The Dart Maker Blog

When shopping online or in a store consumers need to consider that sellers may not always specify gold filled or gold plated when advertising an item for sale. Items may be advertised with many features but if the words solid gold are not in the description it is probably not solid gold.

Pricing can be confusing and manufacturers exploit this to the consumers dismay often. If there is a lot of work or
detail in a gold plated or gold filled piece it may be practical to keep it affordable. Not everyone can afford real Rolex or Cartier watches which is why good imitation jewellery is always going to be popular, but sometimes you will find them priced just under what you might pay for perhaps a thinner, genuine solid gold necklace chain. So you pay almost the same price for a large or heavy filled one as you might have paid for solid gold in a smaller item. Thats something to keep in mind when shopping for gold jewellery online or in a store.

Below are basic descriptions of the difference between the two most commonly used faux gold.

Gold plated jewellery is just as it sounds, electroplated jewellery that is prone to surface wear. Gold filled jewellery is made by heating and pressure-bonding a layer of solid sheet gold to another metal and less likely to wear for years. The best of these will use brass as the core metal and the cheaper gold filled manufacturers use cheaper base metal(s).
Commonly you will find 12/20 gold filled and a higher standard if available is 14/20. The first number refers to the quality of the gold used and the second is the amount used. (eg) 12/20 = 12 Karat gold comprising 1/20 of the weight of the item.

James Casnig

Store Net - Online Shopping and Consumer Advice

I believe that this is the most asked question in todays world. As mankind races toward Armageddon and the end of Days. Many are seeking a place of peace and safety, not knowing what is on the rise for tomorrow. The general conception of God may be said to be that of an infinite being who is supremely good, who created the world, who knows all and can do all, who is transcendent over and immanent in the world, and who loves humanity.

By the majority of Christians God is believed to have lived on earth in the flesh as Jesus. To find out who God is we must also look at who He isn’t. Lets Read from Gods word.

Exodus 3:14-15; And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

I am, that I am - That is, “I am what I am.” The words express absolute, and therefore unchanging and eternal Being. The Eternal, who passes not away. I am he who exists.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
God is;

1. The Eternal.

2. Spirit.

3. Lord Jehovah.

4. The Holy One of Israel.

Isa 45:21-23; Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the LORD? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Here we see the absoluteness of God.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.(A declaration from God on His of Being the only God that there, was, and is, and ever will be.)

I have sworn by myself,( God cannot swear an oath to any one that is higher in power, so He must swear to Himself.) the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return,( All mankind shall hear the word of God. Being preached by those that He, has and will call unto Himself.

There will be no excuse as to mans state when he dies.) That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.( This includes the saved and the unsaved.) God is all power and His demands will be required by everyone born upon this earth and those spirits in Heaven and under the earth. This includes Satan.

Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers ( These are those that Christ took captive after the resurrection.), he made a shew of them openly( These are the unrighteous, Devils, Demons also including Satan. Which were paraded before God in Heaven, as a defeated foe.), triumphing over them in it.( making Death, Hell and the Grave his to control.)

This is repeated in Phi 2:10-11; That at the name of Jesus ( We see that at the declaration of the name of Jesus, all will bow, and all tongs will declair, Jesus as Lord and Christ.) every knee should bow, of things in heaven,(The Spiritual angels in Heaven) and things in earth,( Those that are present upon the Earth.

Teaching that the earth will burn with fire but it will survive and man will be present, under new Laws set down by Jesus from Jerusalem.) and things under the earth;( These are the ones that have been in captivity in Hell.)
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.(God is not a respecter of man.)

Romans 11:4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. God is all knowing, knowledge and wisdom. Mans actions upon this earth are being recorded daily. God knows who is and is not true to Him. God being a jealous God, will not be put in second place by anyone, For He has declared it.

Jesus stated that there are many false gods, but these are formed, not by God, but by the hands and the imagination of man. Such as, Mohamid, Buddah, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Mohandas Gandhi, Gopala-
cowherd; protector of cows .

Govinda-protector of cows, Hari-the fawn (or yellow or gold) colored one, Hrshikesha- master of the senses , Jagannatha-lord of the universe, Keshava-
long haired; in some accounts, the killer of Kesi, Madhava-bringer of springtime, and Vasudeva. These are but a few. The word,”God”, is mentioned 1196 times in the New Testament and 2705 in the Old. Scripture.

Gen 6:5-7 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. Why? Because God had made man in His image and gave man of His spirit. When man walked away from God and His spirit, man became unrighteous and fell from Gods grace.

And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. God not only destroyed man the first time but also the animals and Birds. Why? Because mankind had violated animals and the Birds.

Having introduced animal husbandry and using all animals as sacrifices to false Gods. They had to be destroyed. We see the same thing today, Animal Husbandry, False religions trying to say that Jehovah is their God but De nighing Jesus and His word. The filthiness of man is coming again, full circle. God sent down His judgment upon all mankind and only found 8, that were worthy of Salvation.

God is, and will do this again as the world comes to an end.

Henry States of God; Does God thus hate sin? And shall we not hate it? Has our sin grieved him to the heart? And shall we not be grieved and pricked to the heart for it? O that this consideration may humble us and shame us, and that we may look on him whom we have thus grieved, and mourn!

Zec. 12:10. It does not imply any change of God’s mind; for he is in one mind, and who can turn him? With him there is not variableness.

But it expressed a change of his way. When God had made man upright, he rested and was refreshed (Ex. 31:17), and his way towards him was such as showed he was pleased with the work of his own hands; but, now that man had apostatized, he could not do otherwise than show himself displeased; so that the change was in man, not in God.

God repented that he had made man; but we never find him repenting that he redeemed man. What God is not, is, unrighteous, uncaring, hateful, deceitful, a murder, a thief, a lier, unforgiving and self centered. These are all the attributes of all other false gods.

Tempel of Spirit & Truth Ministries

A.R.Smith Ministries

http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Are you market products and services using PPCs? PPC Advertising is one of the fastest and easiest ways to get visitors, capture email addresses and make sales. However, I am sure not every campaign you created are profitable. For some keywords, you may need to compete with competitors to bid for the clicks. When there are too many competitors making the cost of a click too high, you will not be able to profit anymore.

Now what will you do? In general people will select one of the following two options: Try every method to increase conversion rates, or totally leave the bidding war. Make sense?

And now I am going to introduce the third choice to you:

Make Money from Your Competitors.

So how can you do this? The simplest way is to provide advertising places to your competitors.

There are many methods to sell advertising and here is what I like to do. Create content sites for the keywords, add Adsense blocks and competitor’s affiliate links on the pages and then submit the sites in search engines and market the sites as normal. Now your competitors will pay you money every month!

This method may not make you large amount of money, but it is definitely profitable and will provide you another streams of income. Not bad, right?

And you can apply this in different areas apart from PPC advertising. Just think out of the box and you will profit more.

To your online marketing success,
Mark Tse

P.S. Do you want to create content sites fast? Get the software that I am using to create a content site in less than 5 minutes:
http://www.marktse.com/qpg/

This article is written by Mark Tse. Mark shares free tips, articles and downloads about Internet Marketing. You can visit his Internet Marketing Blog and read his latest posts here:

http://www.marktse.com/blog/

There are two vehicles for having your company’s information show up in a newspaper or magazine… pay to advertise or let the press do it for you. The latter occurs as a direct result of public relations (PR) efforts - actively seeking publicity as a form of marketing communications.

While each of these is valuable, a solid news story can give you with a higher ranking on the credibility ladder. Why? Because people understand that an ad is placed by you so are far more suspicious of its veracity. (Recent consumer studies confirm that most consumers think that all advertisements include outright lies and/or misleading information.)

However, articles written by others are viewed as more objective (especially if the author has no stake in your company’s success or failure) and thus, more believable.

PR Tips

It’s important to understand how this process works so you’ll be able to take advantage of newsworthy opportunities that may come your way.

Most newspapers (and other media such as TV and radio) have a designated employee (usually called an assignment editor) who has responsibility for decide what’s news and what isn’t. They are tasked with reading and evaluating press releases. The ones that make the cut are sent to another editor for follow-up and inclusions, the others are usually trashed. The vast majority, up to 90%, end up in the rubbish.

This is why it’s so important to get it right if you expect to compete with the hundreds of others vying for the same space. Here are some handy tips:

•Let a professional public relations expert write your press release and put together a press package for you. There are many freelance experts around who won’t charge you an arm and a leg. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, good public relations professionals network well and have media contacts the rest of us don’t! Also, keep in mind there are few boring stories, but many boring ways of telling them…another reason to seek wise counsel from a professional. (Chapter Eight contains several good resources)

•Focus on content versus form… Yes, there is a proper format, but it is far less important than what you say. Remember, newspapers need information as much as you need publicity. They are looking for timely, educational and informative information… so provide it. Conversely, local radio stations may be interested in airing stories that are funnier, quirkier or more controversial.

•Human interest stories are popular across all media types… one reason talk shows are so popular. So, if you have a compelling personal story, one that others will find interesting, tell it.

•Make sure that your story is timely and not late. If your store opened three months ago, it’s old news. Also, understand that journalists work on very tight deadlines, so it makes more sense to fax or e-mail, rather than mail, your release.

•Edit, Edit, Edit… If an editor sees typos and other errors, it may cause them to question the accuracy of your content… a real killer.

•Make sure that you include accurate contact information… Provide precise and complete information so you’re easy to find - phone (including cell) and fax numbers and e-mail, website and mailing addresses. The last thing you want is to miss an interview because you couldn’t be reached!

•The more back-up information you provide the better… The easier you make it for a journalist to cover your story, the more likely they’ll be to include it. Include photos, samples, interview availability times, research backup, and the like.

•Make sure to send press releases to all media in your area, no matter how small…. It’s much easier to get local, rather than regional or national, coverage.

•Contact journalists and offer yourself as an expert in a particular field… One they can count on to provide them with accurate and objective information on the subject

These are just a few tips to get you moving in the right direction. However, as I’ve said before, best cost is not always least cost… so get a professional to help you with your public relations efforts. It will save you time, money and aggravation in the end.

Mary Eule specializes in helping small and medium-sized businesses get and keep profitable customers. Formerly a Fortune 500 marketing executive; founder of two successful small businesses and award-winning speaker, Ms. Eule is President of Strategic Marketing Advisors, LLC. and co-author of a new book, “Mandatory Marketing: Small Business Edition”. She holds a master degree in marketing from Johns Hopkins University. Log onto http://www.StrategicMarketingAdvisors.com for free articles, newsletter and helpful tools, tips and templates.

Office cleaning in particular is the one area of contract cleaning which is extremely competitive. For cleaning companies bidding for contracts it can be virtually guaranteed that there will be someone out there who is willing to undercut you and put in a price solely to gain the contract. Should businesses simply go for the lowest quote or should they be looking for other things?
Sadly many go for the lowest quote and then pay further down the line by having inferior cleaning that they continually have to chase and complain about. Obviously price is important but firms should also be looking for other things. A lot can be found out about a particular cleaning firm by asking a few simple questions.

• What is your staff turnover?
• Do you provide verifiable training?
• Will the cleaning be supervised and how often?
• Can you provide a full cleaning survey?
• Are your staff fully trained in appropriate Health and Safety practices? Can this be verified?
• Can your staff speak and understand English?
• Will your staff be able to understand written instructions?

These are all pertinent questions that are very relevant to how efficiently the company are likely to carry out the clean. What you need as a company is to be able to forget about the cleaning so your staff can concentrate on what you are good at. You do not want them constantly complaining about the cleaners or the cleaning. In the second part to this article I will explain why those questions are important to you.

In my own experience of bidding for contracts only about one firm in ten will even ask one of those questions and none have ever asked two or more and yet as you will see they could be vital to the smooth running of your cleaning. Don’t just concentrate on cost consider the wider picture.

David Andrew Smith has been working for many years in the cleaning industry and is the owner of http://www.wesparkle.co.uk, general cleaners and also the owner of http://www.stonecareuk.net who are specialists in natural stone care and maintenance of such natural stone as marble, granite and limestone

If you are Internet savvy, you will surely find that car insurance on line quotes can save you a lot of time and money. Most car insurance company web sites have on line quotes available. There are also third party websites that will compare rates between many different car insurance companies. This is a really smart way to shop for insurance because each individual car insurance company is only competitive in 2% of the market place. It may take you awhile of comparing prices between companies before you find the company that is most competitive for your demographic. There are services that quickly help you to compare fifteen to twenty companies to see which will give you the best rate.

If you find a website that gives you car insurance online quotes from multiple companies, check into a couple of things to make sure you are getting the best deal. First, it should be a third party site. There are car insurance companies that compare their rates with others, but can you really trust the rates you are getting from a site that is designed to sell you their insurance? Next, be sure that the third party site is giving you an apples-to-apples comparison with the policy you currently have. If you do switch insurance carriers to get a lower rate you want to make sure you keep the same coverage.

More car insurance info - click here

Cross promotion is not a new idea. It has been used by businesses for a very long time. For example, a real-estate company may promote a certain lawyer to close a sale. In turn, the lawyer will promote that agency in his firm. The system is somewhat similar to the primitive barter system where people traded items rather than using money. But how can anything primitive fit into the online world of Internet Marketing? Very easily!

A cross promotion is, simply stated, the trading of ad space. Instead of paying for advertising space on a site, you simply place someone else’s business ad on your page and your ad on theirs. There are many ways to use cross promotions in your internet business that can equate to effective and cost efficient advertising.

One way is to use link exchanges. This is very effective when considering cross promoting with a
company that is similar to yours. However, you should avoid linking to a page that is in direct competition with yours. One of the biggest pluses for using link exchanges is that some search engines are factoring in hits from the sites that are linked to your page when determining the ranking. Therefore, linking to a more popular site can not only increase your advertising and traffic, but also your search engine ranking.

When customers or potential customers subscribe to your ezine, you can use this as an opportunity to use cross promotions. On the same page that the customer subscribes to your ezine, make available the opportunity to subscribe to another company’s ezine. You can even exchange ad space in ezines and provide recommendations for those with whom you cross promote. You may even want to exchange column space in one another’s ezines.

Writing free articles that inform customers or potential customers with information that is useful
and accurate can create a reputation for you and your business. Readers will quickly come to know you as an expert on that subject. In these articles, the author uses a byline to help promote his site. Bylines are yet another way to use cross promotions. You can use part of the space in your byline to recommend someone else’s product.

If you have been considering writing an ebook, a joint venture could mean increased profits for you and the person you are partnering with. Cross promotion through ebooks is an excellent way to allow for a wider topic and promote both your business and your partner’s business. The ebook should contain information that will benefit both businesses but remain helpful to the reader. A good example of using cross promotions through an ebook is a site selling used video games partnering with a site selling gaming devices: two subjects that would interest the same reader and most likely lead the reader to both sites.

You should keep in mind that the recommendations you make are a direct reflection of you, so choose
your’ cross promotional businesses carefully. Also keep in mind that it would be nice as a shopper to be able to link from one site to another as a way to “shop around”. Also, never link or recommend a site that’s in direct competition with you, since this is not usually beneficial to you. Instead, recommend those that are similar, such as health and life insurance.

David Hudson can help YOU start your own profitable business on the Internet within the next 24 hours…To learn more, visit: Dreamsr.us or GoogleBayCash

Do you remember that day when you decided that you would go into business for yourself? The day that you decided that you want to control your own destiny. The day when you decided that your job is not what you expected in your life and wanted to do something about it.

If you are in business or thinking about going into it, you need to use some strategies so that your business goes in the right direction.
Here are 8 unique strategies that you can use to make your business a success.

1. Write down your “WHY”.

Why are you really in this business that you are in? What made you start your business? Why are you doing this? Is it because that you want to be your own boss? Is it because you wanted more freedom and time to spend with your family? More money? Is it because you wanted to control your own destiny? What ever your WHY is, you need to know it so that it keeps you going when things are not going well for you.

2. Write down your goals.

Athletes, successful business-people, lawyers, doctors, and great achievers in all fields use goal setting. Statistics show people who write down their goals have over an 80% higher success rate of achieving them. Short-term goals are usually simpler and easier than long-term goals.
Why? Well, writing them can help you have more frequent victories, and building momentum with each one you complete. If you do that, you can have more excitement and more motivation as you reach those goals on time. When you do reach you short-term goals, don’t forget to reward yourself and celebrate.

3. Expand your knowledge.

Expand your knowledge by taking courses, reading books, e-books, and attending learning events. Tele-classes are enjoyable, convenient, and fun for learning and discussing ideas with a group that have the same interest. Associating with people in your field instead of people who will tell you that you can’t make it, will help you a lot in your drive to your goal.

4. Visualize what you want.

People who visualize things have a guiding vision in their head, heart, and soul. Visualization is the ability to create clear, detailed and accurate images in your mind, of events that you want to create as physical reality.

5. Replace negative self-talk.

Know that you are the creator of your thoughts and beliefs. Replace negative self-talk and change it to positive self-talk. You need to talk to yourself that you can succeed. Tell yourself that you are a winner and that you will make your business a success. People will try to brain wash you that your business may not work. You need to not listen to them and tell yourself everyday that you will succeed. Family and friends do that the best.

6. Make sure that you are persistent and consistent.

The lack of persistence and consistency is one of the major causes of failure. Many people are good “starters” but very poor “finishers” of everything they start. They tend to give up at the first sign of defeat. When you start a business of any kind, you need to stay in the game no matter what. So how do you stay in the game when things are down? First, you need a definite purpose, which should be backed by a burning desire. You need to have a plan in place that is backed up by action. You also need to know your “WHY” that will keep you in the game, as explained in step 1.

7. Organize your planning

If you have a plan on how to make your business work, and your plan does not work well, then you need to try something else. I am not saying that you should try a different business, but a different plan. If that plan does not work, then you need to try something else. If this plan fails to work, then try another and so on, until you find a plan or an action that does work and brings you great results. The most successful people in all fields know that.

8.Take action.

Very important. When you take action, things are getting done. When you just think about an idea for a business and you don’t take any action then nothing gets done. Ever. Visualizing, persistence, goals, and positive self talk, none of that is important unless you start to take action toward what you are striving for.

Copyright (c) Tal Fighel.

Tal Fighel is the editor and publisher of Home Business Tips Newsletter: http://www.talfighel.com/ Complete Money Making Site Setup Free. http://www.talfighel.com/pluginprofit.htm

Yep, it is that time of year again! Time to moan and groan about the weight we gained over the holidays as we resolve to lose it all in the New Year! If memories of failed New Year’s resolutions are haunting you, it is time you found the right resolution for 2005.

The reason that most New Year’s Resolutions fail is that they are too extreme or time consuming. Who is really going to give up all sweets or stick to sweating in the gym for hours each day? What you need this year is a New Year’s Resolution that is simple enough to become a part of your daily life, and will lead to long term weight loss. Read on for five simple yet effective New Year’s Resolutions for you to choose from.

Resolution #1: Drink a large glass of water before each meal.

This simple action will save you mountains of calories in the coming year! By filling your stomach with water right before you eat you reduce your chances of overeating during the meal. Drinking more water is also healthy for all of your body functions, including converting body fat into usable energy.

Resolution #2: Wait 20 minutes before deciding on seconds.

Do you remember the last time you were uncomfortably full after a meal? Chances are that you were hungry and, rather than stopping when you were satisfied, you overate. In the same way that your body tells you when you are hungry, it also has a way of telling you when you are full. The catch is that it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stomach that you have eaten enough. What you eat during that 20 minutes is extra food that your body doesn’t need. Next time that you are in the middle of a meal contemplating getting yourself seconds, allow 20 minutes to pass before you decided if you still need the extra food. Chances are that your brain will get the “full” message and you will pass on the extra calories!

Resolution #3: Walk or Jog in the morning.

Did you know that going on a 15 minutes walk right after waking contributes to weight loss? Getting out of bed 15 minutes earlier, lacing up your tennis shoes, and simply walking around the block will lead to fat burn and lost pounds! When you get up and move first thing in the morning, before breakfast, your body is more likely to used stored fat as energy. Weight loss is supposed to be harder than this, right?

Resolution #4: Obey the No Food Three Hours Before Bed Rule.

Eating a snack after dinner is a widely held habit. Although food always seems to taste better right before bed, it is also more prone to stick with you when eaten late at night. It has been proven that not eating three hours before bed reduces fat storage throughout the night. If you go to bed at 10pm, finish eating for the day no later than 7pm. Once you have made this a habit you will be ecstatic over the long-term weight loss!

Resolution #5: Spice up you Workouts with Circuit Training

Are your workouts consisting of the same exercises in the same order at the same weight? If you find yourself falling into a rut at the gym give circuit training a try. Start by doing one set of your first exercise and then moving on to do one set of your second exercise. After you have done every exercise once, start again from the top! If you want to burn extra calories add 5 minutes on a bike between each set. Get creative and add new exercises into your circuits, and your workouts will be fun and energizing!

Now all you have to do is pick one of these New Year’s Resolutions, make it a part of your daily life, and watch as the pounds fall off in 2005!

Diana Keuilian, author, ACE certified Personal Trainer, and co-founder of HitechTrainer.com offers online personal training and nutrition programs that fit your budget and schedule. Whether your goal is to lose weight, firm and tone, or to build muscle, HitechTrainer.com will build a custom designed program just for you.
Visit: http://www.hitechtrainer.com/ and begin meeting your fitness goals today!

What is the concept of marriage? As young women growing up we dream of finding our prince charming and getting married. This has been the myth since the beginning of time.

Marriage is a relationship between individuals which has formed the foundation for most families according to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. In the early years marriage was the center of a loving and lasting relationship for a man and a woman. It was a mountain of a big deal. When you got married it was like celebrating and a party to bless the reunion for two very in love people. Marriage was the bomb and then some.

I’m a romance reader and I believe in finding the right man and living happily ever after. I look and search for my soul mate. I know he’s right around the corner, and when God is ready for me to have him, then the search will be worth it.

I was married at eighteen years of age, and I have to admit I was still a baby at heart. I had no idea what was going on in the world. I was just smitten with my husband and wanted the fairy tale dream of being married.

He swept me off my feet in everyway possible, and I was so lucky and blessed to have found this man. Little did I know that it takes more than love to sustain a marriage? Love is the center of a being, and it prevents you from divorcing so fast. I think love conquers all obstacles in our path, but it doesn’t pay the rent or the mortgage.

I was thrilled when I got married because I was still living in my fairy tale in the land of fantasy. I didn’t know what marriage was about or the mechanics of it. My husband was only three years older than me, so he was still wet behind the ears too. We celebrated our first couple of years still on the honeymoon that we never had, basking in the after glow of our love for each other. It was heaven and then some.

We had a ball getting to know each other. The next three years we moved onto the basic ingredient of our marriage and this is where the reality slowly stomped over our hearts. We begin to see that our personalities were getting on each other nerves, and we fought more than we made love.

I was a Taurus and he was a Gemini, so I couldn’t figure out what personality he would be in until the morning. Was he a Dr. Jekyll or a Mr. Hyde? Mr. Hyde was evil, loud and with a difficult personality, so I liked it when he was Dr. Jekyll. I loved the process of being married. I was also in accordance with the rules and regulations of the marriage syndrome, so I wasn’t about to give up on my marriage. I had to take my husband for better and for worse, and he had to take me the same way.

Marriage is a compromise, and a witness to being in love. We welcomed a daughter to our family and it brought us closer, but we had our own individualities, and that lasted for ten years; divorce was on the horizon, also. It was time to be alone. The love wasn’t enough to sustain our marriage.

As a divorce woman I missed being married, and envy some of the couples who have been married for eleven and forty years. My parents were married for thirty years when my mother passed away. If I ever tried marriage again, this time I’d be a little knowledgeable and I’ll understand the rules and regulations of being married. I know the scope of being with someone and putting up with their faults. I know I have plenty of faults, and if someone is willing to put up with me, then I should give them an academy award and a million dollars.

The perks of being married are:

1. You truly love someone and you literally want to spend the duration of your life with him/her.

2. Someone loves you.

3. You don’t have to worry about dating.

4. You have the gorgeous ring.

5. You have someone to talk to, listen to, and go places with, and do things with.

6. You can make love all you want.

7. You are a couple.

8. You’re no longer single.

The perks of not being married:

1. You are single with no man.

2. The dating scene is a nightmare waiting to happen.

3. You can’t trust men.

4. Making love is tested, and protection is the name of the game.

5. Living together is a prospect.

6. Love and romance is difficult to find.

7. That engagement/wedding ring that you had been waiting for at least for two to five years has yet to make an appearance on your ring finger.

If I had to make a choice between being married and single; at this point in my life, I like being single because I don’t want to be bothered with anyone. I know myself, and it’s best that I live with myself. I’m at the age where I just don’t trust a man, and I just don’t want to be bothered.

On the other hand I miss love and romance, and just being with someone. I want the ball and the chain and run with it. I want to be a couple. Will I get married again? I don’t think so, but the fairy tale is the concept of what we think marriage is. When we come down to earth and realize that marriage is real life, then we are awakened by a thunderstorm of reality. Let’s get out of fantasy land because the real world is a bitch!

I am a lover of books, and addicted to writing. Please visit my website at http://www.freewebs.com/jcarolann and check out my debut novel, “I CONFESS and EVERYTHING AND MORE”.