rare occasion when a customer writes back and claims to have
answered your ad and sent $1 for information already, you simply reply:
"I'm sorry. In checking our records we find that you did, in fact, make an
inquiry on (date). Unfortunately, you did not enclose the $1 payment as
stated in our ad. We understand mistakes like this can happen since most of
us lead hectic daily lives and we apologize for any misunderstandings."
Then _ leave it go at that. The customer will get the message. You aren't
being cruel and calling them a liar. In fact, you are being rather innocent
in the entire matter. The only difference is _ YOU are in control of the situation.
Somewhere there's this unwritten law that says you have to send NEW customers
tons of circulars the first time they write you for more information. Not so.
Customers who are worth the time and investment you make will supply you with repeatorders and you don't have to send them boxes of stuff. Instead, send just a few offers at a time. This way, it will take many mailings to get copies of all the circulars you promote and it will appear to the customer that you are adding and growing in your business.

Think about it! And for those of you who make it a habit not to send people
the requested first-class stamps and postage money to offset the cost to send
you the information you are requesting _ watch out! Most of us are people
just like you are. We work hard and cannot afford

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13536668/

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:51:10 -0700

She has a blog: Olive Riley, 107 year old - Australia’s - “Star of the Internet”

http://www.egodevelopment.com/she-has-a-blog-olive-riley-107-year-old-australias-star-of-the-internet/

Olive Riley, a remarkable 107-year-old great-great-grandmother living in an aged care hostel at Woy Woy, 50 miles (80km) north of Sydney, has won
�

instant fame as the oldest of the world's 68.9 million Internet bloggers. She is 12 years older than Spain's Se�ora Maria Am�lia, the previous titleholder.

"This might be the new star of the internet," Jean-Fran�ois Berthet, who lives in Paris, wrote in his blog 365 Days. "Her name is Olive, she is Australian and she has a blog where with the help of Mike, she tells us of her adventures.

"With 2 posts, her blog is only 4 days old and already hitting the headlines. What’s so special about this blog? Nothing. Except that Olive Riley was born two centuries ago, on October, 20th, 1899. By the time of Queen Victoria

"Olive is 107. She swims. She drinks Shandy (beer and lemonade). She has to wear a bell at night so her great grand children know when she wakes up and keep her from falling, but she puts a sock in the bell not to wake anyone. And Olive has a date with an Olive tree in 2010.

"Isn’t life wonderful? Thank you Olive."

Olive, who has amazingly clear memories of her colorful life, posts her blog with the help of her friend Mike Rubbo, who made an hour-long documentary film "All about Olive" that the ABC-TV showed throughout Australia in February 2006.

Olive's first post, called The Life of Riley attracted a flood of congratulatory messages from all over the world. The first comments were:

Beautiful to see you with 107 years on internet. It's a pleasure and I hope many people on your blog. kisses from Sicily ( Italia ).
-- Maria Grazia.

Wow, you are an amazing lady! I am excited to be coming in on the beginning of your journal. Looking forward to so many wonderful stories I know you have to tell. My husband and I talk of visiting Australia one day. We think it is an amazing place.
-- Kelly Corley.

Hello, Beautiful Lady, I was just passing by to say hello! Greetings from Belgium.
-- Charlesi.

I agree with Kelly, you are truly an amazing lady. I will also be looking forward to your stories on your blog. Keep up the good work Olive.
-- Markiss.

Wow, this is by far the best blog ever. Keep it up. Truly Amazing.
-- Konstant.

Whaoh! Amazing! You’re the grand mother of all the bloggers in the world! Welcome! I put your blog in my favorites and I hope you’ll give us some news frequently…Greetings from France.
-- Antoinweb.
A few hours after Olive launched her blog, fellow blogger Alfredo Ascanio Lugar, in Caracas, Venezuela, liked it so much that he translated it into Spanish:

martes, febrero 20, 2007

El Blog de Olive Riley

El enlace de arriba es el Blog de la Se�ora Olive Riley de 107 a�os con su residencia en Australia.

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13513426/

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 05:42:18 -0700

Bad news! Global Dimming?

http://www.egodevelopment.com/global-dimming/
+ video documentary

A recent BBC Horizon documentary (transcript) raised the issue of ‘global dimming’ and argued that this ‘killer’ phenomena’s newly-recognised existence would lead to huge re-assessments of future global warming. As part of the hyperbole, the process of global dimming was linked very clearly to the famines in Ethiopia in the 1980s and the implication was left that worse was to come. Media reports with headlines like “Fossil Fuel Curbs May Speed Global Warming” swiftly followed. So what’s the real story?

Global dimming is indicated by measurements over land areas in many regions in the world and may therefore be a real phenomena. Though there are serious issues with the quality of some of the data (birds drinking out of uncovered evaporation pans, drift and inhomogeneities in the solar radiation measuring instruments), in the most global assessment, Beate Liepert estimated that there was globally a reduction of about 4% in solar radiation reaching the ground between 1961 and 1990. While more recent indications are that the trend may have reversed in the last decade, it could still be significant. Assuming for the sake of argument that these data are valid, what could have caused this? A change of that magnitude in the incoming solar radiation itself is not possible since satellite observations would have seen it. Thus, it must be something that is happening in the atmosphere to intercept solar radiation. There are only a few possibilities: clouds, water vapour or aerosols.

First of all it is important to note that even pure greenhouse gas forcing will lead to a slight decrease in surface solar radiation (due to the concurrent increased humidity) and potential cloud feedbacks. Cloud cover and thickness are both like to vary as a function of climate change.

Contrails (those wispy trails left behind high flying jets) have increased over the period and may be important. But estimates of their global effect, even making very generous assumptions about their spread are small (Minnis et al, 2004). Aerosols are also known to have increased over this time, and so they are a natural candidate. However, simulations using the relatively straightforward ‘direct effect’ of aerosols (the increase in albedo of the planet due to the particle brightness) do not match the inferred changes. The final candidates are numerous interactions of aerosols with clouds, the so-called ‘indirect effects’.

There are an ever increasing number of these ‘indirect effects’, but the two most discussed are the aerosol/cloud opacity interaction (more aerosols provide more sites for water to condense in clouds, thus cloud droplets are smaller and clouds become more opaque), and the cloud lifetime effect (smaller droplets make it more difficult to make drops big enough to rain, and so clouds live longer). Estimates of the importance of such effects vary widely, and while they are thought to be significant, the uncertainty associated with them is very large. These effects are nevertheless a necessary part of the suite of human-related forcings that are being assessed in order to understand the climate of the 20th Century.

It should however be stressed that there are as yet no completely convincing explanations that quantitatively match the (admittedly uncertain) observations of this phenomena (Liepert and Lohmann, 2004). However, the Horizon documentary nevertheless confidently asserts that:

Global dimming is a killer. It may have been behind the worst climatic disaster of recent times, responsible for famine and death on a biblical scale. And Global Dimming is poised to strike again.

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13508200/

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:25:33 -0700

6 Characteristics Of A Leader

http://www.egodevelopment.com/6-characteristics-of-a-leader/

What kind of personality does a leader, someone who exudes charisma, have ?
It seems that leaders posses 6 fundamental characteristics:

1. Simplicity
You should first be aware that people with charisma are usually simple and modest. It’s the people who fail continually who are arro- gant towards others. In a group, charismatic persons never try to attract attention by boasting about their talents or qualities, or by making a display of their virtues.

2. The ability to listen to others
A few years ago a popular magazine organized a contest. Read- ers had toconcoct bits of philosophical or spiritual wisdom, in 25 words or less. One reader submitted the following gem: “People who talk about themselves are bores, people who talk about others are gossips, but those who talk about you are brilliant conversational- ists!” It’s so true. If you want to acquire a magnetic personality, you have to learn to encourage other people to express themselves, and to talk about themselves to you. Ask questions about their work, their hobbies, their families and so on. Give them the opportunity to re- veal themselves to you.

3. Self confidence and assertiveness
Shyness, which we’ll talk about in detail in the chapter devoted to it, is not necessarily a negative quality if it isn’t exaggerated, in which case it’s more like a healthy sense of propriety and reserve.
However if your shyness prevents you from communicating with others, from assuming your rightful position in society, from meeting people with whom you believe you have something in common, from doing well on oral exams or showing your best side during job inter- views, then you should do something about it. People with charisma are not overly shy, and if they were at one time, they have succeeded in overcoming it. We’ll see how later on.

4. The ability to act decisively
This means not procrastinating - not putting off for tomorrow what you can do today. Charismatic people are neither negligent nor lazy. If procrastinating is one of your faults, you must absolutely get rid of it. An entire chapter of this book is devoted to the problem.
Be honest: do you admire people who can’t make up their minds, who always seem to be dragging their feet, and who have a pile of things they were supposed to do last week which they still haven’t gotten around to? No, of course not.

5. Respect your commitments
Does this seem obvious? Well, you may be surprised to learn how many people don’t honortheir commitments. “Are you talking about minor or major commitments?” you ask.
And that’s exactly the point - that’s where you’re going wrong. Because there are no minor commitments! A commitment is always major, whether it’s a promise to play tennis with someone, or to lend a substantial amount of money to a friend in need. You are judged just as severely on your punctuality to a dinner party as you are in repaying your debts. People with cha- risma are people you can count on. They are like rocks - steady fixed points in an unstable, changing universe.

6. Feeling good about yourself
Be careful! Feeling good about yourself doesn’t mean you have to look like Robert Redford or Marilyn Monroe. Physical beauty has nothing to do with a person’s magnetism. Never forget that.
President Roosevelt was an invalid; Cicero, according to histori- cal descriptions, was afflicted with a repulsive physique; neither would Joan of Arc or Queen Elizabeth have won any beauty contests. Many of society’s most influential personalities have nothing physi- cally attractive about them.

To feel good about yourself, you have to accept your physical qualities and defects, which are irremediable, and make the most of them. You can make this task easier by applying certain techniques which may enhance the way you appear to others. You’ll find some ideas on this subject in Lessons 5 and 6.
Now that you know what your person

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13484225/

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 05:12:29 -0700

10 Things Her Body Is Telling You

They’re sometimes subtle, but to the initiated man, these changes in physiology are signs of what she’s thinking and feeling.

Pupils

If she’s feeling stimulated by you (not just sexually), her pupils will dilate. that’s because her body is programmed to want to see more of whatever’s exciting her, so her brain tells her irises to let in more light. Bonus: As the inkiness spreads, she’ll start looking better to you, too. Research shows that men rate women with larger pupils as more attractive. time to make your move.

Eyelashes

Hold her gaze for a minute. If she’s blinking more than normal (which is about 15 times a minute), there’s a good chance she’s on the Pill; women on birth control blink 32% more than those who aren’t. Aside from the obvious, what does that mean for you? put on your toughest, most confident mug as you look at her. Because of the shift in hormone levels, research says, women on the Pill are more attracted to men with rugged features, such as strong, wide jaws.

Brain

She’s matching you drink for drink, you’re starting to feel like reenacting Animal House, but she seems like her same old self. What’s the deal? Men and women get different kinds of buzzes: Men lose inhibitions, while women become sedated. If you’re looking to get her into the party spirit, don’t feed her more alcohol. Instead, feed the jukebox. Research shows that mid- to fast-tempo music will make her more social.

Belly

Want to know if it’s a good or bad time to broach a tricky conversation? You can tell if she’s suitably relaxed by her breathing pattern. If her stomach pulls in with each inhalation, she’s taking shallow breaths from her chest, which indicates stress. keep your distance. If her abdomen and chest expand with each inhalation, she’s taking deeper, more rhythmic breaths—a sign of relaxation. Go for it.

Nose

Her sense of smell is sharpest first thing in the morning, which, aside from being a good reason to brush your teeth immediately, makes it the best time to impress her with your culinary skills. that’s because 90% of taste is really smell. treat her to a breakfast in bed consisting of warmed banana-nut bread, which has an aroma that, according to one study, increases bloodflow to the vagina. and that may lead to a dif�ferent kind of morning treat.

Chest

Sex flush, a pinkish look to the skin of her chest, occurs during foreplay. It stems from changes in blood pressure and circulation, along with pulse and respiration rates. think of it as her coy way of telling you that if you keep doing what you’re doing, you just might get lucky. another sign that things are working:

A woman’s breasts grow by as much as 25% as things turn hot and heavy.

Small of her back

As she moves toward orgasm during sex, she’ll begin to arch her back. Hold her tight around the small of her back at this point and stay attuned to how much she’s arching. And, for God’s sake, do not let up; maintain the same rhythm and intensity of stimulation until she climaxes. She’ll pay you back for this later, with interest.

Fingernails

Pay attention to her fingers; among the surest signs of anxiety or depression in a woman are body-focused repetitive behaviors, such as skin picking and nail biting. If you see her doing that, don’t nag her to stop; that can send her deeper into a spiral. Instead, gently pull her hand away, give it a squeeze, and hold on to it. Feel the tension ooze right out.

HANDS

If it seems as if she always has cold hands, that’s because she does—almost 3� colder

than yours, possibly more if she’s stressed. Women’s bodies, even more than men’s, are programmed to keep their cores warmer than their extremities. So to warm her hands up, don’t massage them; wrap your arm around her waist. this will warm her core and allow blood to flow back into her hands.

Between her legs

Okay, you know enough about your partner’s menstrual cycl

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13456467/

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 04:40:45 -0700

Final Frontier! Marriages between humans and robots !

http://www.egodevelopment.com/final-frontier-marriages-between-humans-and-robots/

Humans could marry robots within the century. And consummate those vows.
“My forecast is that around 2050, the state of Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize marriages with robots,” artificial intelligence researcher David Levy at the University of Maastrichtin the Netherlands told LiveScience. Levy recently completed his Ph.D. work on the subject of human-robot relationships, covering many of the privileges and practices that generally come with marriage as well as outside of it.
At first, sex with robots might be considered geeky, “but once you have a story like ‘I had sex with a robot, and it was great!’ appear someplace like Cosmo magazine, I’d expect many people to jump on the bandwagon,” Levy said.

The idea of romance between humanity and our artistic and/or mechanical creations dates back to ancient times, with the Greek myth of the sculptor Pygmalion falling in love with the ivory statue he made named Galatea, to which the goddess Venus eventually granted life.

This notion persists in modern times. Not only has science fiction explored this idea, but 40 years ago, scientists noticed that students at times became unusually attracted to ELIZA, a computer program designed to ask questions and mimic a psychotherapist.

“There’s a trend of robots becoming more human-like in appearance and coming more in contact with humans,” Levy said. “At first robots were used impersonally, in factories where they helped build automobiles, for instance. Then they were used in offices to deliver mail, or to show visitors around museums, or in homes as vacuum cleaners, such as with the Roomba. Now you have robot toys, like Sony’s Aibo robot dog, or Tickle Me Elmos, or digital pets like Tamagotchis.”

In his thesis, “Intimate Relationships with Artificial Partners,” Levy conjectures that robots will become so human-like in appearance, function and personality that many people will fall in love with them, have sex with them and even marry them.

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13381689/

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:41:29 -0700

http://www.egodevelopment.com/22-ways-to-save-the-our-planet/

22 Ways to Save our Planet

Our earth is in trouble, and we’ve got to save it! Encouraging the adoption of alternative energies or energy conservation in every home and office and throughout industry … Everywhere.
1) Cut flowers are pretty and smell good, but are ultimately disposable after just a few days. The next time you’re in the market for some, go for a potted version instead. They last longer, improve indoor air quality and can even be self-watering. If cut flowers are a must, go for organic and look for the Veliflora sustainable floral label.
2) A low-flow showerhead can save you gallons of water each time you use it. We’veseen ‘em as low as a half-gallon per minute, and for as little as $12 US. We’ve arrived at the final installment of our quick-n-easy actions to take for a better planet. At just 25 items, we know there are a plethora of other easy ways to take action, and just because they’re not on the list doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do them. The little things can make a difference!
3) Instead of buying bottled water, use a water filter instead. There are some pretty strange options for filtration out there, but they can be very simple and easy to use, so get one, use it to replenish your precious bodily fluids, and you’ll never buy bottled water again.
4) To go the extra mile, get a rainwater storage tank; you don’t even have to dig a huge hole in the yard to have one (we got all the facts at a rainwater harvesting conference). You won’t be able to drink it (unless you do what this guy did, and bottle it), but your flowers, plants and garden will sure enjoy it. This will save the potable water your utility provides just for household use, and you’ll use less of it.
5) Use “Tupperware”-style reusable food containers for leftovers and lunches; you’ll save miles of plastic wrap and tons of plastic bags. While you’re at it, get reusable versions of other stuff, like grocery bags, gift bags and (why not?) muffin cups.
6) Draft excluders at the base of your doors can save vast amounts of cold from getting in and heat from getting out. Your wallet will thank you, and you can do it with other doors around the house, like your fridge door, too.
7) A programmable thermostat will help efficiently regulate your indoor climate; it’s like TiVo for your house. Warm it up and cool it down only when you want to, live more comfortably and cheaply. Isn’t that what we all want?
Ride a bicycle. The most efficient form of transportation ever devised was named the most significant innovation in a UK survey; in 2005, more bikes than cars were sold in the US, and it’s certainly one of our favorites, from a myriad of killer folding bikes to bamboo bikes to bikes with an electric boost.We don’t know how you can’t love something that will alternately charge your iPod or make you a daiquiri.

9) Use eco-friendly household cleaners. It’s never made any sense to us to use “dirty” chemicals and volatile organic compounds to try to get things cleaner around the house; we recommend ECover, Seventh Generation (if it’s good enough for Liv Tyler, it’s good enough for us), Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day (read our review of their products), B_E_E and method; between them all, there isn’t anything you can’t clean without dirtying yourself or the rest of the environment.TreeHugger believes that if everyone comes together to make a couple small changes, we can make a big difference. As part of our continuing series, here are five more ways to green your lifestyle without breaking a sweat.
10) Eschew air conditioners (even though there are some nice designs, some pretty efficient window units and even an off-grid option out there, some think A/C is the killing frost sure to wilt the last fragile shoots of American culture) and go with a ceiling fan for year-round climate control. It’ll help keep you cooler in summer; to push warm air back down into the room in winter, just flip the bl

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13376114/

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:32:02 -0700

http://ascomputer.stumbleupon.com/review/13376054/

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:28:40 -0700

www.egodevelopment.com

How to make a happy family Feng Shui

Feng shui experts have great reverence for family. Unless you are able to express gratitude for your elders, it will be difficult for you to make your ownway in life. That’s why it’s so important to reserve a space in your home for your family. Take heart: there’s no need to associate with toxic family members. These days, family can be comprised of blood relatives, close friends or a combination of both. Using the front door of your home as the entry point, the Family Gua is located to the left of the center. Here are some tips for making this space happy, healthy and supportive.

Look Up — Your Family Gua should convey hope and optimism. Torchiere floor lamps that cast light up toward the ceiling can help you from getting bogged down by toxic relatives. Pictures that are hung slightly above eye level can inspire you to rise above old resentments. Remember, when it comes to family, the goal is to move onward and upward. Staying mired in the past isn’t healthy for anyone. Keep reaching for the stars!

It’s Easy Being Green — The color green is associated with the Family Gua. Therefore, this is a good color to use in the center portion of the left side of your home. Not only does green represent healthy growth and new beginnings, but it also symbolizes the union of two different colors: calming blue and optimistic yellow. The fusion of these two energies can help heal any rifts that have occurred in your family, allowing you all to form more compassionate relationships.

Picture This — One of the best ways to honor your relatives is by displaying their photographs on the left side of your home. Choose pictures that evoke happy memories, or they could drag your energy down. If you are estranged from your relatives, be sure to put photos of your friends in this space. This way, you can receive the emotional support you need to thrive.

Get Rid of Unwanted Family Heirlooms – This may seem like strange advice for promoting good family relationships, but it’s worth following. Accepting a gift out of guilt takes a heavy emotional toll. If you can’t stand Grandma Grace’s china or loathe the sight of Uncle Bob’s polar bear rug, give it to another relative who will appreciate it. If that’s not an option, you can always sell, donate or trash the item. If you’re able to sell the gift, use the money for something that gives you joy. That way, you’ll turn an albatross into an advantage.

Make Some Noise — The Family Gua is associated with thunder. Therefore, one of the best ways to enhance this space is through sound cures. Putting a stereo in the center left portion of your home can strengthen your family relationships. Loud appliances like air conditioners, televisions and refrigerators are appropriate if your relatives rarely speak. In the event your family is always fighting, a more soothing sound is appropriate. In this case, a tabletop fountain may help. A machine that replicates the sound of an ocean or stream is another good alternative.

Bloom Where You’re Planted – Plants represent healthy growth. If you feel pigeon-holed by your family system, put a tall potted tree in your Family Gua. Soon, you’ll have an opportunity to branch out and perform roles that were previously denied to you. You’ll also notice that your relatives become more flexible where your activities are concerned.

You’ve Gotta Have Art — Artwork that depicts connections can strengthen your Family Gua. A painting of a happy group enjoying lunch together may be a good choice. Alternately, you may choose a photo of a bridge that connects one expanse of land to another. Pictures of woodland scenes can also activate the Family Gua, as trees unite the earth and sky. Photos of skyscrapers operate the same way. Whether you’re a country mouse or city mouse, there’s an image that can strengthen your bonds to kith and kin.

Reach Out and Touch