My name is Ann and I’m a grammar geek. There, it’s out and I’m relieved. Does this mean my writing is perfect and consistently conforms to grammar rules? Heck, no. It does mean that I spend hours perseverating about serial commas, dangling participles, and feeling guilty if I end a sentence with a preposition. I worry endlessly about what I call the PowerPointification of America (i.e., the trend toward writing short chunks of information in bullet points – which, incidentally, is what sells). I can’t bring myself to use abbreviations in e-mail or instant messages. I don’t use emoticons. I can’t help it. For better or worse, I’m a word nerd.

In my technical writing world, I get paid to think about these things. I must stay on top of instructional design trends, write to suit my audience rather than myself, and ensure that my copy is error-free both technically and grammatically. Often, I must check my ego at the door and conform to writing styles with which I don’t agree. Why? I must please my customers. It’s my job. There are times in life when we all must conform and comply to rules we don’t like. Sometimes, however, you just have to stand up for what you believe. For me, it’s a strongly held belief that the exclamation point is a dangerous grammar tool that should be used sparingly and with caution.

Why do I pick on the exclamation point? I’ve noticed a trend in recent years that correlates with the growing popularity of e-mail and instant messages. It’s the proliferation of the exclamation point. I see so much Web copy with multiple exclamation points (e.g., “This widget is the best in all of widgetdom!!!!”) or an entire page of Web copy in which each sentence ends with an exclamation point. This makes me feel like someone is yelling at me. It “hurts” my virtual ears. And frankly, if you use the exclamation point too much, you are like the boy who cried wolf. Who is going to believe you if you’re always yelling to get attention?

What’s a newbie copywriter or small business owner who can’t afford to pay a professional copywriter to do about exclamation pointitis? Follow these simple guidelines:

Limit your Web copy exclamation points to one per page. Yes, I know you love your product, but remember, there is great elegance in simple, clean copy.

Read and revise your copy and then read and revise again…and again. If you’re suffering from exclamation pointitis, ask yourself, “Are there adjectives I could be using that would more precisely illustrate the point rather than using exclamation points?” Remember, the thesaurus is your friend. Use colorful adjectives. Vary them throughout your copy, but don’t use a word unless you are entirely sure of its meaning.

Don’t ever use multiple exclamation points!!!! It’s a sign of immature writing. When is an exclamation point appropriate? Use it to convey extreme emotion or as a command (e.g., “Stop it!” I yelled, as my brother hurled me into the pool.)

Still stuck? That’s okay. We small business owners aren’t expected to know everything. Chances are there’s another business owner out there who loves to write killer copy. Have others you trust read your work. Make it a habit to check out the writing styles of people and companies you admire. Find Web pages with exclamation pointitis and think about how you would improve them. And always remember, the beautiful thing about Web sites and your blog is that you can change your content whenever you want.

The bottom line is that well-written copy portrays a professional and polished image. Is your marketing copy up to snuff?

Copyright 2005, Ann Zuccardy, All rights reserved.

About the Author: Ann Zuccardy is a freelance technical and copy writer with 17 years of industry experience in marketing and technical communication. She currently consults with IBM in Vermont, where she writes technical documentation for commercial ventures. Ann is also the owner of Vermont Shortbread Company. She can be reached at http://www.wordbrains.com .

Source: www.isnare.com

There is no day
That you’re not on my mind
Every time I look up the sky
I just become so blind

Blinded by your beauty
Even when you are far
Oh yes, you’re what blinds me
Because you’re my bright and shinning star

You’re what brightens up my evenings
Wherever I stand
For you, I have feelings
How I wish you could understand

I wish I could tell you
Even through a chant
How much I love you
But we remain so distant

How I wish that one-day
You would become a shooting star
So that you could come shooting my way
So you’ll no longer be far

But until then
You will remain my star
Though you’ll still be far
My love for you will always be a perfect ten

About the Author: hi! i’m a high school student in de le salle zobel school. I enjoy writting poems and i would like to publish them… hopefully, someday, i would like to have a book containning all poems published… hope you like my poems

Source: www.isnare.com

Not that long ago, freelancing was something people did mainly in larger metropolitan areas where work for writers, artists, and other creative types was plentiful and easily accessible. Today, however, the freelance landscape has dramatically changed.

For one, you can live practically anywhere in the world and still be able to maintain a successful freelance career. Not to mention that the creative fields aren’t the only areas where freelancing is popular any more.

Today, accountants, trainers, computer technicians, etc. are all able to earn a living as freelancers. Regardless of the freelancing field you are interested in, there are some important things you should know that will help you get started and get successful.

Before we discuss those, however, we need to talk briefly about the pros and the cons of being a freelancer. You need to know both sides before you make your decision so you truly understand what you’re getting into.

Freelancer Pros

1. You set your own schedule

As a freelancer, you get to determine what time you get out of bed and what time you turn in at night. You get to decide how much vacation time you can afford to take this year and you can elect to skip work one afternoon to spend time with your children.

2. You don’t work for a boss

Even though you are answerable to your clients, they don’t wield the same power over your life that a boss does. Yes, they can fire you, but you can also quit working for them if things get too difficult.

3. You determine how much you earn

While a conventional job pays a set amount of money regardless of how hard you work (and in some cases how long you work), freelancing allows you to make practically any amount of money that you wish because you determine how much your services cost and how many jobs you take on at one time.

4. You are able to work from your own office

Whether you prefer working in a home office or renting space somewhere to do your business, you are in charge of designing and maintaining your own comfortable office. You get to pick the people you work with. You get to pick the type of computer, post-it notes, and bottled water that you use on a daily basis also.

Freelancers Cons

1. You can become overworked quickly

When you start working steadily as a freelancer, it becomes nearly impossible for you to truly take a vacation. You have projects and clients that need your constant attention, so being gone or getting sick even for a day can put you behind schedule.

2. You have to deal with clients who can be more difficult than bosses

Most of the clients freelancers work with are genuinely good people, but there are others out there that are not. Every freelancer has probably been ripped off by a client at one time or another, even if they take steps to protect themselves.

3. You don’t have a steady income

Unless you have one or two truly constant streams of work, you can expect your income to fluctuate dramatically. Some months you may feel like you struck the lottery while others may make you think you’re heading for the food stamp line, especially when you are starting out.

4. You don’t have a way to separate work from home life

If you have a home office, you may find it difficult to recognize the difference between being at home and being at work which means that while your watching television or eating dinner you may begin to feel like you’re actually still on the job.

As you can see, each positive has a negative aspect as well. However, many of these negatives can be easily handled once you have experience as a freelancer, but to get to that point, you need to know how to get started.

Find Something You Enjoy Doing

This is critical to your success. If you don’t already have something in mind to do as a freelancer, you need to be sure that you pick an activity that you truly love. Remember, you will be doing this type of work every day. Also, the more you enjoy your work, the more passionate you are about it. Potential clients will spot that passion and will be more inclined to work with you.

Save Some Money

Most freelancers actually start out as conventional 9-5 workers. In fact, many of them maintain their full-time jobs in addition to their freelance work for the sake of a stable income, health insurance, or other benefits. If you choose to go freelance full-time, however, you need to be sure to have a comfortable nest egg in the bank. Most experts agree that you should have enough money in your savings to cover six months worth of your basic necessities. If that sounds impossible, then try juggling some freelance work with your regular job for awhile. Save up all of the money you earn from your freelance work and use that as your nest egg.

Start Finding Clients Today

One mistake that freelancers often make is that think they can only start networking and marketing their services after they’ve gotten started. The truth is that if you’re considering becoming a freelancer, now is the time to start networking and marketing. Let people know that you are thinking about going solo and get their reactions. Start building a database of possible job leads. In fact, you may want to line up some work beforehand so you can be sure of having an income initially.

Be Prepared

Most potential clients will want to see references and/or samples of your work before they give you a project. You need to have these prepared in advance. Don’t wait until someone calls to possibly offer you a project to get your portfolio in order or to line up some qualified references. Have those ready to dispatch as soon as you get off the phone or finish the email.

Find an Accountant

The most difficult part of freelancing can be the handling the financial aspects: tracking invoices, staying on top of bills, figuring your yearly taxes, etc. Unless you are already skilled in accounting, you need to find someone to help you out with this from the beginning. It makes it much simpler for you and for the accountant.

Start a Web Site

Use the Internet to your advantage. Create a professional-looking but simple web site advertising your experience and your services, then place it on the Internet. It’s one of the best ways of attracting new clients.

These suggestions will help you start your freelancing career on the right foot, but the most important key to your success will be your perseverance. If you give up easily or don’t follow through with things, you may never truly make it as a freelancer. You must be able to take rejection. You must be self-motivated, and you must be persistent. Only then will you be able to experience firsthand all of the benefits of being a modern freelancer.

Useful sites:

• http://www.elance.com/
• http://www.guru.com/
• http://www.allfreelance.com/

Copyright 2004 Vishal P. Rao

For opportunities, ideas and resources to start a home based business, visit: http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com

For more articles by the author, visit: http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com/library/reprints.shtml

The night is young

And you held me tight

You slipped your arms around me

As we danced all through the night

You smiled at me

To make sure I was okay

Can this be a dream?

Can’t we stay this way?

You started to kiss me

I felt something inside

I can’t tell you yet

Of the love I’ve always tried to hide

We started to dance

And had a great time

People began to wonder

They asked if you were mine

I’ve been waiting for this

For so long

Hoping against hope

That you’d love me all along

As we continued to dance,

I began to realize

Can people see the real me

Beneath the lies

Can they see?

That I’m crazy for you

Was I too obvious?

I hope you didn’t see me through

A perfect night

And a lovely kiss

A groovy beat

Oh pure bliss!

I wish we didn’t have to say goodbye

I didn’t want to see you leave my sight

But the feelings have to stay behind

Dancing in the rhythm of the night

Source: www.isnare.com

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About the Author

None

Notwithstanding the Property Index is really a newcomer concern, doing business since March 2007, they were very quick to establish expert reputation. On closer scrutiny, they are a unbelievably easy concern specialising in looking after every customer who is intending to buy, sell, rent or let property almost anywhere in the world. Their affirmation: to help you out laser target smack what’s looked for fast not to mention painlessly.

Real estate can easily be purchased across the globe currently, one of the coolest areas being properties on the market in Spain. It’s quite easy to tick off the fantastic real estate available for sale in Spain, one reason for opting for property here being a combination of the houses and apartments for sale and the superb chance of being able to live between this enthusiastic population.

This is one of the truly popular countries currently, and considering the beauty and agreeable weather surrounding you all the time, how could you conceivably be wrong. Real estate in Spain is very rich in history, culture and art, this realm of the world has always been home to a number of nations.

Some thirty years back there’d be just a trickle of English people who are looking for real estate in Spain. Just ask anyone who has chosen to relocate to Spain and they’ll tell you the same. There are those who would will call it a trend and others will call it a practically an addiction. Customers that are keen on moving to this region range from young couples in search of a challenge in life to the retired who intend to enjoy themselves and slow down.

Note, though, that you may well encounter a few obstructions when looking to purchase real estate abroad — there will be hundreds of disparate, incredibly complex, actions whether scheduling, inspecting or actually purchasing. If you only miss but a single procedure it is liable to well create large obstructions and, critically, a financial trouncing.

As is to be counted on with this well-liked area, real estate may well be extraordinarily high-priced in this location which is only a result of the peaking market pressure. Regardless of this the homebuyer is a bit spoilt in such a part of the world characterized by fun vista. It’s presently got the whole ball of wax you might want, and more.

The Property Index site has a vast range of property for sale in Spain, view the range online.

gambling betting

Supposing you do not comprehend betting house card-playing, then do read on.

A valid description of a betting establishment is an edifice that accomodates gaming. At such a place, aficionados will be encouraged to wager by challenging slot-machines or trying out alternative betting pastimes. Betting establishment games mainly include well calculated chances built in which maintain that the saloon keeps up dominion versus the betting devotees.

Countless betting establishment games encourage you to get overly habituated very rapidly. Consider the the quintessential 1-armed bandit, a coin gobbling contraption with 3 plus cogs that pivot if a lever on the side is tugged. The machine frequently pays corresponding with a run of motifs shown on the screen of the contraption. Unfortunately, gaming room games proffer the fallacy of mental power, conning the betting devotee – the addressee is tasked with choice, but these cannot match the client’s overall disadvantage. That is brought about by the the gaming hall never refunding the entire wager as expected. This structure is notoriously found in well-known casino games like five-card stud, dice games, roulette or blackjack.

Seven card stud poker is undeniably a highly trendy casino pastime. The betting devotees, holding fully screened hands, are placing bets in a central pot which is granted to the prevailing gamer bearing the best set of cards. (Of course, the shameless bluffing hand can easily win too!)

Resembling seven-card stud poker, blackjack too is an incredibly fashionable casino game. A good part of its is owed to its particular mix of luck and craft and choice making, and a system termed “counting”. This is a craft by which gaming enthusiasts will actually shift the arm of chance of the card game for their own good both by wagering and strategy opetations in agreement with the cards dealt.

Craps is a famous game using the throw of dice. Customers may make bets on the result of one roll, or on a string of rolls on 2 dice. Quite unlike blackjack, there is no available bona fide killer tactics players could utilize to bend the odds.

Roulette is another prominent casino pastime; a croupier rotates a roulette wheel which has a set of exactly 37 (in the case of European roulette) or exactly thirty-eight (American roulette) distinctively numbered pockets in which a rolling ball will finally come to land, thus announcing the final winning number Whenever a punter wagers on any given number which wins meaning it’s their lucky day, the dividend is going to be thirty-five to 1, the stake proper being returned. So in total it’s increased by thirty six.

Try to be cautious however, for many of these betting establishment games of luck are rightly considered awfully obsessive. Indeed an incredible number of lives may well have been destroyed due to gambling & although it indisputably may be entertaining, do please endeavor to ensure self-control.

www.becheeky.com began in 2005 it was started by two partners. They observed a substantial gap in the online lingerie market and started the BeCheeky website with the proposal that it would be designed specially around helping out men obtain underwear for their spouses. Clientele feel content acquiring from www.becheeky.com this is because the employees give such sensational individual attention & because of this it gives customers the feeling that they are shopping with a smart boutique with a tremendous personal shopper there to assist with your every single step.

The BeCheeky website was such a gigantic success with ladies lingerie that the staff bought in men?s underwear to the site as well. BeCheeky.com is renowned for its range of alluring underwear sets, bras, knickers, boyshorts, corsets, basques, bikinis and swimsuits. What makes them special is that there is always something for all tastes. Each item that is bought is always delivered in a fetching silk sack filled with bits of confetti for that further special touch. www.becheeky.com are also well known for their own excellent special deals which mostly happen on a day to day basis. Find affordable, gorgeous and stylish knickers from designers such as Simone Perele, State of Undress, Kalita, Sielei, Mimi Holliday and Sista Shei.

The BeCheeky website itself is constantly outstandingly painless to navigate through as well as with obvious to follow instructions to make your selection and payment transaction as easy and as trouble – free as probable. Once you have chosen your item it is time to select what delivery you would like. There are a couple of different choices to choose from, in spite of this this, all arrival methods are praised for their immediate mail out the site sends out deliveries to the UK, Europe & the rest of the world. The employees offer 3 varieties of dispatching, standard which will be delivered within 3 days days, next working day and lastly worldwide which usually takes between two to three days from order date. There is always a small charge for deliveries ?2.30 for standard & ?5.95 for the next working day delivery.

Alexander Graham Bell was the inventor of this wonderful device, which later became a limitless tool that enables people to pass messages no matter the distance between them. Today this device has enabled people to not only pass messages verbally but also through text or images. It has also been improved to become a tracking device.

Children as young as seven are given cell phones. It has become a necessity in times of emergency and has been proven to be a lifesaver at times. What started as a simple cord device that was able to pass messages from one room to another room can now pass messages from one country to another and the greatest thing about it is that today’s designs have become so handy due to the fact that cords have been omitted? You can carry it in your pockets; take it with you to the bathroom, to the kitchen, to your front-yard, to work, to school or the mall.

Touch screen phones, 3G calling, internet Browsing are just some of the many technology that companies have included in their designs just to make their products competitive enough for the world market. Sizes have also become a factor to compete in, as people have different tastes, some like it big some like it small and handy. Some like it sleek some like it colorful and trendy. You can easily shop for a phone that suits your personality or way of life.

Despite the fact that phones today have been created to keep up with the advancing technology, we can never deny that the most important reason why phones are still being purchased is the same reason why it was invented in the first place.

Directory enquiries have till the present day been undeniably, listed amongst the most laboursaving and useful services ever thought of. Quite simply scooping up a telephone to ask for an address or the phone number when you did not possess the essential phone directory on your person has certainly been a real support for people in these times of critical informational needs. For an easy to use directory enquiries website try 118 118.

In spite of this, as time passed and directory enquiries became ever more popular, we came to the conclusions that we spent additional time being put on hold and listening to adverts as opposed to obtaining the data which we required “quick and easy”. It should go without saying, this was the very function directory enquiries were meant to perform. As a result, a significant proportion of us commenced searching for alternate methods and means. But nevertheless, there was still no alternative which was comparable till the advent of on-line directory enquiries. Online directory enquiries are not solely better than old phone in directories, on line directories are clearly a lot more effective.

The most frequently used online directory enquiries offer their services at absolutely no cost. There are certainly no sign up costs and no forced sitting through adverts. Therefore online directories are actually “free of charge” & “simple to use”. On line directory enquiries are prepared to go for you all year round. You can quite simply open an on-line directory enquiry and ascertain your old university acquaintances telephone number at four in the morning.

On-line directory enquiries let you check info regarding a great number of crucial pieces of information. UK directory enquiry services can supply you with train timetables & significantly help you in your task of finding transport from finish to source. You may additionally want to find out about the movies being shown in your closest cinema hall, absolutely no matter where about you dwell in the UK. Patently, locating corporations and their phone numbers is a slice of the pie and the best part is that you of course get to learn people’s phone numbers. Every piece of this invaluable information is currently procurable at your PC with on-line business directories. There are obviously no overbusy lines, certainly no irritated operators, malfunctioning machines or prolonged advertisements to listen to. So log on and enjoy!